Intermittent fasting is becoming an increasingly popular health trend with many wanting to reap the supposed benefits that come with this type of diet. You might be wondering though, what can I consume while intermittent fasting? Do drinks such as lemon or lime water break intermittent fasting? Or maybe you’re new to intermittent fasting and are wondering whether this is the right method for you. So let’s clear some confusion up and answer the most common intermittent fasting questions.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
To put it simply, intermittent fasting (IF) is the method of switching between not consuming any food/caloric beverages (fasting) and then back to eating as you normally would. The method of IF focuses less on WHAT foods you eat and more on WHEN you eat. There is a number of ways to do IF, depending on your goals and lifestyle. Some styles of IF include:
Time Restricted Eating:
This method of IF involves a fasting period of 12 hours or more and then eating in the remaining hours. An example could be be fasting for 14 hours and eating for the remaining 10, or the popular method of fasting for 16 hours and eating for 8.
Eat Stop Eat:
The eat stop eat method includes a 24 hour fast, but only once or twice a week. The remaining days involve eating as you usually would.
The 5:2 Diet:
This method allows you to eat as you usually would for 5 out of 7 days. On 2 chosen days, eating should be limited to 500 calories daily.
What Breaks an Intermittent Fast?
Strictly speaking, any amount of calories consumed will break a fast. However, there isn’t much evidence that minimal calorie drinks such as tea or black coffee take away any fasting benefits. The answer whether anything but water can be consumed during IF lies in personal preference, but for many people, drinks with 2-5 calories such as lemon water or coffee may actually help them stick to their fasting window easier.
Does Lemon or Lime Water Break an Intermittent Fast?
A few slices of lemon or lime in a glass of water with no added ingredients most likely won’t break an intermittent fast. Even though consuming any calories technically ‘breaks’ a fast, the calories in lemon or lime water are so minimal that your body should stay in a fasted state. However, added ingredients such as sugar or honey in your lemon water would increase calorie consumption, most likely breaking your fast. Even artificially flavoured lemon water is fine to consume if it has no added sugar or calories. Make sure to read the nutritional label to be sure you don’t break your fast!
It should also be noted that lemon or lime water may not be acceptable during other types of fasting such as religious or medical fasts.
Benefits of Lemon/Lime Water During an Intermittent Fast
Hydration is key during IF, and adding some lime or lemon to your water might make it tastier, motivating you to hydrate more, as well as curbing your appetite.
Here are a few other benefits to drinking lemon and lime water:
- Overall Skin Health: Both lemon and lime are a great source of vitamin C which is an antioxidant responsible for helping the body produce collagen. Collagen production minimises signs of ageing and keeps our skin looking healthy and youthful.
- Strengthening the Immune System: Vitamin C supports our immune system to function normally. A strong immune system means less nasty cold and flus.
TIP: Drinking lemon or lime water could also speed up recovery when sick, so make sure to get plenty of vitamin C next time your body is on the mend.
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Vitamin C can reduce the level of inflammation in the body. Having a glass of lemon/lime water can help relieve joint pain or body stiffness.
Which Other Drinks Are Acceptable During an Intermittent Fast?
As mentioned before, hydration is very important while fasting. If you allow for minimal calorie drinks during your fast, here are some other options to make your IF less boring than just drinking plain water.
- Coffee: For all of us coffee lovers this will come as quite a relief. Just make sure you’re drinking pure black coffee. No cream, sugar or milk added.
- Tea: This is also an acceptable hot beverage as long as there are no additives such as honey or sugar.
- Sparking/mineral and lemon or lime water: These are all fine to drink while intermittent fasting, as long as there are no added calories.
Conclusion:
To quickly summarise, lemon or lime water can be consumed while intermittent fasting, depending on how strict your fasting method is. Although consuming any amount of calories would by definition break a fast, there is evidence to suggest that minimal calorie drinks such as lemon/lime water or coffee, won’t bring your body your body out of its fasted state.
If IF is a diet you are considering trying, be sure to talk to a healthcare professional to see whether this is a safe option for you.
Hopefully this gives you a clearer picture on IF and will make your fasting window go by.. ‘faster’!
Feel free to comment below if you have any other fasting questions!
