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Fasting is anything but fun. It can make you feel exhausted, irritable and, of course, hungry. While refraining from eating may provide some benefits, dehydration is never a good idea. The best drink during a fast is pure, calorie-free water, but other drinks may be okay too. Is tea one of them? Or can tea break a fast? Let’s find out.  

What is fasting?

Fasting means avoiding all food intake for at least 12 or more hours, or even eating only once a day. Intermittent fasting has become increasingly popular in the last couple of years. As it turns out, for a good reason. According to studies, avoiding calorie intake for a longer period may provide potential benefits, such as preventing some diseases, increasing resistance to stress and prolonging your life [1].

Regardless of if you tried intermittent fasting or you are fasting for other reasons, stay hydrated. Is it good to drink tea during a fast? Yes, it is. But can tea break a fast? Yes, it can.  

So, where’s the catch?

How can tea break a fast?

Tea is a drink made by steeping processed Camellia sinensis leaves, herbs, spices, fruits or roots in water. Real tea is always made from Camellia sinensis, and all other teas are called tisanes. All plants, including Camellia sinensis, and their fruits and roots contain calories. And calories are what you need to avoid during a fast. However, when you steep tea in water, prepared drink will be almost calorie-free as long as you don’t add sugar, honey, milk or other condiments.

Which teas to drink during a fast?

To avoid breaking a fast, drink only the tea you are making yourself and avoid ready-to-drink teas. Pure teas are a better choice because they won’t contain any other ingredients or hidden sugars. This includes both Camellia sinensis teas and herbal teas. Besides, all of them may provide some of the additional benefits, such as increasing alertness, improving metabolism, and providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Fasting is not only about avoiding food, it’s also about creating better eating habits and living a healthier life. Loose leaf tea is usually of a higher quality than tea dust and will taste great with no condiments. It’s more likely that loose tea won’t taste bitter, so even if you are used to adding sweeteners, it will be easier to get used to drinking it pure. It may be ok to use some sugar substitutes during a fast, but each of them will be different. To be on the safe side, it’s better to avoid them.

And what about lemon? One tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice contains very little calories and is unlikely to break your fast. However, if you want to keep the calorie intake as low as possible, avoid it.  

What to choose during a fast:

• High quality tea
• Pure teas or blends that contain no added sugar
• Teas that taste great with no condiments
• Teas you are brewing yourself

What not to choose during a fast:

• Drinking powdered tea blends with sweeteners or powdered latte teas, except pure matcha
• Drinking ready-to-drink iced tea
• Loose tea blends or tea bags with added sugar
• Drinking too much caffeine

How to make a cup of tea that won’t break a fast?

To make a cup of tea that won’t break a fast follow these simple rules:

• Avoid adding sweeteners.
• Avoid adding milk to tea, milk substitutes, creamers, or powdered milk.
• Choose pure unflavored teas and tisanes to make sure they don’t contain any hidden sugars.
• If you are drinking matcha, don’t add too much powder – 1 regular cup may contain approximately 5-10 calories.
• Choose teas that may provide additional benefits, for example, pu’erh may help boost metabolism, [2] all Camellia sinensis teas and herbal yerba mate will provide caffeine, and green rooibos may provide an antioxidant boost [3] without caffeine and a flavor similar to green tea.

If you can’t imagine drinking tea without condiments, try exploring different loose leaf tea types. There are many amazing teas out there, and some have truly unique flavors.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Fasting may not be healthy for some people. Always seek professional advice from your health care provider before changing your diet or including new ingredients.

Sources:

[1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338176367_Effects_of_Intermittent_Fasting_on_Health_Aging_and_Disease

[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24399768/

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3967803/