Out of all the diet fads that have come and gone, intermittent fasting stands out as an enduring and popular diet regimen.
Intermittent fasting (IF) usually involves fasting for 16 hours a day and fitting in your meals within the remaining 8 hours. Many people believe that IF is an effective weight loss strategy and may also help improve your overall health.
If you’re a coffee-lover trying out intermittent fasting for the first time, you might be worried that coffee is a big no-no. The good news is you can drink coffee while doing intermittent fasting, but it has to be the right kind.
Black coffee is generally regarded as the best coffee for intermittent fasting. This is because coffee with no additives like milk, creamers, or sugar contains only minimal calories and is within the recommended daily intake of the diet to achieve ketosis and burn more fats.
The best black coffee brands for fasting include Death Wish and Volcanica. But your preferred beans or ground coffee will do as long as you keep your coffee intake below 50 calories. You can add some calorie-free milk substitutes and sweeteners if you’re not fond of the strong bitter taste.
But if you’re wondering which types of coffee are a hit or miss for IF, this article will cover everything you need to know.
Let’s get to it!
What Can I Drink While Fasting?
You can drink any low-calorie beverage while you’re fasting.
The idea is that you don’t drink or eat anything that will radically alter your metabolism, as intermittent fasting aims to induce ketosis in your body, in which your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates.
Low-calorie beverages like water, tea, and black coffee won’t significantly affect ketosis, so you can consume them while fasting.
Tea contains around 2 calories per cup, while black coffee has no more than 5. That means consuming both beverages while on your fast is perfectly fine.
However, adding sugar, cream, or milk to these drinks can affect their calorie counts. So, I strongly suggest you stick to the basics.
How Many Calories Can Break a Fast?
It’s best if you keep your calorie intake under 50!
However, a few calories here and there are fine, which is the case with black coffee.
While allowances can be made, you will be able to maximize intermittent fasting’s benefits when you stick to your fast’s requirements.
Can You Drink Coffee While Intermittent Fasting?
Yes, you can drink coffee while on intermittent fasting.
Coffee can be a great energy booster that will help you through your fasting so you won’t feel weak or faint.
Coffee without any added ingredients has almost no calories and zero fat.
As we all know, caffeine can put some extra energy into your body for various physical activities. It can keep you alert and refreshed, and even help you get through the grueling 16 hours of fasting.
Know more about drinking coffee while fasting from the video below!
Can You Drink Coffee on the 16/8 Diet?
Yes, you can drink coffee while on the 16/8 intermittent fasting diet.
The 16/8 diet is one of the most popular intermittent fasting diet methods that involves fasting for 16 hours per day and eating within an 8-hour window.
Because 16/8 is one of the more flexible methods, coffee is definitely on the menu for you!
Does Heavy Cream Break A Fast?
Yes, heavy cream can break your fast because it contains a lot of calories.
A half-cup of heavy cream contains 400 calories and adding it to your coffee can significantly increase its calorie content.
Heavy whipping cream, in particular, can really break your fast too.
So, consider switching to lower-calorie options like half-and-half or plant-based milk.
Does MCT Oil in Coffee Break Intermittent Fasting?
Yes, it will!
In fact, MCT oil can alter your metabolic processes during a fast.
MCT is known to be a healthy additive to coffee that can improve brain cognition and cardiovascular health. However, it does contain 8 g of fat, and that’s enough to disrupt your fast.
Some may argue that adding a little MCT oil won’t do much harm, but in my opinion, it’s best to play it safe.
After all, the purpose of coffee is to tide you over during your fasting hours.
By the way, this awesome cold brew maker makes great coffee in just 5 minutes:
Bulletproof Coffee For Intermittent Fasting
Bulletproof coffee during intermittent fasting is a major mistake.
Bulletproof coffee is considered as a substitute for breakfast because it’s packed full of calories (around 250 to 500 calories per cup).
Bulletproof coffee usually contains calorie-enriched ingredients, such as unsalted grass-fed butter or ghee, coconut oil, and sometimes sweeteners.
