What drinks are allowed in intermittent fasting? You can drink water, black coffee, plain tea, and other zero-calorie beverages during your fasting window without breaking your fast.
Which drinks break your fast?
Any drink with calories breaks your fast. This includes drinks with sugar, milk, cream, juice, and most commercial beverages. Your body starts digesting these calories and exits the fasting state within minutes of consumption.
Drinks that break your fast:
1. Milk (whole, skim, or plant-based with calories)
2. Fruit juices
3. Soft drinks and sodas
4. Energy drinks with sugar
5. Smoothies
6. Alcohol
7. Sports drinks
8. Flavored waters with sugar
9. Coffee or tea with milk or sugar
10. Bone broth
Can you drink water during intermittent fasting?
Yes, you should drink water during your fasting window. Water has zero calories and keeps you hydrated without affecting your fast. Most experts recommend drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day, and you can drink this amount during both fasting and eating windows.
Still water, sparkling water, and mineral water all work during fasting. Add ice if you prefer cold water, this changes nothing about your fast.
Can you drink coffee while intermittent fasting?
Black coffee is allowed during intermittent fasting. Coffee has fewer than 5 calories per cup and does not raise insulin levels enough to break your fast. Studies show that black coffee may boost the benefits of fasting by increasing fat burning and improving mental focus.
Skip these coffee additions during fasting:
1. Sugar or sweeteners
2. Milk or cream
3. Flavored syrups
4. Butter or MCT oil
5. Protein powder
Can you drink tea during intermittent fasting?
Plain tea keeps your fast intact. Green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and herbal teas all have zero or near-zero calories. Research shows green tea can increase fat burning during fasting by up to 17%.
Drink these teas while fasting:
1. Green tea
2. Black tea
3. White tea
4. Oolong tea
5. Peppermint tea
6. Chamomile tea
7. Rooibos tea
8. Ginger tea
Avoid adding honey, sugar, milk, or lemon juice with sugar to your tea.
What about zero-calorie drinks?
Diet sodas and zero-calorie drinks sit in a grey area. These drinks have no calories but contain artificial sweeteners that may trigger an insulin response in some people. Research shows mixed results, some studies found no effect on fasting while others showed artificial sweeteners increased hunger and cravings.
If you want the safest approach, stick to water, black coffee, and plain tea. If you need variety and find plain water boring, zero-calorie drinks may work for you but watch how your body responds.
Can you drink bone broth while fasting?
No, bone broth breaks your fast. One cup of bone broth contains 30-50 calories and significant amounts of protein. These calories and nutrients stop autophagy and exit the fasting state. Save bone broth for your eating window.
Does lemon water break a fast?
A small squeeze of fresh lemon in water (about 1/8 of a lemon) has roughly 2-3 calories and will not break your fast. The tiny amount of calories does not trigger a significant insulin response. However, adding tablespoons of lemon juice or making lemonade with sugar breaks your fast.
Can you drink apple cider vinegar during fasting?
Yes, diluted apple cider vinegar fits into your fasting window. One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar has only 3 calories. Mix 1-2 tablespoons in a large glass of water. Some research suggests apple cider vinegar may help control blood sugar and reduce hunger during fasting.
What drinks help reduce hunger during fasting?
These drinks crush hunger without breaking your fast:
1. Sparkling water – the bubbles create a feeling of fullness
2. Black coffee – suppresses appetite and increases energy
3. Green tea – contains compounds that reduce hunger
4. Herbal tea – gives flavor without calories
5. Water with a tiny squeeze of lemon – adds taste and may reduce cravings
Can you drink electrolyte drinks while fasting?
Plain electrolyte supplements without calories or sweeteners work during fasting. Your body needs sodium, potassium, and magnesium during longer fasts (24+ hours). Look for electrolyte powders with zero calories and no artificial sweeteners.
Commercial sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade break your fast because they contain sugar and calories. Mix plain electrolyte powder with water instead.
Should you drink salt water during fasting?
Adding a pinch of pink Himalayan salt or sea salt to your water helps during fasting. Salt provides sodium and other minerals your body needs. This is extra important during the first week of intermittent fasting when your body releases more water and electrolytes.
Mix 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a large glass of water once or twice during your fasting window.
What’s the best drink schedule during fasting?
Start your fasting window with water to stay hydrated through the night. Drink black coffee or tea in the morning to suppress appetite and boost energy. Sip water throughout the day to maintain hydration. If hunger strikes, drink sparkling water or herbal tea.
Aim for at least 2 liters of total fluid during your fasting window. Your urine should look pale yellow, dark urine means you need more water.
Can you drink alcohol during intermittent fasting?
No, alcohol breaks your fast. All alcoholic drinks contain calories (7 calories per gram of alcohol). Your body treats alcohol as a toxin and stops all other metabolic processes to deal with it first. This halts fat burning and autophagy.
Save alcoholic drinks for your eating window, and remember that alcohol can slow down your weight loss results even when consumed during eating hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does coffee with stevia break a fast?
Stevia is a zero-calorie sweetener that does not raise blood sugar in most people. A small amount of pure stevia extract likely keeps your fast intact, but some experts warn that sweet tastes may trigger hunger. Test it and see how your body responds.
Can I drink coconut water while fasting?
No, coconut water breaks your fast. One cup of coconut water contains about 45 calories and 9 grams of sugar. Your body processes these calories and exits the fasting state.
Will drinking too much water break my fast?
No, you cannot break a fast by drinking water. Water has zero calories and does not trigger insulin release. Drink as much water as you need to stay hydrated.
Can I drink protein shakes during fasting?
No, protein shakes break your fast. These drinks contain significant calories and protein that trigger digestion and insulin release. Drink protein shakes during your eating window only.
Does bulletproof coffee break a fast?
Yes, bulletproof coffee breaks your fast. Adding butter or MCT oil to coffee creates a high-calorie drink (200-300 calories) that stops autophagy and fat burning. Stick to black coffee during fasting hours.
Can I drink pickle juice while fasting?
Pickle juice has roughly 10-15 calories per ounce, which may or may not break your fast depending on how much you drink. A small sip (1-2 tablespoons) for electrolytes stays under the 50-calorie threshold that some experts use, but larger amounts break your fast.
How much coffee is too much during fasting?
Keep coffee intake under 400mg of caffeine per day (about 4 cups). Too much coffee causes jitters, anxiety, and disrupted sleep. Spread your coffee consumption throughout your fasting window rather than drinking it all at once.
Can I drink kombucha while intermittent fasting?
No, kombucha breaks your fast. Most kombucha brands contain 30-50 calories per cup and 2-8 grams of sugar. The fermentation process creates both calories and carbohydrates that trigger an insulin response.
Does drinking water with ice break a fast?
No, ice water keeps your fast intact. Ice is frozen water with zero calories. Some people claim ice water burns extra calories because your body must warm it up, but this effect is minimal.
Can I drink pre-workout supplements during fasting?
Most pre-workout supplements break your fast because they contain calories, artificial sweeteners, or both. If you exercise during your fasting window, stick to black coffee or plain caffeine tablets for energy.
