Diet Soda and Intermittent Fasting: What You Need To Know
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting. During the fasting periods, you may be allowed to have a certain amount of calories or to consume only certain types of food. It’s a popular dieting approach that is used to achieve weight loss, improve metabolic health, and even extend lifespan.
Does Diet Soda Break a Fast?
“Technically speaking, most diet sodas that have zero calories will not break a fast,” explains Autumn Bates, a certified clinical nutritionist. So, what’s the connection between diet soda and fasting? Diet soda may have 0 calories, but it can still break your fast. Get the facts here!
When it comes to intermittent fasting, diet soda is not a great choice. Even though it has no calories and won’t break your fast, it can still stimulate your appetite and make you crave food. Instead of diet soda, choose beverages such as herbal tea, black coffee, or water.
Diet Coke and Intermittent Fasting
Technically, diet sodas are okay to consume while fasting since these are calorie-free drinks that do not stimulate the mTOR, a protein kinase. However, it’s best to avoid Diet Coke while intermittent fasting. Diet Coke contains artificial sweeteners that will trigger an insulin response, which can break your fast.
Gatorade Zero and Intermittent Fasting
No, you should not drink Diet Coke while intermittent fasting. But what about Gatorade Zero? When intermittent fasting, Gatorade Zero is much like Coke Zero or any other diet soda in that it contains zero sugar and zero calories. Because of this technically speaking, it will not break a fast. However, if your goal with intermittent fasting is to reduce cravings and curb your appetite, Gatorade Zero is not the best choice.
What Should You Drink While Intermittent Fasting?
If you’re trying to stick to your intermittent fasting plan, it’s best to avoid overly sweet-tasting drinks such as diet soda. Another option here could be stevia-sweetened soda (if your diet allows), sparkling water, or even unsweetened fruit juices. All of these are great choices that won’t break your fast and can help you stay hydrated.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that diet soda during fasting may not exactly break your intermittent fasting, but it may make you crave food. So, if that’s you, diet soda is best left off your Intermittent Fasting Drinks list. Instead, choose beverages such as herbal tea, black coffee, or water to stay hydrated and maintain your fast.
Will drinking Diet Coke interfere with an intermittent fast?
Some artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame, Sucralose and Saccharin may still cause a mild insulin spike, so you should check labels carefully.
Will drinking Coke Zero interfere with intermittent fasting?
Technically, consuming drinks such as Coca Cola Zero during a period of intermittent fasting does not stop the fast from continuing, since they have no calories. However, many experts have pointed out that if the goal of the fasting is to lose weight, these soft drinks may have an adverse effect and cause weight gain.
Which beverages can be consumed during an intermittent fast?
Herbal Tea. …
Vegetable Juice. …
Fruit Juice. These drinks will not break your fast: Purified Water, Spring/Mineral Water, Sparkling Water, Lemon-infused Water, Black Coffee, Plain Tea, Herbal Tea, Vegetable Juice, and Fruit Juice.
Can drinking diet soda prevent ketosis?
Although drinking diet soda is allowable on the keto diet, it may lead to an increased desire for carbohydrates. A small study found that artificially sweetened beverages may cause the body to think it is receiving calories and carbs, prompting cravings for these foods.
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