Finally Can You Drink Coffee While Fasting
The moment you waited for
Can you consume coffee while intermittent fasting? The answer is
YES!
If you need a caffeine fix while youre intermittent fasting, it must be a cup of black coffee. A brewed cup of coffee is about 5 calories and contains no fat, therefore it can be consumed during periods of fasting. If creamer, sugar, milk, or flavor syrup is added to the black coffee, the fast has been broken. Thankfully, black coffee is an approved, safe beverage to consume during intermittent fasting.
Forbidden Drinks During Intermittent Fasting
The forbidden drinks usually have calories, cause a metabolic response and thus they break a fast. If you want to reap all of the benefits intermittent fasting offers, you cannot consume these drinks in your fasting window. Some theories say you can eat up to 50 calories without breaking a fast. If you were to listen to this advice, the list of your allowed intermittent fasting drinks would expand a bit.
Ultimately, its up to you to decide if you allow any calories during a fast but I suggest allowing NONE. Its just a couple of hours and the benefits of making it till the end of a fast are really awesome. Its best to totally avoid the forbidden drinks and consume them only if you really have trouble continuing a fast .
Here is the most comprehensive list of drinks forbidden during intermittent fasting.
Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar
Diluting a small amount of apple cider vinegar in 8 ounces of water won’t break your fast. In fact, it might actually be a really good idea. According to a study in the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2018, apple cider vinegar can lead to positive metabolic changes that help promote weight loss. Drinking apple cider vinegar every day may also reduce total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL or “bad cholesterol” levels.
Make sure to dilute it in water before drinking it, though. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar is potent and drinking it undiluted may damage tooth enamel.
Recommended Reading: How To Start Intermittent Fasting For Beginners
Best Food And Drinks For Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is a healthy way to boost energy, promote mental clarity, and lose weight.
While abstaining from food is a HUGE part of it, what you eat in between is just as important. Today, Im sharing the best foods and beverages to enjoy while practicing IF.
I want to first note that you should first consult a licensed medical physician before you jump into intermittent fasting. IF isnt for everyone and therefore, its something to discuss with a professional.
The purpose of this post is to give you an overview of IF schedules, not to provide any professional/medical advice.
If youre totally new to intermittent fasting, read this post first, its everything you need to know about IF, and then come back to this post.
Fasting is a state in which one abstains from food for a certain period. Its nothing new fasting has been used for thousands of years for spiritual and cultural purposes, but only recently has there been a new shift in focus on fasting for the purpose of health.
Not only does it promote weight loss, but it also gives mental clarity, boosts energy, improves blood sugar, and increases longevity. There are certain methods to IF so heres a quick overview:
I go more in-depth on the benefits of Intermittent Fasting IF in this post, but in short, I find the 16:8 method best for me and I sometimes break my fast with Bulletproof Coffee.
Its my meal of the morning that supplies me with ample health benefits and a terrific boost of energy.
Foods You Can Eat While Fasting
Some experts say as long as you keep your carbohydrate intake below 50 grams per day during a fast, you can maintain ketosis .
Below are some foods and beverages you can consume while fasting.
- Water. Plain or carbonated water contains no calories and will keep you hydrated during a fast.
- Coffee and tea. These should mostly be consumed without added sugar, milk, or cream. However, some people find that adding small amounts of milk or fat can curb hunger.
- Diluted apple cider vinegar. Some people find that drinking 12 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed into water can help them stay hydrated and prevent cravings during a fast.
- Healthy fats. Some people drink coffee containing MCT oil, ghee, coconut oil, or butter during their fast. Oil breaks a fast, but it wont break ketosis and can tide you over between meals.
- Bone broth. This rich source of nutrients can help replenish electrolytes lost during long periods of only drinking water.
Remember that foods and drinks containing any calories like bone broth and the healthy fats listed above will technically break your fast.
However, small amounts of these low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein foods wont throw your body out of ketosis .
SUMMARY
Some people choose to consume small amounts of certain foods and beverages while fasting, such as bone broth or healthy fats. Others consume calorie-free beverages.
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Fasting Tea With Healing Spices
Fasting tea is a great way to help you stick to the digestive pause protocol and to enhance the fasting health effects. Made with calming ingredients and cleansing spices, this fasting tea recipe is designed to support your body during the fasting period. I love its spicy taste and wonderful flavors and honestly I cant wait for the evening to sip it and give my body a real treat during the digestive restore period.
Is Intermittent Fasting Hard To Start
Adjusting to intermittent fasting may be difficult for some at first. Hunger, nausea, lack of focus and even fatigue may be experienced at the beginning.
Not to worry, these feelings should subside once an established routine is maintained. If they do not, consult with your primary care doctor.
If you haven’t had any type of eating schedule in the past, its important to be patient with yourself and your body.
