What to eat or drink so as not to break the fast

If you do intermittent fasting, especially at the beginning, when you are not yet used to it, or in times when we have more physical activity or pressure in our daily lives, it can be difficult to maintain fasting hours. If you really can’t get by without snacking on anything, we can consider what could we take at that moment without breaking ketosisthe metabolic state in which fasting places us.

Not everyone uses the same formula in intermittent fasting, since it is about leave a time window for food consumption and the rest of the time do not eat anything. You can do more or less hours of fasting, and this can be broken at different times of the day, which usually go from breakfast in the morning to the main meal at noon.

Regardless of the time slot you have chosen to fast, you should know that, by definition, any intake breaks the fast, including water. However, in intermittent fasting, as in long fasts, there are certain intakes alloweddesigned in most cases to keep us hydrated.

If you want to delve into how to do a healthy fast, you can consult the online course Detox Plan in 7 days at the Cuerpomente School.

Foods that do not break the fast

These are the foods that don’t break your fast because they don’t usually break ketosis.

For example, we can have some drinks apart from water: we can drink just coffeewithout any type of milk or sweeteners, or tea or infusions. As always, soft drinks with sweeteners should be avoided, even if they do not contain calories and do not break ketosis either, since they accustom us to sweet flavors and usually contain unnecessary additives. Another common food option that does not break the fast, especially in the long fasts, is the mild unsalted vegetable broth. Although the vegetable soup, depending on how we make it, can provide us with about 8 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, the broth only provides us with 0.5 grams. Obviously, it will also give us much less energy and nutrients, but it is a good option that can also help us maintain ketosis.

However, there are foods that, although they can quickly get us out of fasting, are foods that do not break ketosis, that is, they allow us to maintain the metabolic state that is sought during fasting.

He avocadoFor example, it only provides 2 grams of digestible carbohydrates per 100 grams; however, it is a very nutritionally dense food, high in healthy fats and fiber. Other low-carb foods can be combined with fat or protein for snacks, such as vegetable cheese or tofu, with celery, cucumber and zucchini.

In any case, the ideal is to perform a fast that can be maintained naturally, without noticing loss of energy.

Combining fasting with a ketogenic diet

The people on a ketogenic dietwhich as we already know can be 100% vegetable, they are also looking to get into ketosis. Although in many places we find that we are told that this occurs when we limit carbohydrates to 20 grams each day, this is not entirely true.

The amount of carbs to get into ketosis should cover 5 to 10% of each person’s caloric needs and must be adjusted in dietary consultation. If you exercise a lot, that amount will be higher. Thus, there will be people who will enter ketosis taking up to 50 grams of carbohydrates, either by having a physical job with a lot of wear and tear or by doing high-intensity sports on a daily basis.

Going into ketosis is, in any case, the reason why carbohydrate-rich foods are eliminated or restricted. Alcoholic beverages, sugary foods, those based on refined flours and ultra-processed foods are left out. Cereals are restricted, as well as whole grains and derivatives, such as pasta, legumes, many fruits and a part of vegetables.

Combining the ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting it is not usually easy. We find ourselves with two types of restrictions: on the one hand, entering ketosis and maintaining it by restricting carbohydrates, and on the other hand, the time restriction.

Let’s see what to eat in this case during the hours in which intakes are allowed if you follow a vegetable diet, or even what healthy foods allow us to eat without losing ketosis in case we break the fast.

First of all, it must be taken into account that the protein sources that we choose will allow us to add fruit or vegetables to our menu of the day. This is essential for the contribution of dietary fiber, necessary for the proper functioning of the digestive tract:

He tofuwith less than 2 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, is the reference protein in keto diets vegan.The seitan It’s usually about 15 grams, so it’s still an option, but it will cost us more to balance the pattern dietetics. Hemp seeds, high in protein and healthy fatty acids, provide 9 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, so they are undoubtedly a very interesting option ahead of seitan. Also, both the fresh plain tofu and the hemp seeds are gluten-free options.The soft beaten tofu and the yognatural vegetable ures skyr type (which would actually be more of a type of cheese), are good options between meals and can be seasoned with a multitude of spices, from chili powder to oil and oregano, including cinnamon. Plant-based yogurts work great with hemp seeds and other low-carb seeds, making them healthy, nutritious, and filling keto snacks.

It is common to think that they cannot be consumed fruits on the keto diet, but it is not true. Those that have a very high energy density, such as bananas, are usually eliminated from the guideline, but that does not mean that all fruits have the same amount of digestible carbohydrates. Yes indeed, if we eat fruit as a snack or as a way to break the fastwe must take it into account for the rest of the day.

Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries They provide between 5 and 6 grams per 100, and their contribution in vitamins and fiber is excellent. The blueberries, at 12 g, are also a good option. Would good options to eat between meals.

In summer, we have different kinds of melons and watermelons, which usually provide about 7 grams per 100, with a high water and electrolyte content that help us stay hydrated. The peaches give us 8, the oranges 10 and clementines and cherries about 12, the same as apples and pears. The quantity must be taken into account: a medium Fuji apple, for example, usually provides us with about 15 grams of carbohydrates, which is why other fruits are usually chosen.

It is easier to get fiber with fewer carbohydrates if, instead of fruit, we eat abundant vegetables, especially those that grow on the surface, not those that grow underground. Thinking about it like this is a trick that helps us to select them more easily.

The spinach They are used so much in the ketogenic diet because they only provide 1 gram of carbohydrates for every 100 g of vegetables, and we can use them both in salads and in smoothies. He zucchinihe green pepper and the cucumber They provide about 3 and can be served to accompany with crushed avocado, fresh vegetable cheese or smoothie tofu.

Vegetables like potato They already provide us with 15 grams per 100 g of food, and for this reason, like pasta or whole legumes, it is not usually common in keto diet dishes. The carrot and the beet They only contribute 7.