Confused about what breaks a fast? Have a look at this video discussing what does not interrupt a fast.
Things That Don’t Break a Fast
Generally speaking, people wonder if the action they are about to take will break a fast. Can I still eat this or that? That’s good.
The parameters of what constitutes a “breaking” of a fast rely upon the aspiration behind the action, the duration of the fast, and the overall context. Let me explain.
Intermittent fasting is carried out chiefly for the purpose of shedding fat, promoting wellbeing, and for its ease and simplicity of use. Here are the 3 biggest phenomena that promote that:
- Ketosis is the metabolic state of elevated ketones in the blood. This promotes fat burning, improves mitochondrial function, gives you energy, has neuroprotective effects on the brain, reduces inflammation, and makes you feel awesome.
- Autophagy is the mechanism of cells eating and recycling themselves. This removes waste material, reduces inflammation, promotes longevity, and improves brain function and overall health.
- Hormesis is the body’s adaptability to environmental stress. It triggers pathways like AMPK that promote both ketosis and autophagy, triggers fat oxidation, governs the adaptation to physical exercise, and makes you tougher both physically and mentally.
If your aim is strictly to reduce fat, your approach could be very different than that of someone who uses fasting as a way to treat an ailment. That means whatever interrupts your fast will be unique to you. You can read my other piece concerning what invalidates a fast.
Fasting Categories And Intermittent Fasting Drinks
Strict Fasting
Allowing only pure water.
Abstinence from all food and even its remnants is the most stringent form of fasting. Simply speaking, you restrict everything except pure water. Fasting that has to be stringent (strict) is generally for treating a health issue (before a medical examination or surgical procedure), for spiritual or religious purposes.
Good choice:
- For medical reasons
- For spiritual reasons
- For religious reasons
Moderate Fasting
Allowing any non-caloric beverages.
In order to experience all of the positive health effects of intermittent fasting, such as reducing fat, improving your metabolic rate, lowering your blood sugar levels, and bolstering your immune system, you must refrain from eating any calorie-containing food.
However, it is still beneficial to consume non-caloric drinks while fasting, as they won’t disrupt the process and you can reap all the rewards of fasting. This is because drinks that do not contain calories will not prompt the production of insulin and therefore will not obstruct the processing of fat and autophagy (the recycling of cells).
Good choice:
- For all the health reasons, such as increased metabolic rate, lower blood sugar levels, a boost in the immune system
- For fat burning
- For autophagy (cellular cleanup)
Open Fasting
Allowing up to 20 kcal beverages.
In technical terms, any food that has calories, no matter how small the quantity, will end your fast. If the primary purpose is to lose weight, the main factor that will cause it to happen while following an intermittent fasting plan is being in a caloric deficit. Therefore, if a small amount of cream in your coffee assists you in lengthening your resistance to eating or getting into fasting (especially in the beginning), then add it. Many experts, including M. Berkhan of Leangains suggests that you consume a maximum of 20 kcal throughout your fasting window.
It is worth noting that not all macronutrients have the same effects when it comes to fasting. No increases in insulin levels or interruptions in fat burning result from consuming pure fat, making it preferable to protein and carbohydrate sources.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Break a Fast
I am beginning with apple cider vinegar as it can be somewhat perplexing. Does apple cider vinegar break a fast?
An acidic beverage made from apples, apple cider vinegar stimulates ketone production, as well as reduces insulin levels. That fulfills all three of the requirements for fasting, and it even encourages autophagy.
Incorporating some apple cider vinegar into a glass of water might reduce blood glucose, evoke AMPK the route that sparks autophagy, and further advance liver health. The liver is the primary site where all nutritional signals originate. It may take a longer period of time for a liver that is overweight or not functioning properly to enter both autophagy and ketosis.
