Best Liquids To Drink While Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss
If you dont already know, intermittent fasting is one of the hottest weight loss crazes around in recent months and years.
And thats for good reason.
Its fast, easy, and it works!
Ive lost over forty pounds on intermittent fasting and kept it off. Something I struggled with for many, many years before giving intermittent fasting a try.
So I will sing loud and proud from the mountains and the rooftops that it really does work and is worth giving a try, provided you get the clearance from your doctor to do so.
One consideration you may have if you want to try fasting is what you should drink during your fast.
In this article, Ill share seven of the best liquids to drink while intermittent fasting for weight loss.
*This post contains affiliate links
What Can You Drink While Intermittent Fasting
Updated on Medically reviewed byKimberly Langdon, MD
Obesity is spiking at alarming levels all around the world. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of obesity in American adults increased from 30.5% to 42.4between 2000 to 2018.
Among all the diet options, most Americans tend to choose intermittent fasting. It has been in practice all around the world for thousands of years and has made a great comeback recently. The popularity of this eating pattern goes beyond shedding a few pounds. Its like giving your body a major detox.
One of the most common questions googled about intermittent fasting since it got mainstream attention is what one can drink during their fasting windows?. In this article, you will learn everything about what you could drink during your intermittent fasting phase and some simple tips weight loss.
What Can You Drink In The Eating Window
You can consume any kind of milk like animal milk or almond milk, smoothies, coconut water, and fruit juices. Buttermilk and Kombucha are rich sources of probiotics and great for an upset stomach, as it also improves gut health. One can drink diet soda, alcoholic drinks, and coffee in moderation, but remember they might dehydrate you. So, drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.
Read Also: How To Eat While Fasting
Foods To Eat When Following A 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Method
When it comes to what foods to eat on 16/8 intermittent fasting the best thing is that there are no food rules or restrictions, or maybe just some rules that you need to stick to.
The advantage of intermittent fasting no matter what method you will choose is that you dont have to waste time on calorie counting or monitoring your intake of carbs.
But you need to follow some rules. It is recommended to limit intake of junk and processed foods. As you know these foods are associated with weight gain and an increased risk of diseases such as obesity and heart disease.
Theoretically, you can eat anything you want in the 8-hour eating window but by doing this you wont see any results. People often reward themselves after fasting hours with junk food, thereby alternate-day fasting is incredibly popular.
No matter what intermittent fasting method you choose to follow there are two things that you need to remember:
- You should aim eating more healthy and quality food during eating hours
- Discipline is mandatory
If you do intermittent fasting and you eat junk and processed foods during the eating period you wont see any results, no matter if you are doing this to lose some weight or to improve your health.
So picking the right foods on the 16/8 intermittent fasting method or any other IF method is crucial.
Green Coke And Stevia
Ads sell stevia to us as the natural sweetener par excellence. Nevertheless, like table sugar from sugar beet, it is extracted from a plant and refined through chemical processes.
With this in mind, the sweetener in Green Cola suddenly no longer sounds that natural.
Additionally, the plant-based sweetener has further problems:
- Alters the gut microbiome
So the situation is exact. Stevia and Green Cola are not suitable for intermittent fasting.
Also Check: What To Eat After Fasting For 16 Hours
Learn More About Intermittent Fasting
Do you want to finally start Intermittent Fasting and see positive changes on your scale and the energy you are dreaming about?
Join Your 21-Day Intermittent Fasting Challenge and get all the information and support you need to successfully master the Intermittent Fasting.
By signing up, you will receive a comprehensive Intermittent Fasting Guide, easy-to-follow 21-Day Meal Plan, the 21-day daily action plan, access to a supportive community and daily encouragements to keep you going!
More on Intermittent Fasting
Disclaimers:
In some articles, we include products we think are useful for our readers. When you buy through these links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Read more here.
Information on this document and our website is for educational and informational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute, nor does it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a dietitian, physician or another health-care professional. Consult your physician before starting intermittent fasting, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have any medical condition, or are taking any medication. Read more here.
You might also like:
What Can You Drink While Intermittent Fasting Conclusions
The best drinks to have when intermittent fasting should be anything with less than 50-calories total. Choose drinks such as water, coffee, and tea to help you stay hydrated. Not only that, but these drinks will also keep your stomach full and prevent constant hunger experienced when fasting. However, no additions can be added be it sugar, honey, milk, or cream.
These additions increase the number of calories and can break your fast. Drinks such as sodas, alcohol, fruit juice, coconut water, almond milk, and bulletproof coffee contain calories that can break your fast. These should be avoided when fasting.
Don’t Miss: Is Fasting Necessary For A1c Test
Dietary Advice Between Fasting Periods
Dear Dr. Fung, I have been following your blog and protocols since last July with much success, and have the Insulin Index paper from Marty Kendall. I look forward to your every post.
