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What foods won't break a fast?

Author

Sarah Smith

Published Jan 16, 2026

Foods you can eat while fasting

  • Water. Plain or carbonated water contains no calories and will keep you hydrated during a fast.
  • Coffee and tea. These should mostly be consumed without added sugar, milk, or cream. ...
  • Diluted apple cider vinegar. ...
  • Healthy fats. ...
  • Bone broth.

Can you eat anything while fasting?

Generally speaking, while fasting with time-restricted intermittent eating, you don't eat any food at all and only drink beverages with very few calories, such as water or unsweetened coffee and tea without milk. When you're not fasting, it's important to eat a healthy and varied diet that's good for your body.

What can you have while fasting?

Complete alternate day fasting

This form of fasting involves alternating fasting days with eating days. During fasting days, people will tend to avoid consuming food and drink that contains energy or calories. On eating days, they can consume as much calorie-containing food and beverages as necessary.

What food breaks fasting?

Some of the best foods to consume while breaking a fast include diluted apple cider vinegar, bone broth, spinach, kale, eggs, fish, nuts, chia seeds, dried fruits, cooked broccoli, cooked cauliflower, watermelon, bananas, and fermented foods like unsweetened yogurt.

Can I break a fast with a banana?

However, if you don't suspect you are sensitive to carbohydrates and you pair a half a banana (to lower the sugar content) with high quality sources of protein, fat and additional fiber (like with one of my free smoothie recipes HERE), then a banana can be used when breaking an Intermittent Fast.

34 related questions found

Are eggs OK to break a fast?

Eggs are a great way to break your fast.

An egg is a whole food that contains lots of proteins, vitamins, and nutrients. Egg gets digested quickly, is low in calories, and rich in proteins.

What is dirty fasting?

Think of it as the opposite of "clean fasting." Clean fasting implies fasting where none or very little food is consumed and only water and non-caloric beverages are allowed. Dirty fasting, on the other hand, is a form of modified fasting that allows the addition of a certain number of calories during the fast.

Will lemon water break a fast?

Plain lemon water with only lemon juice is also allowed when following the intermittent fasting method. The drink contains almost zero calories and does not break your fast. Having one or two glasses of lemon drink, when following intermittent fasting can also help you burn fat and curb hunger.

Does cucumber break a fast?

Other foods allowed during fasting are vegetables, whether fermented or unfermented, sauerkraut, tempeh, lettuce, celery, tomatoes, strawberries, cucumber, skimmed milk, and plain yoghurts. You should also make sure to drink lots of water during this period.

Can I eat an apple while fasting?

Another plus: fruits and vegetables are low in calories. The government's 2015-20 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, most people should eat about 2 cups of fruit on a daily basis. Here are 10 healthy fruits to consume during intermittent fasting: — Apples.

How many calories will kick you out of a fast?

Most experts agree that although taking in zero calories is the only way a person can be sure they're truly in a fasted state, zero-calorie beverages like black coffee aren't likely to break a fast. However, drinking coffee with cream, milk, sweetener, or other calorie-containing beverages may break a fast.

Do carrots break a fast?

The government's 2020-25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, most people should eat 2.5 cups of vegetables on a daily basis. Affordable veggies that can work on an intermittent fasting protocol include: Carrots.

What doesnt break intermittent fasting?

Eating anything with calories breaks your fast. Exceptions to this rule would be black coffee, unsweetened and milk-free tea, water, and diet soda (though research says diet soda could actually increase your appetite, which might make it hard to stick to your fast.)

Does cinnamon break a fast?

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.

Will apple cider vinegar break a fast?

No, drinking apple cider vinegar will not break a fast.

Its overall calorie intake also sums up to merely 3 calories. Thus, it is evident that consuming apple cider vinegar while fasting can not break a fast, especially if you dilute it before use.

Does salt break a fast?

Pure, high quality sea salt does not contain any protein or carbohydrates that will cause an insulin response and therefore will not break a fast. However, if you are using fasting for religious or certain therapeutic purposes, then it may break your fast.

Does honey break intermittent fasting?

It's often used as an added sugar in baked goods, teas and coffees. Some people may use honey stirred into lemon tea while fasting. However, due the fact that honey is primarily made up of simple sugars that spike the storing hormone insulin, it will break a fast.

What should I eat after a 16 hour fast?

Foods like smoothies, soups, broths, and cooked vegetables and fruit are more easily digestible. After breaking your fast with these types of foods, it's OK to then move into other types of foods that might be a little bit tougher to digest, such as complex carbohydrates and protein sources and raw vegetables.

Is only eating one meal a day healthy?

For most people, there are no serious dangers involved in eating one meal a day, other than the discomforts of feeling hungry. That said, there are some risks for people with cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Eating one meal a day can increase your blood pressure and cholesterol.

How many hours counts as a fast?

A person needs to decide on and adhere to a 12-hour fasting window every day. According to some researchers, fasting for 10–16 hours can cause the body to turn its fat stores into energy, which releases ketones into the bloodstream. This should encourage weight loss.

What are the best hours to fast?

Consider a simple form of intermittent fasting.

Limit the hours of the day when you eat, and for best effect, make it earlier in the day (between 7 am to 3 pm, or even 10 am to 6 pm, but definitely not in the evening before bed). Avoid snacking or eating at nighttime, all the time.

Does avocado break a fast?

Avocado. It may seem counterintuitive to eat the highest-calorie fruit while trying to lose weight. But, because of their high unsaturated fat content, avocados will keep you full during even the fastiest of fasting periods.

What should I eat after a 24 hour fast?

Have a small meal full of nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables. Chew your food well. A minimum of 30 chews is suggested for each bite! Focus on foods that are easy to digest — try cooked vegetables over raw.

Is oatmeal good for intermittent fasting?

When compared to other break-fast meals, oatmeal doesn't do a great job of keeping you feeling full or of minimizing the insulin response. Because of this, oatmeal is not a great option to break your fast if you're using Intermittent Fasting to achieve a weight loss goal.