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During intermittent fasting (IF), you can consume certain beverages that will not break the fast or interrupt the fasting window. Staying hydrated while fasting is crucial, so we compiled intermittent fasting drinks to add to your grocery list.
While on an intermittent fasting regimen, the rule is to stay hydrated without adding calories on the days or during the hours of fasting.
In a previous post, we discussed how intermittent fasting affects your body and health in several ways (1).
Intermittent fasting involves scheduled breaks from eating called “windows.”
The diet focuses on “when to eat” rather than “what to eat.”
Therefore, it is wise to proceed with caution and awareness when choosing drinks during your fasting windows, depending on the type of intermittent fasting you commit to.
Of course, it is up to you which diet you choose and what suits your needs best.
Now, let’s focus on the best drinks suitable for intermittent fasting.
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A few of the best intermittent fasting drinks include water, unsweetened tea or coffee (also known as black coffee), and lemon water.
These drinks have no or low-calorie content; you can incorporate them for fasting days.
Water doesn’t have calories, yet it is essential. During your fast, you won’t be eating food, but keeping a water bottle nearby will help you:
It is very low in calories, so we recommend drinking it during fasting windows. Black coffee contains only 2.4 calories per cup (6). It provides the energy you need and won’t break your fast if you do not add more calories with milk, creamer, or sugar.
This drink is also low in calories and suitable for your intermittent fasting window.
100 ml of lemon water contains only 1 calorie (7). Lemon water is not only essential because of the few calories it contains. It also helps hydrate, reduces food cravings, and is a rich source of vitamin C (8).
All plain teas have close to zero calories.
Specifically, 1 cup of green or herbal tea contains 2.5 calories (9). That is insignificant and will not have an impact on fasting.
When drinking green tea, it is vital to ensure it is plain and without added sugar or other ingredients containing additional calories.
Unsweetened tea is any tea on ice; without added sugar, you can have green or black tea and make it unsweetened (10). Besides the added energy from the caffeine content, these teas also boost your immune system.
Ginger tea contains low calories. Like black coffee, 1 cup of ginger tea is only 2.4 calories (11).
Drinking white tea doesn’t impact your fasting because 1 tea bag contains 0 calories (12). In addition, white tea has a lower caffeine content than coffee and is a gentle option while fasting.
Any other diet soft drink, mix, or water-enhancer that doesn’t have calories can be good for intermittent fasting.
Read more: Timeline Of Fasting: A Look Into What Goes On In Your Body When You Go Without Food
You can drink water, unsweetened tea, black coffee, and zero or low-calorie drinks.
Taking the drinks listed below without cream or sugar makes them suitable for a fast:
Of course, there are more choices than these examples. Choose what you like, but ensure your drink doesn’t break your fast.
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Lemon water is an acceptable, low-calorie drink.
Don’t add sugar; it will become lemonade with higher calories.
You are not losing weight while intermittent fasting because of the following possible reasons:
Losing weight requires a holistic approach to diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors that impact body weight.
However, with intermittent fasting, you will notice changes in your weight when you do it correctly and create healthy lifestyle changes.
Read more: How Long Does It Take for Intermittent Fasting to Work?
72 hours of fasting is more challenging than shorter fasts but also riskier.
For instance, if you aim to burn fat, you might burn more by fasting for 72 hours than by doing 48 hours, but you have a greater risk of dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and effects on your metabolism.
Longer is not necessarily better when it comes to fasting, and you must listen to your body and consult a doctor before trying a long fast. Beginners should start with a short fast and see how it goes.
Yes, some gums can break a fast. Some 3g sticks of chewing gum contain 11 calories (14). Those calories can add up during intermittent fasting, especially if you constantly replace your gum when the flavor wears off.
Some sugar-free gums, however, have fewer or no calories and are a better alternative. Always read the nutrition label of the gum before buying.
Coke Zero contains no calories and doesn’t break intermittent fasting. It is, therefore, one of the drinks you can enjoy while intermittent fasting for weight loss.
Not at all. Brushing teeth doesn’t break a fast because you don’t consume anything.
Even if you swallow some toothpaste, it usually contains artificial flavors and sweeteners that won’t elicit an insulin response, and the amount you swallow is likely to be very small.
It is important to note that brushing your teeth should be a regular practice regardless of whether you are fasting.
You now have the information you need regarding intermittent fasting drinks.
If you are preparing for a fast or have already started, consider drinks that have no calories or a negligible amount that won’t trigger an insulin response.
Staying hydrated with water should always be first. Unsweetened coffee or tea boosts energy, while low-calorie, sweeter beverages can satisfy cravings without adding excessive calories.
NB: You should not overeat during the eating window to compensate for what you did not consume while fasting. That would negate the results you would have achieved. In addition, don’t resort to high-calorie foods that would further negate the impact of your fasting.
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