Can you drink lemon water while fasting? Whether you're using Intermittent Fasting, Alternate Day Fasting or any other type of fasting, can water lemon be used? The answer is yes, to a certain point. Check out the everything you need to know about lemon water while fasting below!
Will Lemon Water Break Your Fast?
If your goal with Intermittent Fasting is weight loss, then it's important to make sure you're not spiking your fat storing hormone, insulin, during your fasted state. In fact, this is one of the main reasons Intermittent Fasting can be such a great weight loss tool, is because you naturally have low levels of insulin while you fast.(3) This allows the fat burning process called lipolysis to be turned on during your fast.
The foods that spike insulin are protein and carbohydrates. As a good rule of thumb with Intermittent Fasting, it's important to not eat more than one gram of both protein and carbohydrates so that insulin does not spike. Lemon juice contains a small amount of carbohydrates, but by sticking with around 1/4 of a juiced lemon or less, you should be in the clear during your fasted state. Likely slightly more shouldn't be a problem, however to be on the safe side, you can stick with around 1/4 lemon.
Pssst - wondering what type of fasting is best for your goals? Click below for my free Intermittent Fasting Schedule quiz to find out!
What Happens When You Drink Lemon Water On An Empty Stomach?
One of the major perks of diluted lemon juice (aka lemon water) is that it can help stimulate bile production.(1) Bile can act as an antimicrobial and aids in cleaning out the GI tract. In fact, bile is secreted during the gut cleaning process called the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC) which is crucial for removing left behind food and bacteria that typically results in bloating.(2)
Lemon juice also contains some vitamin C, although not as much as you might think. One full lemon contains a little less than 25% of your daily vitamin C needs. In comparison, one cup of raw cauliflower contains nearly 70% of your vitamin C needs. So if you're looking for a little boost of vitamin C with some added perks of bile stimulation, you can experiment with incorporating lemon juice in your water.
Does Lemon And Apple Cider Vinegar Break A Fast?
Apple cider vinegar does not contain any protein or carbohydrates and therefore will not break a fast. Often times, lemon water and apple cider vinegar are combined. Apple cider vinegar can be a useful tool to help stabilize blood glucose levels.(4) Stable blood glucose levels tend to also lead to more stable insulin levels, making it a win-win for a weight loss goal. This is why men and women using the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle principles utilize the ACV (apple cider vinegar) Sipper 15 minutes before breaking a fast to help further optimize their Intermittent Fasting results.
Get the EXACT step-by-step, meal-by-meal details on how to use Intermittent Fasting to achieve your weight loss and wellness goals with the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle!
Instantly gain access to 100+ recipes, 8 weeks of meal-by-meal planning, 3 week workout plan, restaurant guidelines, science-backed information and MORE!
Join thousands of men and women around the world and start feeling GOOD again! Head over HERE to get started!
Your Nutritionist,
Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition
Comments