Instead of immediately jumping into an eat-stop-eat routine or a 16/8 diet, slowly ease yourself into fasting periods by skipping breakfast, or simply delaying breakfast until later in the day.
After a few days of delaying breakfast, you can start skipping it altogether, or incorporating a no snacking after dinner rule. Over time, these incremental changes will add up to an entire 16/8 fast.
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Coffee Other Than Black Or Green
Only black coffee is OK during a fast.
Generally, any other type of coffee except for black and green usually contains carbs and sugar. A latte is just one of the bad examples of coffee. The same applies to cappuccino and other instant coffees . Thats a NO.
Just stick to back or green unsweetened coffee with anything but water in it and you are going to be fine.
What Should I Drink During My Fasting Window
First, keep in mind that generally speaking, during your fasting window you want to consume as close to zero calories as possible.
Depending on who you ask, some people say keeping it under fifty calories or so is harmless.
Others are staunchly against this and will try to fight you online if you drink anything other than water during a fast.
Youll have to decide for yourself how you feel and what youd like to include in your intermittent fasting diet plan.
If you choose to consume beverages that have more than zero calories, this is known as dirty fasting.
If, on the other hand, you stick to zero calories with no additives at all, this is known as clean fasting.
Ive had success going the dirty route and found no problem with losing weight while consuming a variety of beverages, which Ill share with you below.
But some people have reported that their bodies hold on to excess weight and fat if they dont go 100% clean.
My advice to you is to block out all the noise and experiment!
We are all different, and nobody can tell you what to do with your body.
Your body, your rules. Period.
Okay, now, with no further ado, here are the seven best liquids to drink while fasting for weight loss!
Recommended Reading: How To Get Through Intermittent Fasting
Low Calorie Food And Drink
Certain fasting diets, such as the modified fasting plan, allow people to eat a limited amount of calories on fast days, often up to 25% of their usual daily caloric intake.
For example, a person requiring 2,000 calories per day could consume up to 500 calories daily if they follow this method.
Some examples of lower calorie food and drinks include:
- eggs
Best Drinks For While Fasting
When someone tells you that you cannot eat, whats the first thing you want to do?
Yep, you guessed itcue the hunger pangs, right?
Thats why its important to keep yourself hydrated during the fasting window.
Otherwise, when its time to eat, youll overeat. One way to stave off hunger is by tricking your starvation mentality with liquid consumption.
And for this purpose, there are certain drinks that are superior to others.
With that said, here are 5 best drinks you can enjoy during your fasting windows:
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Liquids You Should Drink For Fasting
The first thing to understand is this: Even though you are fasting, you do need to stay properly hydrated.
The reason for this is pretty simple:
Avoiding water may be detrimental to your healthand could cause adverse health conditions to occur.
Thats why, on most fasting diets, water is highly recommended.
Here are some of the top liquids to have if you are fasting:
1. Water
Water is the best option when youre doing a fast. It has zero calories, therefore automatically making it fit in your plan.
It helps fill up your stomach, therefore making you feel full. This sends a signal to you brain that helps cut down on your hunger and food cravings.
You can infuse your water with lemon, lime, cucumber, or berries, which adds a natural sweetness to it.
Stay away from artificial sweeteners and enhancers, as they may cause unsafe spikes in insulin, which could lead to cravings.
On a complete fast, men are recommended to drink 15 cups and women 11 cups a day.
2. Tea
Tea is a great addition to any fast. Black tea, oolong tea, and others, have been shown to reduce hunger, provide beneficial antioxidants, and may increase the benefits of your fast.
People fasting have been buzzing about Amla Green because it helps them fight hunger and gives them a jolt of antioxidants when their bodies are ready to absorb nutrition the most.
3. Coffee
Since is nothing in your stomach to absorb the coffee, some people may experience an upset stomach, acid reflux, or get the shakes.
One Exception To The Rule
There is an exception to the no-cal rule while intermittent fasting. If you prefer your coffee with cream and sugar, that’s still on the menu with the 5:2 intermittent fasting method. The reason has to do with how you restrict your caloric intake.
The 5:2 method differs from the 16:8 method, where you’re only supposed to consume calories during a certain period of time each day. The 5:2 method, however, doesn’t restrict you to a certain time period. Rather, it restricts how many calories you consume for certain days of the week.
The 5:2 intermittent fasting method means that five days out of the week you consume a recommended amount of calories for your height, weight, age, and sex. But for two, nonconsecutive days of the week you cut your caloric intake down to about 20% to 25% of your recommended amount.
Therefore, you can consume whatever you like on the 5:2 method including a cappuccino at 8 am, if so choose. You just have to be aware of how that will count toward your total caloric intake on those two restrictive days.
