How Many Calories Break a Fast During Intermittent Fasting?

How Many Calories Break a Fast During Intermittent Fasting?

If your goal is to fast without breaking your fast, then it means that you have to stay away from any food or drink that contains calories. Going by this rule, the only thing that would pass is water, because it is a zero-calorie food class.

But we all know how fasting without eating for a long amount of time during a fast may not, or is not always sustainable for many people. Besides, it is even best that some people eat during fasting (for health’s sake). For example, going very long hours, a whole day, or even days without eating or drinking anything can have adverse effects on the body’s electrolyte levels. This can cause low blood pressure and a couple of other complications.

Does this mean that you have stopped enjoying the benefits of intermittent fasting the moment you eat or drink anything? Well, read on as Caratello nutrition experts have answered this question and a few others here.

The Amount of Calories Matters

Technically speaking, you will break your fast when you drink or eat anything that contains any amount of calories. Having established this, the good news is that eating or drinking may not stop you from getting some of the benefits of intermittent fasting.

For example, ketosis – the levels of metabolic processes required for burning actual fat instead of carbs for fuel; may not be interrupted, allowing you to lose so much weight in the process. Equally, you can still have insulin levels within very safe and well-regulated ranges even if you eat or drink during your intermittent fasting window.

But all these are provided you eat or drink something that contains a very low amount of calories and you stay away from certain things (like sugar). On the contrary, it might help if you consume low-calorie foods that contain protein. This is because it would contribute to the increase in muscle weight at the expense of fat in the body. This is best and healthy for most people.

Besides, what you consume even outside your eating window also matters, especially if weight or fat loss is your intention (as with many people). So, pay more attention to your diet. Some of the low-calorie foods that would still preserve some of the benefits of intermittent fasting include:

  • Tea
  • Coffee
  • Bone Broth

Call it dirty fasting or whatever you want, but eating and drinking during intermittent fasting do not entirely rule out fasting’s benefits. You only have to go about this the right way.

The Amount of Calories Matters

Eating or Drinking During Fasting Is Bad News for Autophagy

If the goal is to have your body attain autophagy, we hate to admit that eating or drinking anything (other than water) will ruin things. The process of converting dead body cells and having them play a huge part in the regeneration of new cells for health reasons requires absolute fasting.

You also need to engage in the fast for a long stretch of time and do this periodically. At the least, it requires a 14-hour to 16-hour fast. So, if autophagy is the goal, you need to carefully choose your intermittent fasting method.

The best you can have at any given time during this fast window is water. This is even if you need something more to boost your energy. The point is that while eating and drinking do not rule out all the benefits of intermittent fasting, some benefits are off the table any time you consume any calorie-containing food.

Considering how proper nutrition is important, you also need to make up for certain lapses in nutrition after your fast is ended. This is to ensure that your body is not lacking in any required nutrients.

Caratello is committed to your being in perfect health and wellness. You can read other posts on the Caratello nutrition category that support this course. For example, you can read Balance of Nature reviews to learn more about this health product.

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