What do you suggest about using Whey Protein Powders and what is their impact on insulin? Mark Sisson wrote whey can lower insulin yet often heard is that as a concentrated Dairy, whey protein raises insulin.
I advise against using whey powder for the main reason that it is a highly processed chemical, not a real food. Whey can stimulate insulin, but also is very satiating, so the effect on weight is likely closer to neutral.
Is it necessary to take a multi vitamin on the HFLC or Ketogenic diet?
If you eat a diet predominantly of whole, unprocessed, real foods, then no, it is not necessary.
Seems the rage today is taking care of the gut flora from both probiotics and prebiotics. Are there foods you recommend that help the gut flora. Some diets like Perfect Health Diet recommend safe starches such as potatoes and rice to feed the good bacteria in the gut. Do you personally eat rice or potatoes? Can we get sick from not getting adequate amounts of these safe starches and can you comment on proper care of the gut?
I know that I will ruffle some feathers, but I am quite skeptical about the gut micro biome theory with regards to obesity. So, there are no foods I recommend for that reason alone.
None that I am aware of.
Can You Drink Bulletproof Coffee During Intermittent Fasting
Although Bulletproof Coffee is repeatedly declared to be safe for fasting, it is not.
The keto coffee may not cause insulin levels to rise, but it does supply the body with a lot of fat.
And as we know, the nutrient sensor AMPK reacts to fat. For this reason, Bulletproof Coffee affects autophagy.
Because the original Bulletproof Coffee contains only pure, high-quality fat but no other macronutrients, it does not increase insulin levels. You can find the recipe here:
Thus, you can stay in ketosis and burn fat.
Since it counteracts hunger, this coffee with MCT oil and butter helps beginners get accustomed to intermittent fasting.
If you only get along for 12 hours with black coffee but hold on fasting for 18 hours with a few teaspoons coconut oil, the fat addition is probably justifiable.
Nevertheless, after a few days of 16/8 intermittent fasting, you will not need these training wheels to prolong the fast anymore.
Eventually, you want to burn body fat instead.
Don’t Miss: What Should You Eat While Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent Fasting Side Effects Beginners May Experience
Most people are used to burning only sugar for energy because of the Western Pattern Diet . Therefore, switching to fat burning for the first time can bring the following symptoms:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
These physical symptoms are also known as the keto flu because the ketogenic diet requires the body to get used to burning fat for energy in the same way.
The trigger for this is the depletion of carbohydrate stores. Before the body can go into ketosis, it preferentially consumes glucose, which comes from glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscles.
Glycogen is a branched multisugar, with about 2-3 grams of water for every gram of carbohydrate.
Since this causes the body to flush out a considerable amount of water and electrolytes, physical symptoms can occur, most notably headaches and dizziness.
However, these disappear permanently once the body is fat-adapted. If you prepare for it, you can also prevent the keto flu while intermittent fasting, even as a beginner.
Fasting And Weight Loss
Intermittent fasting isn’t a regimen built around limiting calories , but it can promote weight loss in a big way. Fasting gives your metabolism an overhaul. It works on the same principles as a ketogenic diet. By restricting food , you’ll switch your body from burning glucose for energy to burning stored body fat.
According to a study in Translational Research in 2014, intermittent fasting can reduce your weight by 3 to 8 percent over three to 24 weeks. A systematic review in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology in 2015 confirmed these results by reporting that, on average, participants following a fasting diet lost between 7 and 11 pounds in 10 weeks.
Read Also: How To Intermittent Fasting For Beginners
Intermittent Fasting: Timing Is Everything
Some health experts support the concept of fasting to improve overall wellness and help with weight loss. That sounds extreme but it doesnt have to be. Fasting means simply not eating for a designated amount of time. We typically think that to fast one has to go without food or water for a day or more.
But fasting can be whatever length of time it takes your body to burn fat or gain certain benefits by giving your body a break from food. Thats where intermittent fasting comes in. A regimen that has caught on in a big way, intermittent fasting can be thought of as simply scheduled eating.
Types of Intermittent Fasting
You can select from several different intermittent fasting schedules that suit you and your goals Before you start on any regimen, we strongly recommend you speak to a medical professional to discuss any benefits or customization required for your specific health needs.
Intermittent fasting can take many forms. Here are some basic intermittent fasting types:
The operative words here are intermittent and eat normally. The idea is to incorporate fasting into your routine regularly, which might be daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Its important while youre on your eating cycle to eat healthy meals dont use fast-breaking meals as an excuse to binge on junk food.
The other important component to healthy intermittent fasting is fluids. See more information below on the types recommended during an IF program.
Possible IF Benefits*
Drinking and IF
Can You Drink Water During Intermittent Fasting
Fasting means not eating. Nevertheless, drinking water in its purest form is allowed during intermittent fasting.
Consequently, some humans can get along over a year without food, not, however, without liquid .
Furthermore, Intermittent fasting aims at depleting carbohydrate stores, enabling the body to burn stored fat for energy production.
