Coffee and Intermittent Fasting - does coffee break the fast?

Okay, so it is time to write about one of the most asked questions that I've ever received on this blog: does coffee break my fast during intermittent fasting?

The short answer is: NO, it does not break your fast. Drink away.

You see, a standard cup of coffee contains about 2 calories if you drink it black. As a rule of thumb, anything below 50 calories will not break your fast. That does not mean that you should try to meet that limit all the time, but it means that you can use it to your advantage to prolong your fast.

Why should I drink coffee when fasting?

Most people who start out with intermittent fasting will find that drinking coffee when you're feeling hungry will remove the immediate hunger. This is good news. It means that if you have a coffee or two you can probably stay away from the food a bit longer.

If you have no trouble and feeling no hunger then you probably don't need the coffee, but it can be easier in social situations like breakfast with your family if you have something, even if you don't eat regular breakfast.

Coffee fights hunger. You will need it. :)

Coffee versions

So, what kinds of coffee are okay when fasting? Generally you should stay away from sugar in your coffee, since that adds a lot (and I mean A LOT) of calories. A little bit of cream is okay, but don't make it a latte since the milk contains calories too. All those versions from Starbucks that has a lot of sugar/ice cream and milk is generally a bad idea.

Personally, I like my coffee with a little bit of real organic cream/milk and some cinnamon.

How does this work? Should I drink coffee instead of water?

Water is good for you, but coffee is too. Coffee will make your body produce more epinephrine, a substance that increases fat burning and lowers appetite. My advice is to drink a lot of water and some coffee whenever you feeling hungry.