Does Stevia Break A Fast True Or False
In the US, 40% of the population above the age of 20 is reportedly obese, with another 30% percent in the overweight category. This poses a serious health hazard for a significant percentage of the population. Intermittent fasting is considered as one of the more effective methods for achieving weight loss. Consequently, a large number of obese and overweight individuals take up intermittent fasting to get rid of flab. Individuals who practice this method apparently share similar doubts about permitted dietary intake during these sessions. The most common doubt among individuals is does stevia break a fast? This is because of the apprehensions about calorie intake that can play spoilsport to well-planned dietary restrictions. We therefore dive deep into the subject of intermittent fasting and properties of stevia to understand if there is merit to the doubts.
So Does Stevia Break A Fast
While the technical answer to the question does stevia break a fast is no, it is necessary to also look beyond the technical answer. As a zero calorie sugar substitute, Stevia will not add to your calories. However, individuals who cannot do without a cup of artificially sweetened coffee or tea, the risk goes beyond the ingredient. It is the taste that is the risk. Individuals who use sweeteners are rewarding their minds and building desire for sweetened products. Beyond a particular point, this becomes irresistible, and push becomes shove. This is where participants in weight loss regimes are known to reach out for a snack or some food product that adds to the calories and undoes all the hard work up to that point.
All that it takes is a little weakness to succumb to a sweet desire, and the whole intermittent fasting plan ends up ruined. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the desire for sweetened products is controlled effectively and this includes cutting down on the use of artificially flavored beverages and food products. As mentioned earlier, while the ingredient is not the risk factor, it is the taste delivered by the ingredient that is the risk in intermittent fasting programs. Therefore, while the answer to the question does stevia break a fast is no, it does not end with no. The use of Stevia for sweetening drinks during fasting period can results in the addition of calories to the body through other desires linked to the sweetening flavor of Stevia.
Certain Stevia Products May Be More Fasting
Stevia is commercially available in a variety of forms, many of which have fillers and added ingredients that may be inappropriate to consume during your fast.
For instance, some stevia products contain small amounts of dextrose or maltodextrin, both of which are carbs and contain calories.
To avoid accidentally breaking your fast with these added ingredients, many people prefer sticking to stevia products made exclusively with pure stevia extract.
If youre unsure whether your favorite stevia product only contains pure stevia, you can simply check the ingredient list on the package to verify.
Summary
Some stevia-based products include carb-containing additives. To err on the side of caution, you may want to opt for stevia products that only contain pure stevia extract while youre fasting.
Also Check: Why Should I Do Intermittent Fasting
Does Xylitol Break A Fast
Because xylitol does not contribute to cavities and gum disease, you can often find it in sugar-free gum. Since most sugar alcohols do contain about half the energy of regular table sugar, it probably isnt a great alternative to consume in large quantities during a fast. For the same reasons, it isnt great for a gut rest. Nor is it great in large quantities if you are fasting for autophagy. There is some insulin response, but its quite small .
- Fasting for Autophagy: Ok Limited Quantities
- Fasting for Fat Loss: Ok Limited Quantities
- Fasting for Gut Rest: Not Recommended
Favorite Xylitol Products
- NOW Foods, Xylitol, Pure with No Added Ingredients, Keto-Friendly, Low Glycemic Impact, Low Calorie I would be careful with Xylitol for any kind of fast, but small quantities should not kick you out of autophagy or ketosis.
Does Monk Fruit Break A Fast
The topic of sweeteners generates some heated debates in the world intermittent fasting and dieting in general. A sweetener that has been in the spotlight recently is monk fruit. The question inevitably arises: does monk fruit break a fast?
Most people get no insulin response from monk fruit, so they technically dont break a fast. But others do. If youre doing it for longevity/autophagy, monk fruit is safe. For fat loss and insulin resistance, you need to figure out if you get an insulin response from it. There are also concerns that monk fruit, like other artificial sweeteners, can increase cravings during your fast.
So should you consume it while intermittent fasting? Lets dive deeper into the pros and cons of monk fruit while fasting.
Recommended Reading: What Should You Eat Intermittent Fasting
The Right Mindset For Fasting
One of my goals today was to help folks chill out about fasting. You dont need to be a water-only person to benefit.
There are a couple of principles to keep in mind. First, if it doesnt have calories, it wont break a fast. That means coffee, tea, and non-caloric sweeteners are fair game.
Also, calories arent the kryptonite of fasting. Intermittent calorie restriction, or even just a significant calorie restriction, is a perfectly acceptable form of fasting. Keep in mind, the goal here should be to reap the benefits of fasting, not win some kind of hypothetical fasting olympics.
If you do decide to consume calories during your fast, you should favor fat or collagen calories. This prevents your body from releasing insulin, activating mTOR, and switching into growth mode.
Youll be in growth mode soon enough, once you officially break your fast. And that, folks, is my cue to go eat something.
Sweeteners That May Or May Not Break Your Fast
So this part is a little tricky because there is conflicting information regarding which sweeteners break your fast. Thats because However, well go by the research.
