Intermittent Fasting: What Breaks a Fast? (2024)

FAQs

Intermittent Fasting: What Breaks a Fast? ›

Technically, fasting means refraining from having any kind of food—so, as a result, any amount of calories will technically break a fast, says dietitian Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy.

Technically speaking, eating or drinking any calories breaks a fast. That means it's generally considered OK to drink black, unsweetened coffee or tea, as well as water.

Strictly speaking: any amount of calories, no matter how small, disrupts the fasting process. If you're following your intermittent fasting plan to the letter, that means no calories, whatsoever, for the entirety of your fasting window.

It's not a diet, so unless you have individual dietary restrictions, you can eat whatever you want within the eight-hour time frame. But the plan will work best for weight loss if you are already making smart, nutrient-rich choices, said NBC News health and nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.

Strictly speaking, any amount of calories will break a fast. If a person follows a strict fasting schedule, they should avoid any food or drinks containing calories. Those following a modified fasting diet can often eat up to 25% of their daily calorie needs while fasting.

No matter whether you enjoy them scrambled, boiled, or even cooked in an omelet, eggs can be a fantastic food to choose when breaking a fast. They are packed with high-quality protein, are relatively easy to tolerate, and are a nutritional powerhouse.

Best Intermittent Fasting Method For Visceral Belly Fat

14/10 Method: Fast for 14 hours and have a 10-hour eating window daily. That means you restrict your food intake to a specific 10-hour period while abstaining from caloric consumption for the remaining 14 hours.

Generally, chewing gum that contains sugar or calories can technically break a fast because it stimulates the digestive system and may trigger an insulin response.

Foods and beverages that do not break a fast include water, black coffee, unsweetened tea, and diluted apple cider vinegar.

If you've tried intermittent fasting but aren't losing weight, possible reasons why include overeating during your eating window and poor food choices. To help, you can try eating fewer calories, work on balancing your meals, or create a smaller or larger eating window.

How to speed up weight loss on intermittent fasting? ›

A person needs to decide on and adhere to a 12-hour fasting window every day. According to some researchers, fasting for 10–16 hours can cause the body to turn its fat stores into energy, which releases ketones into the bloodstream. This should encourage weight loss.

Longer periods without food, such as 24-, 36-, 48- and 72-hour fasting periods, are not necessarily better for you, and may be dangerous. Going too long without eating might actually encourage your body to start storing more fat in response to starvation.

Final takeaways. In general, taking vitamins doesn't break a fast. However, taking certain vitamins – including gummy vitamins, or other vitamins containing calories – can break your fasted state. Fasting boasts a number of health benefits and is sometimes undertaken for spiritual and religious reasons.

No food is allowed during the fasting period, but you can drink water, coffee, tea, and other noncaloric beverages. Some forms of intermittent fasting allow small amounts of low calorie foods during the fasting period. Taking supplements is generally allowed while fasting, as long as there are no calories in them.

Technically, fasting means refraining from having any kind of food—so, as a result, any amount of calories will technically break a fast, says dietitian Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy.

Well, the general consensus is that it's perfectly fine to brush your teeth as long as you're not swallowing the toothpaste. This is because some toothpastes can contain artificial sweeteners, which can set off an insulin reaction.