Raw, undistilled ACV such as Bragg’s contains bacterial strands composed of proteins. In my opinion, the amount is too little to cause an impact on autophagy. Typically, it is not recommended to consume more than 1-4 tablespoons at once. The probiotics may actually assist in improving the gut environment, thus allowing the body to transition into the autophagy process more quickly.
In order to be completely secure, consume the refined form of ACV that only contains acetic acid and no microorganisms. Once your fast is over, consume unpasteurized, unrefined apple cider vinegar like Bragg’s. You should not shatter a fast as long as you limit yourself to a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar generally speaking. Green light!
Coffee Does Not Break a Fast
Everyone’s burning to know does coffee break a fast? The response is “no” – having a cup of coffee does not interrupt a fast and it does not prevent autophagy or ketosis from occurring. In fact, it can actually boost both of them.
The polyphenols in coffee can actually stimulate autophagy. It is true for teas that contain polyphenol antioxidants like green tea. Polyphenolic compounds are seen as a possible cure for cancer due to their potential to control autophagy.
Mice have their liver fat oxidized and autophagic flux stimulated by caffeine. It activates autophagy-lysosomal pathways and down-regulates mTOR signaling.
It has been suggested that even though you’re still absorbing your food, it might activate your digestive juices or the bacteria in your intestines, and ultimately put you in a nourished condition. This could certainly bring about an impact on your digestion system and even accelerate your metabolism. Although I would not view that as placing someone in a fed state, the anabolic hormones and energy sources will still be repressed.
If drinking coffee heightens gut motility or activates liver enzymes, then regular water will have a similar effect since it will be broken down by the body. Consuming salted water could have similar effects on the intestines as coffee, but the calorie count would be even lower. I am of the opinion that putting salt or other minerals in your water does not spoil a fast, nor does drinking coffee. Green light!
Do Artificial Sweeteners Break a Fast
There is disagreement over whether or not it is safe to consume artificial sweeteners. We would like to discover whether they interrupt a fast.
The analysis done on low-calorie sweeteners did not reveal any impact on insulin levels in the body. Nonetheless, research exists which indicates that artificial sweeteners like sucralose and saccharin can induce an increase in insulin levels in some individuals.
If you are undertaking a fast to lose fat and achieve ketosis, then consuming artificial sweeteners should not be an issue. Some of them may raise insulin levels, creating an effect that could make it seem like one is full, yet they will not prevent someone from burning fat and dropping weight. They may disrupt the microbiome and in turn, inhibit autophagy.
In my estimation, the minuscule quantity of artificial sweeteners present in items like a can of diet soda or pre-workout powder will not have a noticeable effect on autophagy. If your body is very attuned to insulin, if you’re skinny and have a strong metabolic system, fasting for a couple of hours might be fine, but your body will quickly return to a fasting state. In spite of this, if you have problems with insulin resistance, more body fat than necessary, or an eating disorder, then it is not a feasible solution for you.
In the end, artificial sweeteners do not provide any positive health effects when fasting, but they can be useful in suppressing hunger so that fasting may be extended. By that point, avoiding all kinds of sugar and sugar alternatives, as well as sugar-free drinks, will help build up your discipline and prepare you to not be so dependent on the sweet taste. Yellow light!
Do Supplements Break a Fast
Some individuals worry they will not receive their daily dose of multivitamins. I’m informing you that your body will not lack essential nutrients even if you fast for several weeks consecutively. You do not have to take supplements for daily short and multi-day fasts lasting up to three days. But do supplements break a fast? That depends on the type of supplement.
Do Calorie Restriction Mimetics Break a Fast
Many substances exist that can fool the body into thinking it is following a restricted-calorie diet, reproducing many elements of the physiologic state while fasting. Do they break a fast?
It is essential to consider what your goals are and the purpose of intermittent fasting when making the decision to incorporate this type of fast into your lifestyle. For most people, it’s fat loss and autophagy.
What Can You Drink During Intermittent Fasting?
What can you drink while intermittent fasting? The products are arranged beginning with those that are considered most beneficial for weight loss during your intermittent fasting, going down to those that are the least beneficial.
For example, the top choices for beverages while intermittent fasting are mineral water, coffee, and tea, whereas oils and butter are the least preferred options.
Mineral Water
Can you drink water while intermittent fasting?
Big YES. Water, both normal and in the form of mineral water, contain no calories and can be taken in while fasting.
It is essential to replenish our bodies with water in order to make up for any fluids lost by eating, and to protect against the potential minor detriments of intermittent fasting. Water enriched with minerals can help to bring back any electrolyte and nutrient imbalance caused by fasting. Therefore, drinking water and mineral water is the best option when practicing intermittent fasting.
Also, take a mineral supplement if you have filtered water at your house – you need sodium/potassium/magnesium and other minerals to keep you balanced – I personally take this with my water each and every day.
Coffee – With Some Restrictions
During fasting times, consuming coffee is not only allowed, but it may even be beneficial, as research suggests it can boost fat burning processes and improve the body’s ability to handle insulin. Many people find that it can reduce hunger, making it a sensible option for those times when you’re feeling famished.
We advise drinking BLACK coffee to keep the fast unbroken, however, if you don’t like the taste of black coffee then certain creamers can be used. Further details can be found here, though one must be aware that certain creamers could interrupt the fast.
Be aware that consuming more caffeine than the recommended 400 mg a day for healthy adults can have an adverse impact on your body, so do not go overboard.
Tea
You are allowed to drink unsweetened tea during your fasting period when using intermittent fasting, so feel free to enjoy it.
Opt for tea that is in its natural form (green, black, white, rooibos, peppermint, chamomile etc.) and stay away from any tea that comes in a box with added fruits, sweeteners, or components like “artificial flavoring”.
Stevia
If you are in need of something sweet, stevia is an excellent, natural alternative to choose. Research has indicated that there are not any adverse reactions to natural sweeteners when compared to those made synthetically and could even reduce sugar and insulin levels. Eating could potentially cause hunger for some, so caution should be taken.
I choose this certain variety of stevia that is ORGANIC and 100% PURE, plus it seems to last a considerable amount of time – it is called “Better Stevia”.
Fruit Infused Water
All fruit juices contain glucose and fructose. Infused water, even diluted, still contains the fruit juice. It is not advisable to follow a stringent fasting regimen.
However, if it aids you in drinking more liquid and staying to the fasting plan more effectively, then it’s alright to combine some fruit to your water. Be sure to select produce that has a lesser amount of sugar in it, such as lime, lemon, and cucumber. Do not extract the liquid from the fruit in order to prevent consuming additional sugar and carbohydrates.
Coconut Water
When abstaining, one should not consume coconut water as it contains a large amount of sugar. Approximately ? of your daily advised sugar intake is already present in a glass of coconut water. Go for water instead.
Lemon Juice
It is not recommended to consume lemon juice while abstaining from food as it carries a substantial amount of sugar. We recommend selecting water or adding a piece of lemon to give it flavor.
Diet Soda – With Caution
It is not a good idea to consume diet soda while undertaking intermittent fasting as the beverage has artificial sweeteners in it.
Some companies have begun to create sodas sweetened with stevia, which are permissible. Most diet drinks are still created using artificial sugars that are not healthy.
Coconut Oil
Oils such as Coconut oil and MCT oil feature pure fats in them. From a technical standpoint, anything that contains calories, no matter how small its amount, will end your fast. Despite this, if adhering to a ketogenic diet for the main purpose of getting into and remaining in ketosis (also known as the fat-burning stage), this can be thought of as the same as the type of fasting made popular by Bulletproof fasting.
If you favor a strict style of fasting (something we suggest for our 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Challenge), you should resist from eating any butter or oils. This means, no Bulletproof coffee during your fasting hours. Keep in mind that fats are very calorie-dense if you’re trying to shed some pounds.