Its also important to note that the following natural and artificial sweeteners are deemed safe for use by the Food and Drug Administration .
Lets start with natural sweeteners.
Recommended Reading: Will I Lose Weight Intermittent Fasting
If You Practice Intermittent Fasting On A Regular Basis Then Its Pretty Important That You Know What Does And Doesnt Break Your Fast So Where Do Artificial Sweeteners Fit Into The Equation
Many people who fast regularly will also consume products that use sweeteners such as stevia or sucralose.
But will these sweeteners kick you out of a fasted state and what do you need to be aware of?
If youre looking for the answers to these questions, then the chances are, youre looking to find out whether you can get away with consuming a supplement or drink that uses sweeteners during your fasting window.
This article is going to take a detailed look at artificial sweeteners, intermittent fasting, and whether the two can be used together or not.
Were going to get into detail about the basics that you need to know about intermittent fasting, and whether having a sweetener while doing it is a good idea or not.
So, with the introductions out of the way, lets start taking a closer look at whether an artificial sweetener breaks you fast or not.
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What Breaks A Fast
Before we delve further into which sweeteners break a fast, you may want to know about the process of fasting and what happens when you break it.
Going for hours without nutrition in the form of food and liquids causes the body to use up its primary energy source, glucose, forcing the cells to use other substrates instead a process called gluconeogenesis. Ketosis or keto is a prime example of this where fat-made ketones in the blood become the primary fuel source when carbs are not sufficient.
In other words, fasting forces cells to adapt to metabolic changes that take place and this is when you can experience many of the potential benefits.
Watch:
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Intermittent Fasting: Coffee With Soy Milk
So, is soy milk another supposedly better alternative to milk while fasting?
One glass of soy milk has about 15.5 grams of carbohydrates, of which 10 grams are table sugar .
As with oat milk, industrially produced omega-6 fatty acids predominate in this artificial drink.
Furthermore, the soy itself is one of the three most frequently genetically manipulated crops in the world. Accordingly, over 90% of the canola, corn, and soy harvest comes from genetically manipulated plants.
Why should your soy drink be non-GMO?
On the one hand, this almost impossible to find out, and on the other hand, it is highly unlikely.
Since the soy probably comes mainly from a foreign country, the first processing steps happen somewhere, neither traceable nor regulated.
So whats the solution?
Eat real food! Industrially produced drinks mixed in a lab are harmful to your health no matter what the commercials say.
However, a single shot of soy milk breaks the fast due to the high amount of carbohydrates.
With this in mind, if you need a milk substitute while eating due to an intolerance, go with unsweetened almond milk.
Testing Sweeteners In Coffee And Intermittent Fasting: Methods & Materials
Our method was to:
The materials we used were a precision Xtra blood ketone and glucose monitor.
Becky:
So, we got up bright and early in the morning, pricked our fingers to test our baseline blood glucose and ketones, then put a sweetener into our coffee and drank that down.
We tested our blood at 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 120 minutes.
Keith:
Right, and we are also doing a 16-8 intermittent fast with no exercise and no supplementation.
That is what we normally do.
Spoiler Alert!
So here is the bad news: For all of you people who use sweeteners, you might not be happy with us after these videos.
Read Also: What Foods Do You Eat On Intermittent Fasting
So Whats A Proper Fast
There are two schools of thought regarding how many calories you can have during a fast for it to still count as a fast. The first school is obvious zero. In order to be a true fast, you must consume zero calories. However, there are others who say that anything up to 50 calories would not break the fast and is acceptable. Now lets be honest here fasting is fasting and even consuming 50 calories really isnt a fast. However, as hard as a try, I cannot enjoy black coffee. So, I personally chose to follow this approach and put 10-20 calories of Nutpods into my coffee each morning. I also drink my pre-workout drink, which is 15 calories. So, I consume about 25-35 calories each day during my fasting window .
Organic Healthy Green Coffeefor $575 A Pound
I also have to point out that I also roast my own organic green coffee and I have found them to be as healthy and as flavorful as you can get.
You roast it at home and my oh, my is it good!
Also not only are they the best and most healthy in my humble opinion, they are the least expensive as well. I get my Organic Coffee from Deans Beansfor about $5 to $6 a pound. That is not a typo. Dean is one awesome guy!
I just did a video on roasting your own coffee at home and will try to post it shortly.
Here is a link to the Organic Coffee I buy. I do not make a dime off of this, just helping you and these guys out. Organic Guatemalan Coffee for $5.75 a pound.
Read Also: How Does Do Fasting Work
Fasting And Artificial Sweeteners
Sweet taste is a much-discussed topic regarding intermittent fasting and the keto diet. On the one hand, it is difficult to get away from it. On the other hand, it substantially promotes cravings.
Most sugar-free sweeteners have zero protein, carbohydrates, and calories. Therefore, they do not raise the blood sugar level. But is the calculation that simple?
