Will Drinking Milk Wreck Your Intermittent Fast?
Intermittent fasting has the potential for a variety of health effects, all without counting calories or hours of planning. No wonder so many people have been trying it out!
Despite what it may look like, intermittent fasting is NOT about deprivation. It's more about when than how much.
So, what precisely can you eat when you follow an intermittent fasting plan? And are there drinks that can make it easier or more efficient?
There are a few drinks (including "zero-calories") that you may not know are capable of "breaking your fast." This means that if you consume them, you're going to get your body out of the "fasted state."
Almond Milk and Coconut Water
Both almond milk and coconut water are rich in sugar. Sugar is equivalent to carbs, but as soon as you consume them, you are no longer considered fasting. You ought to stop drinking it in fasting windows.
Diet Soda
Although diet soda is technically calorie-free, it is not known how artificial sweeteners can influence fasting.
Alcohol
On intermittent fasting days, it's best to restrict the intake of alcohol to the eating windows. Many alcoholic drinks are rich in sugar and calories, so consuming alcohol will break you quickly. Plus, alcohol affects us more on an empty stomach, so even a glass of wine in a fasting window might feel terrible the next day!
Generally speaking, eating any form of calories would break a fast easily. No food is allowed during the fasting window, essentially. However, there are a lot of non-caloric drinks you can enjoy when you're fasting, including black coffee, tea, water, and lemon water.
Black coffee is a calorie-free product that does not affect insulin levels. During the fasting windows, you should drink normal coffee (caffeinated) or decaf coffee, but don't add any sweetener or milk. Spices like cinnamon are ok too!
Many coffee drinkers enjoy a cup of joe, or even espresso, in fasting windows with no adverse consequences. But certain people have quite a racing pulse or an upset stomach while they drink coffee in fasting windows, so watch your own experience.
Bonus: Black coffee can potentially improve some of the benefits of intermittent fasting, and it's very popular with people who also adopt a keto diet.
Often the transition to an intermittent fasting lifestyle will lead to a few weeks of symptoms such as headaches, hunger, and muscle cramps. These are very common for the initial transition time. Good luck to you!