This makes bulletproof coffee a big no-no for intermittent fasting!
It will break your fast because of its calorie content. However, you can drink it during your eating periods.
Still, you should be careful of consuming such high-caloric food even in your non-fasting time.
Black Coffee For Intermittent Fasting
Black coffee contains less than five calories and will not break your fast.
As I mentioned earlier, avoid adding extra stuff like milk and sugar because their calorie content will disrupt your ketosis.
On the bright side, black coffee comes with its own benefits. The drink is filled with natural antioxidants and is proven to improve your cerebral function and reduce inflammation.
Almond Milk Latte For Intermittent Fasting
Almond milk latte is safe to drink if you are on intermittent fasting.
This beverage is the perfect thirst quencher for those who want something creamier than black coffee.
A cup of almond milk contains 39 calories, so adding a little of it to your coffee will still keep you in a fasted state. All in all, an almond milk latte should only contain up to 40 calories.
Bear in mind though that you shouldn’t really add any more to your latte than milk.
Of course, you can easily make your own almond milk latte at home.
- Take two shots of espresso.
- Steam some almond milk.
- Pour the espresso into the mug and top it off with almond milk.
If almond milk isn’t your thing, there are other low-calorie options you can add to your coffee too!
Here’s a table comparing all the aforementioned coffees. A quick glance reveals that nothing beats black coffee’s low-calorie content.
| Coffee | Ingredients | Calorie Content |
| Bulletproof Coffee | coffee, butter, coconut oil, triglyceride, coconut oil | 250 to 500 |
| Black Coffee | coffee | less than 5 |
| Almond Milk Latte | coffee, almond milk | 40 |
As you can see, black coffee is indeed the best coffee for intermittent fasting!
Can I Put Sweetener In My Coffee During Intermittent Fasting?
Yes, you can put sweeteners in your coffee if it’s low-calorie.
As I said before, the goal is not to disrupt your ketosis with massive calorie intake in the middle of your fast.
While it’s not advisable to add sugar, zero-calorie sweeteners like Splenda or Stevia will not add to the calorie count of your coffee.
They are both naturally-derived sugar substitutes that come with their own health benefits. As for the taste, I can speak from experience when I say that you won’t know the difference.
Check out all the other low-calorie sweeteners you can add to your coffee in this article I previously wrote.
The Verdict
Black coffee is still the best coffee to drink during intermittent fasting.
By far, it contains the least calories and is filled with antioxidants and micronutrients that improve your health.
Adding sugars, creamers, and other additives to coffee increases the calorie count and before you know it, your fast is broken.
Furthermore, black coffee can energize you and ease your appetite while fasting.
However, if you’re really craving something with a sweet twist, you can always add low-calorie milk or sweeteners to your coffee. Depending on your preferences, little to no calories will be added to your drink.
At the end of the day, what you really want is something that will support the healthier lifestyle you’re embarking on. In that regard, coffee will not let you down.
It’s also important to note that the best way to reap the benefits of intermittent fasting is still to keep your calorie intake to zero.
Furthermore, it’s advisable that you refrain from binge eating as this can negate the healthy effects of your fast.
But still, if coffee will keep your spirits up during your fast, feel free to enjoy your guilt-free cup.
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Contents
- 1 What Can I Drink While Fasting?
- 2 How Many Calories Can Break a Fast?
- 3 Can You Drink Coffee While Intermittent Fasting?
- 4 Can You Drink Coffee on the 16/8 Diet?
- 5 Does Heavy Cream Break A Fast?
- 6 Does MCT Oil in Coffee Break Intermittent Fasting?
- 7 Bulletproof Coffee For Intermittent Fasting
- 8 Black Coffee For Intermittent Fasting
- 9 Almond Milk Latte For Intermittent Fasting
- 10 Can I Put Sweetener In My Coffee During Intermittent Fasting?
- 11 The Verdict
- 12 Other Articles on Coffee Witness