No, since people often forget that both intermittent fasting and keto have one essential goal: Lowering insulin levels to allow your body to tap into stored fat for energy.
Since the storage hormone, insulin, prevents body fat breakdown and ketone production, a significant increase in insulin levels breaks the fast.
Unfortunately, most diet gurus have not done their homework in this context.
As endocrinologist and fasting pioneer Dr. Jason Fung correctly points out, it does not matter whether food increases blood sugar levels as long as it increases insulin levels .
Does Stevia Break Ketosis While Fasting
Ketones are the alternative energy source that your body makes from fat when youre not eating carbs.
When you fast, youre obviously not eating any carbs, so your ketone levels go up.
The best part?
Fasting will raise your ketone levels a lot more than just eating a ketogenic diet.
I couldnt find any research on stevia impacting ketone levels, but I doubt there would be much of an effect.
For example, during a recent 5-day fast I used liquid stevia multiple times per day to sweeten tea and other drinks. Despite this, my ketone levels stayed very high throughout the fast.
Bottom line?
Based on what we currently know, I think using stevia is fine if youre fasting to boost ketone levels.
Recommended Reading: How To Lose Belly Fat Intermittent Fasting
Coffee With Monk Fruit
Monk fruit extract has a similar effect to stevia. It is also extremely sweet about 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Although monk fruit sweetener is one of the better alternatives, I wouldnt use it daily for intermittent fasting, due to its counterintuitive nature.
According to studies, intense sweetness promotes appetite and cravings .
Stevia And Intermittent Fasting / Extended Fasting To Lose Body Fat
When you fast, your body starts burning fat for energy . Thats why fasting is a great way to reduce body fat.
Will stevia interfere with fat loss when youre fasting?
As far as I can tell, there isnt any scientific research that addresses this question directly.
Personally, I dont see any reason why stevia would prevent you from burning body fat during a fast.
Bottom line?
I think stevia is probably fine if youre fasting to lose body fat.
Recommended Reading: How To Lose Weight From Intermittent Fasting
Keiths Glucose Results: Equal
My glucose started at 101 mg/dL, went up to 114 mg/dL at 30 minutes, went back to 98 mg/dL at 60 minutes, and back up to 108 mg/dL at 120 minutes.
Again we see that result kind of bobbing around a little bit.
I think my Equal results were similar to the results of regular sugar.
I was in ketosis when we did the sugar test, I dropped out of ketosis and then bounced back in at the two-hour mark.
How Do You Sweeten Coffee While Fasting
You can also add cinnamon, vanilla powder and unsweetened cocoa powder to your coffee for taste without adding substantial calories that could break your fast. Can I have cream and sugar in my coffee while fasting? To stay in a fasted metabolic state, its best not to add any cream or sugar to your coffee.
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Is There A Difference Between Natural/extracted Stevia And Does Stevia Break A Fast
There are differences between natural Stevia and extracted Stevia. Organic green leaf Stevia and extracted Stevia are different. In fact extracted Stevia is more likely to have very little of the plant extract. However, the action and impact of both natural and extracted Stevia are more or less the same. Extracted Stevia powder has the same impact as natural Stevia with almost 200 times the power of Sugar powder when matched spoon for spoon. To answer the question does stevia break a fast it is safe to state that neither natural Stevia nor extracted Stevia powder will break a fast, if the product is pure and unadulterated.
Do Artificial Sweeteners Break A Fast
Thats a tricky question to answer, there are a lot of studies on the subject of artificial sweeteners, blood sugar, and insulin response. And a lot of conflicting answers on the subject.
First off, if you want to make sure to not break a fast, you shouldnt use artificial sweeteners. There are lots of conflicting studies on the subject and every sweetener can react in a different way.
But, ultimately, artificial sweeteners are highly processed food, even in the case it wouldnt break your fast it has been found to have disastrous effects on overall health when consumed frequently. Fasting is not just about losing weight, its also a way to detox yourself and to give your body time to rest.
Drinking highly processed crap is not how you should envision fasting. But, hey, thats just my two cents on the subject, everyones different. So, lets take a look.
Before diving into the many studies on the subject, we could argue that some studies financed by the food industry, would logically try and prove the opposite of an independently founded study. On this specific subject, 83.3% of studies that were sponsored by food companies were unable to show a relationship between artificial sweeteners and weight gain. While independent studies showed the exact opposite.
Reading many things on the subjects there seems to be no clear cut evidence that artificial sweeteners would raise insulin levels and blood sugar.
To conclude :
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Electrolyte Drinks And Powders
My answer here depends on the product. Electrolytes alone wont break a fast.
In fact, taking electrolytes can help prevent the muscle cramps, energy dips, and headaches that often plague folks while fasting. These are symptoms of electrolyte deficiencies that manifest because fasting regimens cause enhanced electrolyte loss through urine.
Verdict? A zero-sugar electrolyte product wont break your fast. I humbly recommend Drink LMNT. For years, we supported our fasts with homemade electrolyte drinks because we couldnt recommend anything on the market. Thats why we created Drink LMNT.
