Can I juice during intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting has become an incredibly popular diet and health trend in recent years. It involves cycling between periods of fasting and eating. Many people find it to be an effective way to lose weight, improve health, and simplify their eating schedule. But one common question is – can you drink juice during intermittent fasting, or does it break your fast?

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that involves regular fasting periods. The most popular approaches involve daily 16-hour fasts or fasting for 24 hours, twice per week. During the fast periods, you can consume water, black coffee, tea, and other non-caloric beverages. The purpose is to give your body a prolonged break from digesting food so that it can enter into a metabolic state called ketosis. This state promotes fat burning and provides other health benefits.

Here are some examples of common IF schedules:

• 16/8 method: Skip breakfast and restrict your daily eating window to 8 hours, such as 12–8 p.m. Then you fast for 16 hours in between.
• Eat-Stop-Eat: Fast for 24 hours once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day.
• 5:2 diet: In involves regular fasting days where you restrict your intake to 500–600 calories for two days each week.

No matter the protocol, the goal of IF is to reduce overall calorie intake while allowing your body to enter into ketosis between meals. This metabolic state has been shown to aid weight loss and provide other unique health benefits.

Can You Drink Juice During the Fast Period?

The central question is whether drinking juice during your fast period will disrupt ketosis and other benefits of intermittent fasting. Unfortunately, the answer is yes – juice will technically break your fast.

During a fast, the goal is to completely abstain from any source of calories. Even a small amount of juice contains natural sugars and calories that could potentially halt ketosis by spiking your blood sugar levels. Most experts advise avoiding any source of calories during your entire fasting window.

Some people believe that very low-calorie juices, such as lemon water or green juice, may not affect your body’s fasted state. However, there is limited research in this area. To be on the safe side, it’s best to avoid all juices until your eating window opens.

Calories in Common Juices

To illustrate why juices are not fasting-friendly, here is a look at the calorie counts for some common juices:

Juice	Calories (8 oz)
Orange juice	112
Apple juice	114
Grapefruit juice	96
Vegetable juice	50-80
Cranberry juice	140

As you can see, even an 8 oz glass of juice will provide a substantial number of calories and sugar. This is enough to stop ketosis and fat burning in their tracks.

What to Drink Instead During Your Fast

So what should you drink during intermittent fasting periods? Here are some good options:

• Water – Staying hydrated is crucial when fasting.Aim for at least 2 liters of water per day.
• Tea – Drink unsweetened herbal, black, or green tea.
• Coffee – Stick to black coffee or coffee with a small amount of milk or cream.
• Broth – Sipping on bone broth provides electrolytes.
• Diluted apple cider vinegar – Some people enjoy a drink made with a tablespoon or two of ACV mixed into water.
• Mineral water – Choose plain, unsweetened varieties.

Drinking these beverages will keep you hydrated without interfering with ketosis or other metabolic benefits of fasting.

When Can You Drink Juice?

Juice can be enjoyed during your eating window or on non-fasting days as part of a healthy diet. Here are some suggestions on how to healthfully incorporate juice:

• Drink a small glass (4-8 oz) of fresh fruit or vegetable juice alongside a balanced meal.
• For juices with more natural sugar, such as orange juice, limit yourself to 4-6 oz per day.
• Dilute sweeter juices like grape, apple, or cranberry juice with plain or sparkling water.
• Limit high-sugar bottled juices and opt for fresh-pressed or homemade juice when possible.
• Pair juices with protein, fat, fiber, and complex carbs to avoid sugar spikes.

Drinking moderate amounts of natural juice can provide beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants when consumed during your feeding window. Just be mindful of portion sizes.

Healthy Juice Options

If enjoyed in moderation with meals, these nutrient-rich juice options can be part of a healthy intermittent fasting diet:

Vegetable Juices

Fresh vegetable juices provide concentrated amounts of produce without extra sugar. Some good options include:

• Carrot juice – Rich in beta-carotene.
• Beet juice – Provides nitrates that may improve blood flow.
• Celery juice – Contains antioxidants and hydrating electrolytes.
• Tomato juice – Provides lycopene, an antioxidant.
• Green juices – Choose greens like kale, spinach, cucumber.

Fruit Juices

For fruit juice, stick to citrus varieties or dilute sweeter juices to decrease the sugar content:

• Orange juice – Provides vitamin C and folate.
• Grapefruit juice – Contains immune-boosting vitamin C.
• Prune juice – Helps promote digestive regularity.
• Pomegranate juice – Rich in antioxidants.
• Apple juice – Dilute with water or mineral water.

Juice Blends

Combining vegetable and fruit juices allows you to create more balanced and nutritious beverages. Some examples include:

• Carrot, orange, and ginger
• Beet, carrot, apple, and lemon
• Kale, cucumber, celery, lemon, and apple
• Tomato, carrot, and bell pepper

Should You Juice During Intermittent Fasting?

Here is a quick recap on whether or not juice is allowed during intermittent fasting windows:

• Yes: Plain water, black coffee/tea, broth, non-caloric beverages
• No: Juices, even in small amounts

Drinking juice will break your fast and can interfere with entering ketosis. Stick to water, unsweetened tea/coffee, plain mineral water, broths, and similar no-calorie or very low-calorie beverages instead.

However, drinking small-moderate amounts of fresh juice can be included as part of a healthy diet during your feeding period or on non-fasting days. Focus on veggie juices, citrus fruits, and diluting higher-sugar juices.

The bottom line – avoid juice during fasting hours, but don’t shy away from incorporating some fresh juice into your diet around your meals. This provides an extra boost of nutrients from fruits and vegetables.

Other Tips for Successful Intermittent Fasting

Here are some other tips to follow for safe, effective intermittent fasting:

• Eat nutritious, low-glycemic index foods during your eating window such as vegetables, lean proteins, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains.
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, unsweetened tea, and coffee.
• Get enough sleep and manage stress levels – this helps regulate hunger hormones.
• Exercise regularly – combine cardio and strength training 4-5 times per week.
• Listen to your body – be flexible with fasting schedules if needed.
• Seek guidance from a healthcare provider if attempting more advanced fasting protocols or if you have any medical conditions.

With a little bit of preparation, intermittent fasting can be sustainable over the long-term. Allowing your body brief fasts provides metabolic benefits while still enjoying all your favorite healthy foods during your feeding periods.

The Bottom Line

While fresh juice can be part of a well-rounded diet, it’s best to avoid any type of juice, even low-calorie varieties, during your intermittent fasting windows. Consuming juice will technically break your fast and could hamper your ability to enter ketosis.

Stick to water, unsweetened coffee and tea, broths, and other non-caloric beverages until your eating window opens. At that time, feel free to enjoy small-moderate amounts of fresh vegetable and fruit juices to boost your nutrient and antioxidant intake. Just be mindful of portion sizes of the higher sugar varieties. With the right preparation, intermittent fasting alongside a healthy diet can help you reach your weight loss and health goals.