In the fasting period of an intermittent fast, it is recommended that you keep your calorie intake to zero or at least close to that.
So if you’re a juice lover, you might be wondering, “can I drink celery juice while intermittent fasting”?
The limit of calories that you should have during your fasting window is 50, or you will risk breaking your fast.
A regular cup of celery juice contains about 35 to 42 calories which is fine if you only consume that much.
If the main aim of your fast is to lose weight, you might want to have slightly less than one cup or serving of celery juice or you might risk kicking your body out of the fasting state.
Although a cup of celery juice has so few calories that you might not break your fast, it is cutting it pretty close!
This is because both carbohydrates and protein promote the release of insulin, which breaks your fast and takes your body out of fat-burning mode, also called lipolysis.
The main goal of fasting is to keep your body from releasing insulin.
In short, any more than a sip, the celery juice can impact your insulin levels and you risk breaking your fast.
Is Celery Good For Intermittent Fasting?
Yes! Celery is one of the healthiest vegetables there is and it’s an excellent weight-loss food because it is low in calories.
With celery, you burn more calories eating and digesting it than you take in, which makes this the perfect zero-calorie snack to help you lose weight.
Celery is very low in sugar and carbohydrates and also contains beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Celery juice is the perfect drink to boost your hydration levels if you have a hard time drinking water alone.
Since it mostly contains water and is packed with high nutrition, multiple vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Drinking celery juice first thing in the morning will keep your body healthy as this beverage will also flush your body of toxins as well as give you a feeling of cleanliness.
It can also increase your metabolism by providing important nutrients for appropriate organ functions and cell synthesis.
Celery juice contains a fair amount of dietary fiber, an essential nutrient that helps digestion and supports your gut health.
It also keeps you from feeling hungry which in turn prevents you from eating food and drinks that have a high-calorie count.
Some nutrients you find in celery juice are calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium as well as vitamins like vitamins A, C, and K.
Some health benefits of celery juice are:
- Purifies the bloodstream
- Relaxes nerves
- Gives you a boost of energy
- Reduces blood pressure
- Has a detoxifying effect on your body
- Clears up skin issues
Celery juice is also the perfect drink to ease your body out of an intermittent fast as long as you don’t drink too much at once.
Is Juicing OK For Intermittent Fasting?
If you’re fasting to lose weight then juicing is not ok during your fasting period.
This is because when you’re following an intermittent fasting diet to burn fat and achieve a weight loss goal, then your aim should be to keep your calories as close to 50 as possible.
Anything more than that and you can break your fast.
If carbohydrates and proteins are added to your diet during a fast, then they stimulate an insulin response, breaking your fast and your body will shift out of fat-burning mode.
If your drink green juices and only use vegetables and no fruits, then 12 oz of the juice will contain at least 8 to 10 grams of carbohydrates.
Similarly, if you add fruit to your green juice, then this will greatly increase the carbohydrate numbers.
Of course, during your eating window, feel free to juice away! Not only is it allowed, but it is also recommended.
Fruits and vegetable juices will give you all the nutrients and essential minerals that you will need for sustenance during your fasting periods.
Their high nutritional content will keep you going for the day, and the fiber they contain will keep you feeling full for longer, helping with hunger pangs.
What Drinks Are OK During Intermittent Fasting?
While drinks that have close to zero calories are okay during intermittent fasting, high-calorie, sugary drinks are not.
Beverages are water, lemon water, unsweetened coffee, tea, and apple cider vinegar are all acceptable.
Purified water – This is produced by either processing tap or underground. Both are perfectly acceptable because they don’t contain any calories or any micronutrients like protein, fat, or carbohydrates.
Water is the best drink you can have while intermittent fasting.
Sparkling water – This is also called carbonated water and is produced by dissolving carbon dioxide into water.
This drink does not contain any calories which makes it safe to drink during a fast.
Spring water or Mineral water – Mineral water comes from springs that contain minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
The key difference in this water is that companies cannot add minerals to it. This drink also contains 0 calories.
Lemon-infused water – Lemon-infused water is when you add a few slices of lemon into your water.
2 slices of lemon contain only 4 calories and small traces of protein and carbohydrates.
The amount is so small that it does not impact the body’s metabolism or insulin.
Black coffee – Black coffee contains 1 to 4 calories per cup and no sugar so it should not affect your fast.
If you add cream, sugar, or artificial sweeteners then it can indeed break your fast.
One cup of black coffee is ok during your fasting window, and try to keep the sweeteners to a minimum.
Plain tea – Tea is divided into two categories: caffeinated tea and non-caffeinated.
Both kinds contain very few calories and small amounts of proteins, sugar, and fat.
Black, green, and herbal teas are all fine to drink.
Apple cider vinegar – Although it does not taste good, this is an excellent drink during your fasting hours.
Simply add a spoon or 2 to your glass of water and you are good to go.
Apple cider vinegar contains no calories or fat that can break your fast. It also helps some suppress their appetites and supports weight loss.
What Drinks Won’t Break Intermittent Fasting?
Some drinks you can have during your fasting period include water, apple cider vinegar, unsweetened coffee and tea, lemon water, and zero-calorie electrolyte drinks.
If you choose to add a bit of sugar or honey, make sure that each drink stays below 50 calories or you’ll risk breaking your fast.
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.