If you are trying this on your own, it may take some experimenting. This is where I take my expertise as a dietitian, examine the research that is out there and come up with solutions that fit my clients’ goals. There isn’t enough data yet to provide definitive guidelines on what foods for certain can be a part of fasting. Many of the studies that were done are mice studies or examined effects on a cellular level, meaning in a test tube. My opinions reflect the literature that is available now. The exciting and frustrating part about nutrition science is that it is always evolving. (Yes) if you are adding a tablespoon of butter, ghee or coconut oil to your coffee, that adds upwards of 100 calories and 10 grams of fat, so that for certain breaks a fast. Lemon Juice (No) unless you are going overboard with the lemons, you are getting negligible amounts of calories.Īpple Cider Vinegar (No) similar to lemon juice, ACV has a negligible amount of calories.īone Broth and Powdered Collagen (Yes) the calorie and protein content in the bone broth and collagen powder are significant enough to break the fast.īutter, ghee or coconut oil. Tea (No) contains very little calories and can be part of your fasting window intake. So, can you have coffee and cream to help you meet your eating window goals? Of course.īut, are you still fasting after you drink the coffee + cream? No. There isn’t scientific data to suggest that it does or doesn’t. Is it enough to hinder any weight loss or metabolic health benefits from regularly compressing your calories into a smaller eating window? probably not. If you are only putting 2 tablespoons of half and half in your coffee, that will give you about 45 calories, including calories in the coffee itself.ĭoes coffee with cream break a fast? In my opinion, yes. I do not consider drinking black coffee as breaking a fast.Ĭoffee + Cream (Yes) technically breaks a fast. Will this Break an Intermittent Fast?īlack Coffee (No) contains 5 calories per cup, is okay during a fast and will not take you out of fasted state. I like to focus instead on a daily eating window. There is a lot more flexibility with intermittent fasting because there are many different ways you can approach fasting. Flavored and sparkling waters are generally fine during a water-only fasting period.Ī slice of lemon in water and caffeine-free herbal tea are also acceptable. If the thought of nothing but water is a mental block, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Sigh…it would be much easier to explain if there were a simple answer. What Foods Break a Water-Only FastĪny food or beverage with calories, including black coffee will technically break a water-only fast.īut black coffee won’t bring you out of a fasted state and has been associated with enhancing some of the benefits of fasting. Be sure to consult your physician before attempting any kind of prolonged fast. You can use water-only fasting for a nightly fast or for a prolonged fast, which I consider anything over 24 hours. Water-only fasting is for complete metabolic, or cellular rest or complete gut rest. The intention here is to eliminate anything with calories or substances, such as caffeine that would stimulate metabolism. If you want to do a pristine overnight fast or want a fast that promotes optimal cellular health and gut rest, then water-only fasting is your best choice. You have to start with this question because that will tell you the answer to what will break your fast.įor longevity and weight loss, the rules are less stringent than if you are going for metabolic rest. What is more important is asking yourself this one question below. I’m not either, so this isn’t a judgement. Here’s the thing, you’re not in a state of nutritional ketosis from an overnight fast. Likewise, additional carbohydrates or protein will take you out of ketosis. Too many calories will take you out of ketosis. Nutritional ketosis is a delicate balance. There are foods that will break a fast, meaning they will give you calories, but not take you out of ketosis. ketogenic diet) or during a prolonged fast (>24 hours).

Quick primer on fasted statesĪ fasted state generally refers to nutritional ketosis, which occurs on an extremely low carbohydrate diet (i.e. Where this topic starts to get grey is what foods bring you out of a fasted state. If you are doing an overnight fast, the first food or beverage that supplies you with calories technically breaks the fast.

Does cream in coffee break a fast