Should I Drink Tea While Intermittent Fasting? (Fully Answered)
By bulksupplementsdirect
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We all want to ensure that during our intermittent fasts, we follow the protocol to maximise the health benefits and weight loss.
We all understand the discipline and control the intermittent fasts take regardless of whether you follow the 5:2, 16/8, 20/4, 24-hour or even extended three or 5-day fasts!
Therefore we want to ensure that whatever we eat or drink whilst fasting is done to enhance the benefits of the fast.
Drinking tea during your intermittent fasting can be permissible if you don’t add milk or sugar and ensure that the tea is not in any way sweetened. It would be best if you also were mindful of caffeine levels in tea and should monitor how many times you drink the beverage (and how much caffeine is in each cup!). After all, you don’t want to consume too much caffeine whereby. It disrupts your sleep!
So let’s go deeper and answer the question; can you drink tea while intermittent fasting?
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is like a game of “Hungry, Hungry Hippos” for your body. Instead of constantly snacking on bits of food all day, you take breaks in between eating and give your body a chance to rest and digest. It’s like when you’re so engrossed in a good book that you forget to eat lunch, but on purpose!
Some people do intermittent fasting to help with weight loss or to improve their overall health. It’s not for everyone, but mixing up your eating routine can be fun. Ensure you’re still getting all the nutrients your body needs to be its best self.
One way to do intermittent fasting is by eating only during certain hours of the day, like eating between 12 pm and 8 pm. Another way is to do a “fasting-mimicking diet,” where you eat very few calories for a few days out of the month.
But there are more ways to do intermittent fasting! Let’s take a look at the other options:
The 16/8 method involves fasting for 16 hours straight with only water and then eating in an 8-hour window. This method is by far the most popular for starting intermittent fasting as it fits in with the default sleeping patterns that allow you to fast for 16 hours with ease.
The 5:2 diet involves eating normally for five days of the week and restricting calories to 500-600 on the other two non-consecutive days.
Alternate day fasting: Fasting for 24 hours and then eating within a 24-hour window. You should consume 500 calories below your maintenance calories in your eating window.
The eat-stop-eat method involves fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week. For example, you might eat dinner on Monday night and then not eat again until Tuesday night.
The one-meal-a-day (OMAD) diet involves eating all your daily calories in a single meal. This can be challenging and needs planning and the ability to see how your body feels about eating so much in one meal.
The prolonged fasting method involves fasting for several days, typically once or twice a year. This can range from a 10-day fast to a 28-day fast and brings many health benefits.
It’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to intermittent fasting, and what works best for one person may not be the best option for another. It’s always a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet or exercise program.
Regardless of your chosen method, listening to your body and ensuring you’re still fueling it with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy is essential. Happy fasting!
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Should I drink tea on my intermittent fast?
Johns Hopkins dietitian Christie Williams, M.S., R.D.N., explains, “During the times when you’re not eating, water and zero-calorie beverages such as black coffee and tea are permitted.”
The critical part to remember here is what we ask the body to do during an intermittent fast.
We want only to provide it with water and enable it to use its body stores for energy. We do that by abstaining from food and letting nature take its course by enabling the body to tap into its fat stored to fuel our entire body.
If we provide any form of food\nutrients, then there is a slight chance that the body will revert to glycogen\consumed food for energy, thus limiting the weight loss effects of the fast.
So to summarise:
Yes, you can drink tea whilst fasting.
The tea must not be sweetened and not have any milk or creamers
limit total cups of tea to no more than two per day
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What are the benefits of drinking tea on a fast?
Below are 4 of the more popular benefits of drinking tea whilst on a fast:
Antioxidants: Like green tea and black tea, tea has antioxidants that protect your cells from damage caused by harmful substances called free radicals.
Enhanced mental clarity: Some people find that drinking tea helps them think more clearly and focus better, which can be helpful when you’re feeling sluggish or foggy-headed during a fast. The caffeine from tea is what enables this focus.
Energy boost: Tea contains a small amount of caffeine, which can give you energy without causing the jitters or crashes that coffee sometimes does.
Stress reduction: Drinking tea can help reduce stress, especially when you feel anxious or stressed about not eating during a fast.
Why you shouldn't drink tea while fasting
Caffeine: There is research to suggest that excessive levels of caffeine can impact how quickly, or if at all, the body can enter ketosis. For fasting, this state is very important if you want to maximise fat loss.
Tea, mainly black tea, contains tannins that can interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients and cause digestive issues.
Drinking any beverage can cause feelings of hunger, as anything that goes into the stomach causes the body to release stomach acid. This in turn affects hormonal secretion and can cause hunger pangs, often displayed at being “hangry”
Tea can also be diuretic, which can increase urination and lead to dehydration if consumed in large quantities while fasting.
What types of tea can I drink on my intermittent fast?
There are several teas that you can drink tea while intermittent fasting, and we have listed the ten most popular below
Green tea
Black tea
Oolong tea
White tea
Herbal tea
Yerba mate
Rooibos tea
Matcha tea
Chai tea
Pu-erh tea
The research for intermittent fasting and tea
Research on IF (intermittent fasting) and tea is ongoing, and the coming decade will validate several observations that people experience when combining the two.
What we do know now from research is that drinking teas such as green tea does have positive effects on health, including; increased weight loss, reduction in blood pressure, and lowering of cholesterol levels.
Recommended Read: >>> Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 50 <<<
My results when drinking tea on an intermittent fast
I have followed the 5:2, 16:8 and 96-hour fasts over the past nine months. I have lost over 75 lbs by following the protocols outlined.
Things I have observed that I would like to share are as follows
You can drink tea while fasting but limit it to 1 or 2 cups daily. I mixed green and black tea with hot water and sipped on it as it cooled down.
Practice intermittent fasting but refine it based on your goals and make sure you have a clear plan and vision of what you want to achieve from the fasting diet.
Please ensure you are militant with the fasting and eating windows and follow them meticulously.
If consuming any herbals teas, then check the ingredients and limit them to once per day.
Ginger and chamomile tea are good additions and didn’t cause me an issue in the diet, but I only took them once daily.
Make sure all your teas are unsweetened tea.
FAQs
Does drinking tea mess up intermittent fasting?
No, as long as your caloric intake is near 0 and you don’t add sugar, sweeteners or milk you will be fine.
What teas are allowed during intermittent fasting?
Green and black tea are the most common teas to drink during fasting. There is no such thing s as “intermittent fasting tea” as each listed above has variances.
Can you drink tea during 16 hours fast?
Yes, you can drink tea during a 16-hour fasting window. Adding tea can trigger increased fat burning due to the caffeine and the body’s state of ketosis.
Can I drink tea with sugar during intermittent fasting?
You should avoid drinking sugar or sweeteners in tea during your intermittent fasting. Consuming sugar or sweeteners can cause an insulin response in your body, affecting ketosis and fat loss.
can I drink tea with milk and sugar during intermittent fasting?
You should avoid drinking milk and/or sugar during the fasting window Consuming both will blunt the fat loss effects of the diet.
can I drink green tea during intermittent fasting?
Yes. Green tea causes increased fat burning, increased relaxation, and elevated energy levels and are calorie-free
Can I consume diet sodas on an IF?
Yes, you can, but we recommend you limit them to one daily.
Conclusion: Can I drink tea whilst I intermittent fast?
We trust that this blog article has provided you with the information needed as to if you should drink tea during a fast.
But as a summary, Yes, you can drink tea; don’t add milk or sugar to the beverage and limit it to no more than 2 per day!
(oh, and do keep in touch and check in with us regularly for more fantastic content. For a complete list of our previous blog posts, please go here)
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