It’s a question many people have been asking themselves for years- is drinking coffee while intermittent fasting allowed? With the rise in popularity of intensive fasting diets designed to induce weight loss and healthy meal timing, coffee consumption has become tied to this trend. While intermittent fasting truly is beneficial in many ways, not understanding what you can and cannot do while fasting can be dangerous.
The most popular method of intermittent fasting is known as the 16:8 diet, which entails fasting for 16 hours and eating all meals within a 8-hour window. In fact, many intermittent fasting adherents engage in the beverage of choice, coffee, during their fasting period.
The fear of many people is that caffeine will break the fast. However, the good news is that it actually will not break your fast. Science has shown that drinking coffee has virtually no effect on the normal metabolism of someone already in a fasted state.
Research has found that caffeinated beverages, including coffee, do not increase the number of calories you will burn over the course of the day, or stimulate a higher amount of hormones that seek to stimulate appetite. To explain further, the digestion of the actual caffeine molecule is an incredibly simple process, meaning it won’t induce any metabolic change to break your fast.
That being said, the key word here is “plain”. If you are looking to drink coffee while intermittently fasted, make sure to stick with plain coffee and don’t add any high-calorie substances, like creamer, loved by many. Only then, can you truly be confident that it is not breaking the fast.
Furthermore, studies have discovered that while you may be drinking coffee while fasting, it is important to make sure to consume your last meal of the day a couple of hours before this. This is because the caffeine found in coffee will indirectly stimulate hormones, such as testosterone, leading to decreased hunger sensations and its shorter digestion process could potentially interfere with the digestion of your last meal.
In summary, it is definitely possible for you to enjoy your morning espresso during intermittent fasting! How wonderful. As long as you are cognizant of the rules of intermittent fasting and make sure to enjoy your cup of coffee in moderation, you can definitely reap those fasted-state benefits while still experiencing the joy of that warm cup in the morning.
Drinking Coffee While Intermittent Fasting & Hyper-Energy Performance
Though studies have for long determined the link between caffeine and improved physical performance, it is only more recently that scientists have investigated the effects caffeine has on the fasted body.
Research conducted in 2019 by the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina proved intermittent fasting with caffeinated beverages could result in improved physical performance. The study found that low-calorie caffeine beverages can help to gain metabolic modifications, indicating thermal and performance improvements in fasted athletes.
This is mainly due to the fact that caffeine accelerates the mobilization of fatty acids from our fat stores and helps them to be used as energy. Simply put, the caffeine will help to suppress hunger, increase fat loss and improve exercise performance when consumed in between meals.
However, upon further investigation of this topic, it’s important to note that caffeine alone does not determine performance changes, meaning that it should be accompanied by physical training for proper effect.
Most generally, when looking at the positive impacts of having a caffeinated blast full of antioxidants during intermittent fasting, the main takeaways are an increase in energy, a heightened mental focus, a boost in productivity, muscle retention and an improved athletic performance.
How Does Coffee And Intermittent Fasting Affect Body Weight?
If you are looking at intermittent fasting as a program to lose weight and even more importantly, keep it off you’re in luck. Studies have definitively shown that fasting is effective in both helping people lose weight and, arguably more important, keep the pounds off for long periods of time.
However, if you are too dependant on coffee and its spicy capriciousness, you might be in for a surprise. According to recent studies, it appears that a cup of coffee can only help shaving off a few extra pounds of weight over time.
Think of it this way: if you are drinking coffee and it stimulates the body to increase your fat mobilization and energy production- where will the energy come from if you haven’t eaten anything? That’s right- your fat stores. But here’s the kicker: it is only a few grams of fat that can be lost over 16 hours of fasting, so don’t get your hopes up. The real credit goes to intermittent fasting! Thus, coffee can help you increase energy levels, but it won’t do much for weight gain if left by itself.
All in all, when it comes to intermittent fasting, coffee seems to fall in the grey area between consumption and abstention. While it is the ideal companion for many to get the morning caffeine-rush and inevitable productivity boost, a few too many cups of coffee can interfere with the overall success of the intermittent fasting program.
Conclusion: Best Practices For Enjoying Coffee & Intermittent Fasting
In order to balance between intermittent fasting and coffee, there are a few key things to pay attention to. Firstly, make sure to stick to plain coffee with absolutely no milk or any milk-derivatives. Additionally, drink the coffee at least 30 minutes prior to the last meal of the day. Finally, try to limit the coffee to 4 cups a day and especially stay away from energy drinks with high sugar contents that could potentially cause any metabolic changes.
By following these guidelines, you will be able to enjoy that warm cup of coffee without having to fear its effects. In the end, the key to balancing intermittent fasting and coffee is simply one of moderation. That is the golden rule for anything considered a lifelong commitment, in this case, the combination of intermittent fasting and coffee.
Does Caffeine Have Any Negatives When Fasted?
Yes, caffeine does have some possible negatives when consumed while fasted. One of those is the fact that it can lead to the disruption of sleep.
Being that caffeine is a stimulant, drinking coffee while intermittently fasted can rise your alertness levels, thus making it difficult to fall asleep at night.
Moreover, as previously stated when discussing best practices, too much caffeine during intermittent fasting can lead to an increase in actual calories over time. Caffeine also causes a mild diuresis, meaning that it can cause dehydration.
If a person does not drink enough water during the day to counterbalance this effect, given the decreased presence of carbohydrates, it can lead to extreme fatigue and dehydration-related headaches.
Those who are sensitive to caffeine might experience an increased heart rate and increased cortisol levels in the body because of the stimulant. Because of this, it is important to pay attention to your body when consuming coffee while intermittently fasted and to trust your own instinct.
Does Intermittent Fasting & Coffee Have Benefits On Health?
Absolutely! Numerous studies show that coffee both helps body functions and has many health benefits.
When looking specifically at coffee while intermittently fasting, the benefits heighten. Fasting is the perfect way to give your gut the rest and reset it needs. Taking a break from eating gives more time for your body to heal and digest without having to consume more food and requiring more rest. This leads to better digestion and long-term protection of your gut microbiome.
Moreover, coffee can actually aid this process by assisting gut movement and thereby improving the digestion process. Research also confirms that coffee comes with disease prevention benefits, as its antioxidants help fight free radicals and reduce inflammation.
And that is not all – studies have proven a link between consuming coffee and improved cognitive performance and alertness. As previously discussed, the caffeine found in coffee aids in the release of fatty acids in the body, providing an extra boost of energy when needed.
Seen in this light, it is safe to say that, yes, there definitely are many benefits both to intermittent fasting and incorporating coffee into this lifestyle.