Also Check: How To Make Fasting Easier
Coffee During Intermittent Fasting
While black coffee is permitted during IF, a popular way to break the fast is with Bulletproof Coffee. Its made with high-quality coffee, grass-fed butter, and MCT oil for a brain-boosting beverage that gives you energy and an excellent source of healthy fats.
You may be thinking- hold up! Whats MCT oil?? Butter in coffee?? Yes, its not your typical first cup, so lets discuss the benefits of Bullet Proof Coffee:
First, MCT oil, better known as brain octane oil, is a caprylic fatty acid-containing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. You can find it in coconut oil, but Brain Octane oil is 18 times stronger!
Related: Benefits of MCT Oil for Women
When it comes to butter, grass-fed is the best choice. Its higher in Omega-3s, beta carotene, vitamins, and it tastes better. It also gives the coffee a creamy, golden texture and taste after my first sip, I was sold.
In it, youll get a full 1-week meal plan so you know exactly what foods to enjoy during your eating windows, every day of the week. Learn more here and purchase the book here.
Does Tea Break A Fast
A simple herbal tea doesnt break a fast. However, if you decide to buy a fasting tea blend, make sure to check the nutritional label for added sugar, milk powder and artificial flavour enhancers you want to give your system a break, not to burden your liver activity with unwanted chemicals.
I like to make my own fasting herbal blends or ingredient combos because I can control their quality. Herbal blends, green tea, ginger, hibiscus or rooibos are good choices for not breaking your fast.
Make sure to avoid adding sugar or other sweeteners, including honey, to your fasting tea as these will break your fasting.
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Salty Drinks You Can Use While Fasting
Technically, you dont have to drink your salt. You could basically just eat it.
But I find some of the salty liquids to be more palatable
Basically you want something very high in sodium, but low in carbs, and low in total calories.
My main go-to is bouillon. Thats because its cheap, readily available, and fits the above criteria perfectly.
For example, one bouillon cube has about 800 mg of sodium, but only 5 calories .
Just dissolve it in some hot water, and voilà.
Another good option is veggie broth. The type I use has about 750 mg of sodium per serving, but only 5 calories. So almost exactly the same as a bouillon cube.
Another quick and easy sodium source is soy sauce. It usually has about 1 gram per serving, but only 10 or so calories. You can either just splash the soy sauce in your mouth and wash it down with some water, or mix it in with a drink.
It doesnt exactly taste good. But it can boost your sodium in a jiffy.
Sometimes I eat dill pickles as well. They also have quite a bit of sodium, but almost no calories.
Hopefully you get the idea.
Ive done prolonged fasting with and without extra salt, and I feel WAY better when I add salt.
Here are some salty examples I happened to have on hand:
I usually try to get at least 2 or 3 grams of sodium per day during a prolonged fast. For most people, that may be enough to keep your blood pressure in a happier place.
Sometimes I go even higher .
A Medical Disclaimer Seems Relevant Here
How Much Water Should You Drink In A Day
Some surveys suggest that while about 20 percent of our body water level comes from food , the remainder comes from liquids. Nevertheless, keep in mind that celery, watermelon, soups etc. quench your thirst, fill you up and deliver vital nutrients. This is why a higher intake of fresh fruit and vegetables equals a higher intake of water.
The body needs water for most of its functions. However, we are always involved in activities that make our bodies lose water. We lose water through our breathing, perspiration, urine, and bowel movement. In short, every metabolic reaction in the body leads to the loss of water. Since the body is made up of water, any loss of it needs to be replaced as often as possible for the body to keep functioning correctly. This is one of the reasons why it is usually encouraged to stay hydrated even if a person is fasting.
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Go Easy On The Coffee
Although black coffee is OK to drink while intermittent fasting, try not to go overboard. Too much coffee can leave you feeling jittery, anxious and weak, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine. Drinking coffee late in the day can also affect the quality of your sleep.
Plus, you’ll be drinking the coffee on an empty stomach, so the caffeine will enter your bloodstream faster than if you’d just had a meal and your stomach was full. Stick to one or two cups a day. If you want more than that, switch to decaf coffee.
Read more:14 Legit Ways Coffee Can Boost Your Health
How Much Water Should I Drink While Water Fasting To Lose Weight
The primary factor that determines it is your weight. An average person whos looking to shed off some pounds can follow the recommended 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day . Unfortunately, a survey carried out by the National Cancer Institute and analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that seven percent of adults dont bother drinking a glass of water while only 22% drink 8 glasses or more .
On the recommended quantity, some factors, including your activity level, environment, and overall health , still influence it. So, while you are shooting for the daily recommendation, it doesnt mean that you shouldnt drink more when you feel dehydrated. The only thing is that you should not overdrink and risk water intoxication, which is also called hyponatremia, although this is rare.
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