AENpeeps LOVE adding cinnamon to their Keto Coffee. It's a great way to (literally) spice up your morning cup of Joe routine. In fact, AENpeeps Brittnee uses cinnamon, along with a few other warming spices such as cardamom and nutmeg, in her daily cup of Keto Coffee.
But if you're using Intermittent Fasting, will cinnamon BREAK your fast and reverse your results?
Today I'm breaking down the science behind whether or not you can have cinnamon during your fasted period and still see results!
Does Cinnamon Break a Fast?
First of all, this depends on WHY you're using Intermittent Fasting. If you are completing a water fast or fasting for religious purposes, than ANY food will break your fast. However, if you're following the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle guidelines in order to tap into fat burning mechanisms and boost energy levels, then your criteria is a little different.
One of the main goals of Intermittent Fasting is to stabilize blood glucose levels and reduce the insulin response. This will help to shift your body out of storing mode and into fat burning mode. So the question you want to ask is... what causes a spike in your blood glucose and insulin? The answer: carbohydrates (and to a lesser degree protein, too).
Carbohydrates aren't EVIL. In fact, when properly used, carbs can actually HELP you achieve your wellness goals as well. But during your fasting period, a good rule of thumb is to keep carbohydrates and protein to below 1g each. Everyone's body will respond to glucose/amino acids differently, but this low level is generally a good place to start.
1 tsp. of cinnamon contains roughly .8g net carbs and .1g protein. So with the 1g total carbohydrates and protein rule in mind, then cinnamon will not break your fast. When you stick to less than 1 tsp. of cinnamon during your fast, cinnamon will not break your fast. However, if you are combining multiple spices, make sure that the total number is less than 1g. For this reason, sticking to around 1/2 or 1/4 tsp. cinnamon is ideal.
Pssst - wondering what type of fasting is best for your goals? Click below for my free Intermittent Fasting Schedule quiz to find out!
How Can You Use Cinnamon With Intermittent Fasting?
As I mentioned above with Brittnee's Keto Coffee, many AENpeeps love sprinkling cinnamon into their cup of Joe. You can even blend it in to get a more immersive cinnamon-y coffee experience!
Another perk of cinnamon is that it has been found in some small studies to further aid in blood glucose stabilization as well! Considering this is one of the main goals you're looking to achieve with Intermittent Fasting, I'd call this a double win!
Want to test out the Fall Dirty Chai Latte using cinnamon?! Check out the video below!
New to Intermittent Fasting? Learn EXACTLY how to implement Intermittent Fasting in order to achieve your weight loss and wellness goals with the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle!!
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Your Nutritionist,
Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition