If you’re using mouthwash properly, it should not break an intermittent fast. Here’s what you need to know.
Does Mouthwash Break a Fast?
The main ingredients in mouthwash are water and alcohol. Listerine, a common mouthwash, is about 21.6% alcohol. Alcohol will break a fast, however unless you’re drinking mouthwash (which is obviously, not advised), then you won’t be absorbing significant levels of alcohol to break a fast.
Listerine also contains sorbitol, which is a sugar alcohol. Sorbitol will have less of an effect on blood sugar than regular table sugar, but it still can raise blood sugar levels. Increased blood sugar levels causes insulin, the storing hormone, to increase. This increase in insulin shuts off the fat burning process called lipolysis, which then breaks a fast. It’s unclear how much sorbitol is used in Listerine or other mouthwash products. However, assuming you’re not swallowing mouthwash (which again, isn’t advised), you likely aren’t absorbing much sorbitol to break a fast.
Bottom line: when properly using mouthwash, it will not break a fast.
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The 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program
The 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program provides step-by-step strategies to help you use Intermittent Fasting with delicious, protein-packed meals to support fat loss, reduce hunger, and boost gut health.
