Can You Drink Coffee While Fasting? What Science Really Says

Does Coffee Break Intermittent Fasting? Here's What You Should Know | Can I drink COFFEE during INTERMITTENT FASTING?

If you're practicing intermittent fasting, you might be wondering whether drinking coffee will interfere with your fast. The short answer? It depends on how you take your coffee.

 

🔹 Black Coffee and Fasting

Plain black coffee, without any sugar or milk, is very unlikely to disrupt your fast. A standard cup (around 240ml) of black coffee contains only about 3 calories and has minimal amounts of protein, fat, and trace nutrients. These small amounts aren't typically enough to trigger any major metabolic response that would technically “break” your fast.

For most people, drinking 1 to 2 cups of black coffee during a fasting window is perfectly acceptable and doesn’t impact the benefits of intermittent fasting.

 

🔹 Coffee Might Help - But the Evidence Is Limited

Some believe that having coffee during a fast helps with hunger management and boosts focus. While this might be true anecdotally, it’s important to note that there isn’t strong scientific evidence to confirm that coffee directly enhances your ability to fast.

 

🔹 What to Avoid During Fasting

The key thing to remember is that once you start adding extras to your coffee-like milk, cream, sugar, or flavored syrups-it becomes a different story. These additions contribute calories that could affect insulin levels and metabolism, thereby breaking your fast.

Here are some coffee types you should skip during your fasting periods:

  • Lattes
  • Cappuccinos
  • Sweetened or flavored coffees from cafes or supermarkets

Many online sources suggest that staying under 50-75 calories won’t break your fast. However, there’s no solid scientific backing for this rule. To stay on the safe side, try to consume as close to zero calories as possible when fasting.

 

🔹 If You Must Add Something...

If plain black coffee isn’t your thing and you need to lighten it a bit, a small splash-like a teaspoon (5ml) of heavy cream or coconut oil-might be acceptable. This amount is unlikely to cause a noticeable spike in blood sugar or end your fasting benefits, but it’s best used occasionally.

 

⚠️ A Word on Caffeine

One standard cup of coffee has roughly 100mg of caffeine. While moderate caffeine intake is generally safe, consuming too much-especially on an empty stomach-can lead to unwanted effects such as:

  • Heart palpitations
  • A short-term increase in blood pressure
  • Poor sleep quality

 

✅ Final Thoughts

In summary, drinking a moderate amount of black coffee during intermittent fasting is typically fine. Just be mindful of what you add to it, and how much caffeine you consume overall. Stick with unsweetened black coffee, limit your intake to 1-2 (One-Two) cups, and avoid turning your drink into a dessert.

 

Source:

·  Harvard Health Publishing

·  Cleveland Clinic.

·  National Institute on Aging..

·  Johns Hopkins Medicine.