Millions of people around the world can’t start their day without their morning cup of Joe. So, how does one reconcile this when adopting an intermittent fasting protocol which requires you to fast for 16 or more hours a day?
Most people on an intermittent fasting plan have their first meal from 12 pm onward. This is already noon. Skipping your morning coffee will leave you feeling like a zombie till midday...
Remedy
The best way to remedy this problem will be to drink black coffee without sugar or milk. Black coffee on its own has many benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, boosts memory, helps promote weight loss, cleanses your stomach, and helps the liver detox.
Without sugar and milk, black coffee doesn’t affect your intermittent fasting plan. The problem arises when people sweeten their coffee. The sugar in the coffee elevates their blood sugar levels and cause the pancreas to secrete insulin.
The moment this happens, you’re no longer in a fasted state. One of the benefits of intermittent fasting is ketosis. Ketosis can only occur when there is a lack of glucose in the blood.
When the coffee causes insulin to be secreted, your body is no longer in fat burning mode since it is now using glucose as a fuel source. So, making an exception for coffee is a no-go UNLESS it’s black coffee.
Getting Used to Black Coffee
Black coffee can be horribly bitter to some people and it does take some getting used to. If you’d rather not drink coffee than drink bitter black coffee, that’s fine too. Some people prefer their coffee without milk/creamer, but still use sugar… and that’s not allowed either.
The coffee has to be black with no additional ingredients. There are a few ways to get used to the taste. You can test out different coffee brands and see which is easiest on your palate.
Another way will be to try brewing the coffee using different methods. Some methods will result in less bitter coffee.
The best way to get used to it will be to consume small amounts of it daily until you acquire the taste for it. Some people may make the switch overnight and be fine with it, while others may gag on the taste.
You’ll have to decide for yourself if you’re going to go cold turkey or slowly wean yourself off sugar and creamer in your coffee. If you’re thinking of using artificial sweeteners in your morning brew, it is NOT a good idea.
These artificial sweeteners are detrimental to your health and toxic in the long run. It’s better to use sugar instead of these sweeteners. The goal of intermittent fasting is to improve your health, not worsen it.
Is It Caffeine That You Want?
For many people, it’s not the coffee that they need but the stimulant caffeine which they require to wake them up and make them alert. If this is the case, you can stop drinking coffee and stick to caffeine supplements.
Just purchase a bottle from your health store and take the supplement accordingly. Take note of just how much caffeine is in one tablet. You may wish to split the tablet and just consume half because these supplements are more potent than coffee.
At the end of the day, intermittent fasting requires you to fast. Fasting means an almost zero calorie intake during the fasting window.
Stick to black coffee or use a caffeine supplement. Anything else and you’ll undo all your intermittent fasting efforts and will not see the desirable results you’re hoping for.
