Understand What Fasting Is, And What Herbal Teas You Can Drink

Fasting is not just another modern diet fad. In fact, our ancestors used to do it without even realising it would become popular in a few thousand years! Prehistoric humans were hunters and gatherers who evolved to survive without eating for long periods of time. Food was not readily available, and it took a lot of time and energy to hunt or gather seeds, nuts and berries, so our bodies have evolved to be able to go without food for many hours, or even several days. In today's modern world, where food is sold everywhere and ready meals and snacks are instantly available, we rarely go more than a few hours without eating, and those of us that do usually counteract our hunger with a sweet, milky coffee or fizzy drinks.

The idea behind fasting is that you restrict your calories, ideally to zero, and by doing so your body may concentrate on tapping into your fat stores for its energy instead of the glucose it is receiving from food. So technically any number of calories will break a fast, but the good news is you can still drink herbal teas when fasting. However, not all herbal teas are equal, and certain herbal tea blends are packed with fruits, which can break your fast because of the sugars that are found naturally in those fruits. If you're considering wholesale tea for fasting purposes, choose blends without fruits to ensure they don't break your fast.

So if you are confused as to whether or not herbal teas will break a fast, a general rule of thumb is to stick with single-ingredient herbal teas like peppermint, chamomile or ginger, and avoid any teas that have fruits in them. In fact, chamomile tea and moringa tea might be a great option for those who have trouble sleeping, as it may help to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality without breaking your fast.

What Kind of Tea Can I Drink When Fasting?

When you are fasting, tea is an excellent option as a beverage and will not break a fast, as long as you remember not to add anything to it such as sweeteners, milk or cream. Caffeinated teas such as black, green and white tea are great and may boost your metabolism and give you that much-needed caffeine fix in the mornings. If you are a coffee addict then don't worry, coffee is also a great option and won't break a fast - as long as you don't have a latte! Plant-based milks such as almond and coconut milk may be considered a healthier choice than cow's milk, but they still contain fats and calories, and they will break your fast. So it's black coffee only or herbal teas that do not break a fast.

If you are wondering what kind of tea you can drink when fasting it is worth considering which teas you enjoy. Some people have a sensitivity to caffeine or tannin and can only drink black or green tea with milk or a sweetener added, so sticking to herbal teas is one way of getting around that. Cinnamon is a deliciously sweet spice that is great to add to teas to take away the sugar craving, and stevia is another natural option that is calorie-free - just remember it is sweeter than sugar so use it in moderation!

Matcha tea is extremely popular, but due to its bitter taste, many people like to drink it with honey. While honey is a natural sweetener and has potential health benefits, it is still a source of calories and carbohydrates and will break your fast. Be aware when buying shop-bought matcha powders these can often contain milk powder and sugar and are more likely a matcha latte powder. Buy high-quality matcha green tea from reputable dealers like Teavision, rather than a matcha latte mix.

Can I Drink Herbs While Intermittent Fasting?

Remember that intermittent fasting is all about only eating during specific times, and then fasting for the rest of the time. The approach focuses less on what you eat and more on when you eat, for example, you may choose a 16/8 plan where you eat for eight hours and fast for 16. During your eating hours, you can eat what you like (obviously excessive eating is not advisable) but during the fasting period, you need to be aware of what can break your fast. You can drink herbs while intermittent fasting and they can help accelerate the achievement of your health goals.

Ginseng, milk thistle and ginkgo biloba are great herbs full of antioxidants and properties that may kick-start autophagy, detoxify the liver and improve blood flow to the brain increasing brain health. Check out our website for great ideas on herbal teas you can drink when fasting.

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