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Home arrow Nutrition arrow Intermittent Fasting arrow Does Half and Half Break a Fast? Read This Before Using It

Does Half and Half Break a Fast? Read This Before Using It

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Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
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Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Last update: October 22, 2023
4 min read 1346 Views 0 Comments
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Many people use half and half to enhance cream-based meals. Even though it’s suitable for many diets, can it benefit your fasting window? We explain whether half and half breaks a fast, including nutrition facts and other alternative ingredients for your coffee.

Does half and half break a fast

Fasting is one of the best ways to lose some weight.

Refraining from eating food or drinking certain beverages can boost your progress. Some people may consume small amounts of calories, depending on their personal fasting type. 

Of course, you might be wondering whether half and half is acceptable. While it does contain calories, there is debate on how it could break your fast. It all depends on the fasting window, nutritional content, and glycemic index. 

In this article, you’ll discover if half and half can break your fast.

Does Half and Half Break a Fast?

Yes, half and half will break your fast, so it’s best to avoid this beverage when losing weight. It contains too many calories and carbs that may raise your blood sugar levels. This means your body stops using body fat for energy, slowing down future results.

Half and half won’t boost the fat-burning state during your fasting period. Since the creamy beverage is not calorie-free, fasting will immediately come to a halt. To clean fast successfully, stay away from calories and stick to consuming water, black coffee, or unsweetened tea.

People who do dirty fasting may drink coffee containing half and half. They aim to consume under 50 calories during the intermittent fast. However, any drink with half-and-half will increase blood glucose, so it’s important to avoid a dirty fast when losing stubborn weight.

What Is Half and Half?

Half and half is an equal part mixture of whole milk and cream. The milk has been thickened to enhance desserts, coffee, and even rich sauces for recipes. People often enjoy this beverage for its thick texture, as it works for most nutrient-dense meals.

You can use half and half as a coffee creamer due to its natural richness. Since it contains milk proteins, you’ll also be feeding your body with essential amino acids.

Just be aware that half and half can hold lots of calories. If you’re trying to lose weight, avoid adding this beverage to your diet and stick to unsweetened milk. The high fat content may spike insulin levels, depending on any health conditions or your blood glucose sensitivity.

Half and Half Nutrition Facts

Learning more about the nutritional content can help you determine whether half and half is suitable for your diet. Some people stay away from calories completely when fasting, so it’s completely down to your dietary preferences and goals while intermittent fasting.

Below, you’ll find the nutritional value of half and half per 100 grams:

Net CarbsTotal CarbsFatsProtein
4.3g4.3g11.5g3.13g
CaloriesFiberSugarsGlycemic Index
1310g4.13g40

How Much Half and Half Will Break Your Fast?

Consuming any amount of half and half will break your fast. This is because this product contains calories, carbs, and fats that will trigger an insulin response. If you want to achieve weight loss in the long term, stick to drinking black, unsweetened coffee or just water.

Some people believe that having one tablespoon of half and half won’t spike insulin. However, this statement is only true for people following a dirty fast. Compared to a clean fast, this type of fasting window decreases fat burn and boosts those dreaded sugar cravings.

Blood glucose levels will rise as soon as you digest calories during intermittent fasting. This is something to keep in mind when gaining the health benefits of a fast. Only consume half and half products in your eating window or on days you want to indulge in treats.

Can I Put Something in My Coffee When Fasting?

Drinking coffee all the time might get boring on a strict diet. If you’re starting to experience that boredom, there may be some ingredients that will spice up your coffee. Remember, to avoid breaking a fast, never consume calorie-based ingredients in large quantities.

Here are 4 things you can put in your coffee:

#1 Cinnamon

Sprinkling a small amount of cinnamon won’t break your fast. It contains very minimal carbohydrates, making it great for calorie-free beverages. Since cinnamon is a sweet spice, you won’t feel the need to add artificial sweeteners or heavy cream to fasting drinks.

#2 Nutmeg

Natural additives like nutmeg won’t trigger an insulin response and break a fast. This is another sweet-tasting spice that actually keeps your digestive system healthy. Furthermore, it prevents high blood sugar levels, which is great for boosting intermittent fasting results.

#3 Unsweetened almond milk

Adding any kind of milk to your coffee will break a fast, but unsweetened almond milk will have the least effects. Just keep in mind that it does still contain carbs and protein. For those who are dirty fasting, this milk is perfect for enhancing the flavor of black, plain coffee.

#4 MCT oil

MCT oil contains fat-based triglycerides that are known to boost weight loss. Choosing this over coconut oil could accelerate any intermittent fasting progress. However, MCT oil can be a high-calorie product on a diet, so only add very small amounts to plain beverages.

A Word From Our MD

Intermittent fasting is all about changing your eating schedule. This means you should refrain from consuming food or drinks, especially when maintaining ketosis in the body. Ketosis only happens during your chosen fast, which means half and half is not suitable for losing weight.

Other ways to boost your progress include following the ketogenic diet. Half and half can be a low-carb option for your beverages, but only during the eating window. To break your fast, you have to eat calorie-based foods and drinks that trigger an insulin response.

Always consult with your doctor before trying this eating pattern. They can offer more health advice or refer you to someone who knows what products break a fast.

Conclusion

So, does half and half break your fast?

Since this beverage contains milk and heavy cream, it will break a fast quickly. Dirty fasters can add half and half to their coffee, but that doesn’t mean it can benefit any long-term progress. 

Aim to drink black, plain coffee or water when completing the fasting period.

Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
Edibel Quintero is a medical doctor who graduated in 2013 from the University of Zulia and has been working in her profession since then. She specializes in obesity and nutrition, physical rehabilitation, sports massage and post-operative rehabilitation. Edibel’s goal is to help people live healthier lives by educating them about food, exercise, mental wellness and other lifestyle choices that can improve their quality of life.
The article was fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
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HR_author_photo_Edibel
Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
HR_author_photo_Rosmy
Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Last update: October 22, 2023
4 min read 1346 Views 0 Comments
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