Since the body needs water to store carbohydrates as glycogen in the liver, kidneys, and muscles, you lose a lot of water during intermittent fasting.
Therefore, who does not drink accordingly will experience keto flu symptoms during intermittent fastings, such as headaches or vertigo.
These small physical ailments are usually due to a lack of minerals primarily sodium your body flushes out with the water.
In addition to the necessary fluid, water can also provide the body with minerals. However, nutrient sensors are not activated in this case. Therefore, water does not break an intermittent fast.
Besides, I recommend consuming more natural Himalayan or Celtic sea salt during the eating periods when intermittent fasting.
If you listen to your body, it will demand more salt anyway.
Since salt reduces the craving for sweets, increases insulin sensitivity, improves metabolism, and helps you lose weight, its a good thing .
Don’t Miss: What Not To Eat When Fasting
What Exactly Is Fasting
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to fast can mean one of two things:
As you can understand, since fasting can, technically, mean both completely abstaining from food AND eating a little/not eating some foods, were in a bit of a pickle.
Remember when, at the start of this article, we said that things are not as straightforward as you may think? Well, this is partly why.
Hold your horses, though, because this is going to get a little more complicated.
Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss
People successfully lose weight with intermittent fasting for a good reason: fasting is the best way to lower insulin levels.
Insulin is responsible for signaling cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream and store excess energy as fat or glycogen.
Accordingly, researchers can already predict 75% of the gain and loss in overweight people using insulin levels .
Moreover, insulin prevents the breakdown of body fat .
The fasting window stops nutrient intake, lowers insulin levels, and thus ends the bodys storage mode.
Therefore, the body can start to deplete carbohydrate stores. Once they are empty, body fat can be burned for energy production instead.
This mechanism is probably the essential goal of intermittent fasting for most people.
Consequently, our bodies build up fat reserves during times of abundance to draw from this body fat during food shortages.
Because we now eat at all times of the year and around the clock, we gain weight. In contrast, Intermittent Fasting restores the natural balance between eating and fasting.
Accordingly, fasting corrects the hormonal imbalance that causes obesity .
Don’t Miss: How To Lose Weight Quickly Fasting
What Can I Eat Or Drink While Fasting
To reap all the incredible health benefits of intermittent fasting, youll need to abstain from food and caloric beverages for a period of time. But can you have anything?
Rodriguez says, There are certain things you can enjoy without compromising the natural fat-burning process. Its also important to stay hydrated, so drinking enough fluids is beneficial.
Quote
Pro tip: If you’re a Jenny Craig member, your weight loss plan includes the revolutionary Recharge Bar so you can break your hunger without breaking your fast. Beyond consuming the bar, we recommend sticking to water, black coffee or unsweetened tea during your fast and avoiding added sweeteners of all kinds.
What Can I Drink During Intermittent Fasting
When you choose a drink during your fasting window, be aware of calories. Drinks with calories higher than single digits can break your fast and undo your effort. Even some non-caloric drinks, such as diet sodas, flavored waters, or anything containing artificial sweeteners, can provoke the insulin response and interfere with your fast. So what can you drink?
Also Check: What Can I Drink When Fasting
Drinks To Avoid During The Fasting Window
Not many people know what to avoid while they are on a fast. And when you lack such critical information, you might make mistakes that could prove costly in the long run. It applies not only to your diet, but to your drinks as well. Since they also bring in calories, you must be careful and vigilant regarding what you should consume and what you need to completely avoid. So, here are some common drinks you should avoid at any cost, while you are fasting:
What Types Of Water Can I Drink While Intermittent Fasting
So plain water is ok outside the eating period, but what about with lemon, flavored ones, seltzers?
The general rule of thumb is:
- Zero-calorie and zero-sugar beverages are ok to drink
- Caloric and sweetened beverages are NOT ok to drink.
The great news is that there are plenty of zero-calorie options to keep you hydrated.
The types of water to drink that are ok include:
- Plain Water any temperature
- Unsweetened Club Soda or Sparkling Water
- Unsweetened Flavored Still Water
The types of liquids not to drink include:
- Protein Waters
- Sweetened Flavored Waters
- Lemon Water with Added Sugar
If youre opting for a liquid other than plain H20, be sure to check the nutrition facts panel to make sure there is no added sugar or even protein.
Recommended Reading: Can You Have Coffee While Intermittent Fasting
You Aren’t Keeping Track Of Your Water Intake
Related: 8 Hydrating Foods to Help You Meet Your Water Goals
In general, you should be drinking 2 liters of water per day, “Water is a part of metabolic reactions in our body and is necessary for it to function properly. Hydration prevents us from mistaking hunger for thirst,” Mills notes.
During snack breaks, opt for non-starchy veggies and fruits that contain water . Have sliced cucumbers, celery, watermelon and oranges prepped in the fridge or lunch bag.
