Black coffee not your thing…..
I wanted to follow up from last weeks email where I wrote about Intermittent Fasting and the benefits to rev up your METABOLISM.
I need to share some secrets to get through your morning in a FASTED state.
I have a feeling many of you are just like me. I wake up and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee. I have tried to drink my coffee black, but I just can't. I like to add just a little flavor.
I am here to tell you that you can still add creamer to your coffee and stay in a FASTED state. You do need to follow some rules when adding a creamer.
I am going to share some things you can add to your coffee that will NOT break your fast.
Can you add creamer to your coffee while doing intermittent fasting? Yes and no.
Creamers
Adding a little dose of creamer to your coffee is acceptable and will not completely break your fast, but rather might just slow down your fat-burning state
Here are some of my favorite approved creamers that won’t completely break your fast. *Remember to read the label to determine what the serving size is so you don’t go over 50 calories or have any fiber. The trick of not BREAKING your FAST is to stay under 40 calories.
Nut Pods Califia Creamers
Coconut Creamer from Trader Joe’s
Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss Almond
Coconut Creamer
Here are some additional items you can add to your coffee:
Stevia or Monk Fruit
Stevia and monk fruit extract are both natural zero sugar sweeteners. If you're used to adding sugar to your coffee (which will break a fast), then switching over to stevia or monk fruit is a great swap to fit your Intermittent Fast.
Keep in mind, this is pure stevia or monk fruit extract. There are a lot of products on the market that cut stevia or monk fruit with maltodextrin, sugar alcohols or other sugars. On their own, stevia or monk fruit extract won't break a fast. However, when you start to add in other sugars, it will break a fast.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon and coffee go so well together anyway, so this is a huge win. But the devil is in the details when it comes to cinnamon during the fast. The grams of carbohydrates and protein can start to add up when you add more and more cinnamon to your coffee and therefore could have the potential to break a fast. As long as you stick to one teaspoon in your coffee, then cinnamon will not break your fast.
Salt
I know this sounds odd as a coffee add-on, but salt helps to naturally enhance flavors. I have a client who blends his coffee with salt (nothing else) and absolutely swears by the flavor. Give it a try and let me know if you love it, too! Plus, it contains zero grams of protein or carbs so it won't break a fast. Salt also helps to provide electrolytes that are often lost during the fast. Win, win!
Almond Milk
Again, the devil is in the details with this one. You need to account for two things when it comes to adding almond milk into your coffee:
Whether or not it's unsweetened
How much you're using in your coffee
If the almond milk is sweetened, it will break your fast. However, if you'r sticking to unsweetened almond milk, you can use up to 1/3 cup of almond milk without it breaking your fast.
Pssst - this doesn't apply to oat milk. Oat milk WILL break your fast regardless of the amount used.
Coconut Cream
This is a good option if you're plant-based and can't use heavy cream or half and half. Just make sure to stick to no more than one tablespoon in your coffee so that the carbohydrates don't add up and break a fast. And, of course, make sure it's unsweetened.
Vanilla Extract
This is such a sneaky hack. I absolutely love it. Especially if you combine the vanilla extract with heavy cream -- the results are like a vanilla latte. It's amazing. Just make sure to keep vanilla extract to one teaspoon or less so that it won't break a fast.
Coconut Milk
There are a few different types of coconut milk. In this list, I'm referring to the type you get in a carton (not a can). If you're using unsweetened coconut milk from a carton, then you can use up to 8 oz. of coconut milk in your coffee without it breaking a fast.
Enjoy!