Ever since I made the connection that coffee does not trigger my anxiety, I love having my daily cup of Joe. I mostly opt for the Keto Coffee variety, although I will also make an iced option too. Those who are new to the AENpeeps often ask the fair questions - why Keto Coffee? Won't it break my fast? Will it work against my weight loss and wellness goals because of the fat?
Today I'm breaking down the details of why Keto Coffee can be useful in your wellness goals as well as the best and worst time to have it.*
First... Why Keto Coffee??
Keto Coffee can be made via a variety of methods. Traditionally, it's made using part grass-fed butter and part unrefined coconut oil. The amounts of each that you use entirely depend on your hunger level and how new you are to this variety of Intermittent Fasting. The fats help to boost satiety and reduce hunger during your "fasted" period while not significantly increasing your blood glucose levels and therefore keeping insulin stable as well.
Not feeling hungry is VERY important for achieving your wellness goals. Hunger, typically in the form of low blood sugar levels, often results in snacking, poor meal decisions and increased insulin (storing hormone) which completely works against decreased bloating and increased fat burning that you may be looking to achieve. In order to achieve any wellness goal, not feeling hungry is crucial and Keto Coffee is a great tool for that.
Technically speaking, with the true definition of a "fast", Keto Coffee does break it because you are consuming any type of food. So if you are fasting for a medical purpose, such as an extended water fast under supervision, then Keto Coffee is not compatible. However, for the purposes of the wellness goals of weight loss and blood glucose stabilization, Keto Coffee is actually a very useful tool. It's particularly useful for beginners to Intermittent Fasting. Which brings us to our next point...
The BEST Time
A common concern with Intermittent Fasting is that you will be hungry during your fasted period. And for beginners (if not using Keto Coffee), this can be entirely true. Your body likely isn't metabolically flexible yet and isn't efficient at tapping into fat burning mechanisms that would keep your hunger levels at bay.
This is where Keto Coffee is an excellent tool. The fats provide the satiation during your fasted state so that you can get used to not eating a meal or snacks during the fasted period without feeling hungry! In fact, AENpeeps first starting the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle protocols often explain that they were surprised by the lack of hunger they experienced (while still working toward their wellness goals!).
P.S. If cholesterol is something you're concerned about, learn the details of how the USDA revoked their recommendation of limiting cholesterol for heart health HERE. Wondering about saturated fat too? Grab the deets HERE.
The WORST Time
Most AENpeeps choose to continue using Keto Coffee even after they have become metabolically flexible and don't need it to feel satiated during their fasted period. This is mostly due to the fact that it's SO. GOOD. (Haven't tried it yet?! Grab the recipe HERE.) However, some AENpeeps will cycle in grass-fed heavy whipping cream or grass-fed half and half to switch it up. Others will also use matcha and tea as their base instead of coffee.
But is there a time you should quit it? Here are 3 times:
1. You're RELYING on it as a food source:
Keto Coffee is a fantastic tool, but you shouldn't have multiple cups per day and replace meals with it. This will quickly drain your energy levels by not consuming enough variety of food sources and by having excessive amounts of caffeine. If you find that you're relying on Keto Coffee as a meal, then it's time to reassess how you're using Keto Coffee (or even just coffee in general).
2. If you're looking to highly activate your MMC:
Keto Coffee isn't a "no-no" when it comes to activating the highly important MMC pathway, but there are best practices. Remember, with the MMC pathway, you want to aim for 3 hours and 45 minutes of zero food intake in order to stimulate it. There are a variety of factors that can slow down or inhibit the MMC pathway (such as stress and sleep). Although sleep can slow down the MMC pathway, while using Intermittent Fasting, you are likely getting a few hours before bed and a few hours upon waking of zero food intake. This in itself can stimulate the MMC pathway and boost gut health.
If high activation of the MMC pathway is your goal, you can aim to have your Keto Coffee later in the morning, closer to when you would break your fast, to allow for a longer period of time of a complete fasted state. A simple way to do this is by having Keto Coffee after your workout rather than before. However, you can also stick with water during your fasted state for the highest level of MMC activation.
Confused about all this MMC talk? It's actually a super simple concept and highly important for gut health! Watch the video below for the deets!
3. You feel too full at break-fast to eat:
If you feel excessively satiated from the Keto Coffee and no longer feel the urge to eat your break-fast when it comes time to eat, then you have two options: You can decrease the amount of fats used in your Keto Coffee to reduce satiety of the coffee and increase interest in eating break-fast OR you can switch over to black coffee or using the less satiating grass-fed heavy whipping cream or grass-fed half and half. One option is the iced Keto Coffee which uses the grass-fed heavy whipping cream and therefore is less satiating than the original Keto Coffee. Head over HERE for the recipe.
Ready to start your Intermittent Fasting journey to achieve your wellness DREAMS? Join AENpeeps around the world in the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle Protocols that focus on boosting fat burning mechanisms, decreasing bloating, increasing energy levels and feeling GOOD again! All while eating AMAZING food (and sipping on your daily cup of Keto Coffee!).
Head over HERE to get started!
Your Nutritionist,
Autumn
*DISCLAIMER: The author is not a doctor. The advice given in this article is from the author's own research and implementation and should not replace medical advice. Always consult your doctor and nutritionist before making any changes to your lifestyle/diet.
Autumn Elle Nutrition
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