Intermittent fasting has become a popular subject on the Internet. While many people have knowledge about it, several individuals carry their own doubts. We all have a morning routine that we can’t give up. For most of us, it’s our morning coffee. Intermittent fasting, as the name indicates, requires you to fast for certain hours. However, fasting raises numerous questions in people’s minds. The most important one is – can you drink coffee while intermittent fasting? Experts have agreed that coffee can be used during intermittent fasting. Good news, right? Unfortunately, there are some rules attached to it. A cup of coffee will not break your fast, but it shouldn’t have anything else added to it. So, no milk or sugar – just a simple and healthy black coffee.
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern, which involves fasting for a few hours each day or eating one meal each day. It is a great way to shed extra pounds and eliminate unwanted body fat. Luckily, these are not the only benefits that intermittent fasting has to offer. According to science, it can improve insulin resistance and help to manage type 2 diabetes. Intermittent fasting is fruitful for your brain, too. It can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. You can also improve your heart health through intermittent fasting, as it regulates blood pressure and heart rates. It has been proven to lower the chances of developing heart conditions, as well.
How Intermittent Fasting Interacts With Your Body
Living a busy life, whether intentionally or unintentionally, has become common nowadays. Due to our hectic schedules, it isn’t easy to take time out for exercise. When you’re eating three meals a day with snacks, physical activity is essential to maintain your weight and health. If you’re unable to be physically active, then you may suffer from obesity or other chronic diseases over time. That’s where intermittent fasting comes into the picture! While fasting for several hours, the cells inside your body break down and utilize sugar and fat to gain energy. When trying to lose weight, it is important to focus on losing fat, not muscle mass. After your body burns the calories consumed in your last meals, it moves towards burning the stored fat due to intermittent fasting. As a result, you lose weight in a healthy manner.
What Can You Drink While Intermittent Fasting?
Coffee
A cup of black coffee is allowed during an intermittent fast. Some dietitians have said that a small amount of milk is fine, too. Coffee contains few calories, which makes it a safe drink for intermittent fasting. It can’t hurt your metabolism or blood sugar levels. In fact, the caffeine content in coffee can help to boost your basal metabolic rate. Since it increases your metabolism, your weight loss may also speed up.
Lemon Water
Lemon water contains only 3 calories, making it acceptable during intermittent fasting. It will not affect your body’s fat-burning ketosis phase, but it can increase your water intake. Lemon water does not only add flavor to your water, it can be beneficial for your immune system and skin, as well. Your metabolism wouldn’t notice the lemon juice, but you should not consume more than 3 ounces of it.
Green Tea
Green tea is famous for being the healthiest drink. It has zero calories, and it is full of antioxidants and catechins. Green tea can enhance your fasting results, as it revs up your metabolism and boosts energy. Therefore, it can also assist you in losing more weight. Red tea or other herbal teas can be used, too. Since they have zero to little calories, they cannot break your fast.
Side Effects of Drinking Coffee While Intermittent Fasting
Like anything else, coffee has some disadvantages for your health, too. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can negatively impact your blood pressure or lead to digestive issues. While it may be beneficial for weight loss, excess consumption of coffee can cause different health problems. It can disrupt your sleep and even lead to a coffee addiction, which is considered a clinical disorder. Whether you’re intermittent fasting or not, coffee should be consumed in a moderate amount. A recent viral trend on TikTok, called the Lemon Coffee Trend, has resulted in many people drinking coffee in large amounts. Some TikTok users claimed that squeezing a dash of lemon into a cup of coffee can help in weight loss. However, there is no scientific explanation for that and experts have debunked such claims.
Conclusion
Coffee is a healthy choice for intermittent fasting. The only condition is that it should be black, without any added sugar or milk. The main aim of intermittent fasting is to burn fat through ketosis, and it requires avoiding eating food for certain hours. No-cal drinks, on the other hand, are recommended and will not break your fast. So, enjoy your morning coffee while intermittent fasting.
