There are many new ways you can incorporate fasting into your lifestyle and i’ll cover some of them in this article.
Fasting allows your body to recharge and find a new balance you may become mentally and physically stronger and build your flexibility by pushing longer hours between eating periods.
Intermittent fasting is a great an easy method to improve your all around wellbeing.
But you’ve no doubt got questions, for example
Does cinnamon Break Intermittent Fasting?
No, having cinnamon during your intermittent fasting does not break your fast. If you choose to add cinnamon to your liquids during the fasting period you will not break your fasting cycle.
If you are adding one teaspoon of cinnamon, the amount is so minimal that you will not break your fast. You should closely monitor your portion sizes of any herbs or spices to keep your body in its state of intermittent fasting.
It can be challenging to go 12 or 16 hours a day without any food.
Because of this difficult time, many people choose to add herbs and spices to their water to diversify the taste.
As long as you are keeping your carbohydrate intake at a very small amount you will not break your fast.
Do Artificial Sweeteners Break a Fast?
No, artificial sweeteners do not break your fast because they have zero calories.
When there are zero calories in any substance there will be no effect on your blood glucose and no release of insulin within your bloodstream.
You should avoid any sweeteners that do have any calories because they will break your fast.
The artificial sweeteners, with zero calories, you can use during a fast include:
- Splenda
- Stevia
- Sucralose
- Aspartame
Liquids with Sweeteners to Avoid when Fasting
There are many additives to liquids that you need to not include when fasting. Some popular liquids you need to avoid when fasting is almond milk and coconut water.
Both are high in sugar, which will immediately pull you out of your fast.
The drinks you need to consciously consider or even avoid throughout your fast include:
The reason your body immediately is pulled from its fast is due to the immediate process of transferring the calorie into sugar, which enacts the insulin response in your body. When you drink anything with a substantial amount of calories your body immediately develops an insulin response.
Once you are comfortable in your fasting state your hunger severely diminishes and reduces your appetite.
Your first few days will be challenging, but your mind and body adapt to the long fasting hours.
Doctors recommend that you do not more than 1 gram of carbohydrates or proteins during your intermittent fasting.
1 teaspoon of cinnamon equals .8 grams of carbohydrates and .1 grams of protein. Because this averages 1 gram of total carbohydrates and protein adding cinnamon to your coffee will not break your fast.
The recommended dose of cinnamon is one half or one-fourth teaspoon of cinnamon in a cup of coffee.
Research also indicates that adding cinnamon do your liquids helps minimize the secretion of insulin in your bloodstream.
This means that your body will lower its glucose levels, which is what you want during a fast.
The amazing aspect of cinnamon is that has almost no impact on your blood sugar levels, which helps you maintain your fat-burning during fasting.
You need to be aware that some spices do affect your sugar levels and can start an insulin response.
To play it safe you should stick to both fresh or dried herbs and spices.
Cinnamon also helps suppress any hunger-related symptoms, while lowering your blood sugars.
Having low blood sugars is essential to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Why are Herbs and Spices Healthy?
Herbs and spices are healthy because they are healthy ways for your body to receive fiber.
Fiber is an essential nutrient that aids in helping your digestive system. Having a healthy digestive system promotes healthy gut and heart health.
When you are trying to go long hours between meals herbs and spices offer a change of pace in your pallet. You can add a small teaspoon of an herb to bring a new taste to your favorite water drink or tea.
Herbs and spices help improve your heart health, which reduces cholesterol and triglycerides.
How much Coffee can I Drink per day Without Breaking my Fast?
You can drink as much coffee as you desire because coffee contains as little as three calories.
You fast will not be affected in any way due to coffee.
You should learn to tolerate black coffee because you could run into trouble with creamers and sweeteners.
There are some zero-calorie sweeteners, but it can be tricky to judge.
Coffee is helpful to drink during your fasting period because it will increase the effects of your fasting by burning more fat in your body. Coffee is like a thunderbolt of energy that zaps your body into an alert state, which propels your body to burn fat faster.
Coffee is also helpful in promoting a healthy digestive system.
Coffee promotes satiety, therefore you should not experience as many hunger cravings, which helps during those long periods of no food. Coffee also helps maintain your awareness increase energy when you find yourself losing interest or drive throughout the day.
You should prioritize drinking water throughout your day, but drinking a cup of black coffee spread throughout the day helps keep your mind and body motivated.
Other Safe Liquids to Drink
During a fasting period, it is essential to monitor your liquid intake. You can make sure you stay hydrated throughout your day by drinking:
Water is the most important liquid you need to make sure you drink enough of. Water keeps you hydrated and mentally and physically able to function.
To change the flavor of your water if you grow bored with its same flavor, you can safely add a lemon or lime to your water.
Adding lemons or limes to your water does not break your fast.
It can make your fast work better by speeding up your metabolism, which helps during long periods of no food.
Lemons and limes also help maintain your fullness feeling throughout the day, which eliminates any boredom hunger, or cravings.
Green tea is also a safe alternative to water, that does contain minimal amounts of caffeine, but is healthy for your circulatory system.
As for carbonated drinks, you can drink them as long as they have no calories. Do not be confused with diet soda, even though it is carbonated it does increase hunger cravings and it is not recommended during a fast.
Apple cider vinegar is a recommended drink to have during a fast because it also helps maintain the feeling of being full.
Hunger cravings make it challenging to continue working throughout the day.
Apple cider vinegar helps you absorb the necessary nutrients you ate earlier, which keeps you healthy and functioning throughout the day.
What Does Fasting Teach your Mind and Body?
Intermittent fasting teaches you how to persevere through challenges and develop a strong work ethic and discipline.
Because you are restricted from eating food only during specific hours of the day you can no longer take your food eating for granted.
You must learn to value and obtain the highest amount of nutritional value in a short time frame. Check out the video below for more info on what this can do for your longevity
Intermittent fasting is challenging and not an easy habit to learn, but with conscious effort and remaining mindful of your thoughts and actions you can overcome this obstacle.
You will learn how to concentrate by listening to your body’s messages and it will thank you ten fold.
I’m Chris Watson & the Founder of EatForLonger.com. I’m a food and wellbeing enthusiast researching and sharing foodstuffs and simple food-based concepts, such as fasting and clean eating.
I hope it inspires you to make tiny changes to what you eat and when you eat while optimizing your healthspan and all-around well-being.
Read more About Me here.