Select your language: 
Does Matcha Break a Fast? 3 Benefits to Know About
4
1401
0
Drinking some forms of tea can be suitable for intermittent fasting, including the nutritious matcha. This beverage holds all the minerals you need, but how does it support your long-term results? We explain if matcha breaks a fast and provide 3 benefits of drinking it.
Imagine this – you want to sit down and have a nice hot beverage, but you realize that you’re still in the middle of a fast.
Eating or drinking calories can ruin the fat-burning process, so you decide to stick with plain water. This might be a challenging fact to overcome, but there are drinks you can have when fasting.
One healthy drink includes matcha green tea, as it’s almost calorie-free. It might be a great option for those who need a warm beverage in the evening. You could also have matcha in the morning to fuel your digestive system.
Do you crave this beverage? Keep on reading to discover if matcha will break your fast.
Does Matcha Break a Fast?
No, drinking matcha will not break a fast. This is because it contains less than 5 calories when made without milk, artificial sweeteners, and syrups. Matcha can actually benefit your weight loss progress, as it might strengthen your metabolism during fasting.
Matcha green tea doesn’t contain any calories, sugars, or carbs that can disrupt fat-burning mechanisms. You can only break a fast by consuming something over 10 calories. However, it’s best to avoid calories completely, as this ensures your body can still burn stubborn fat.
People should drink matcha to fuel their weight loss when intermittent fasting. This caffeinated beverage increases thermogenesis – a metabolic process that burns more calories to produce heat. A fast metabolism means the body eliminates fat stores when you’re not eating food.
What Is Matcha?
Matcha is a type of powdered green tea that is packed with natural antioxidants. People whisk matcha powder into hot water to make the frothy beverage. Green tea leaves are known to decrease inflammation, reduce blood sugar, and support weight management.
You should drink green tea before trying normal matcha tea. This can help you determine whether you enjoy the mix of bitter and sweet flavors. If you do want something more naturally sweet, add a little bit of honey and almond milk, but only drink this during the eating window.
The fine powder isn’t just made for all things matcha. You could have it in energy drinks, iced lattes, salad dressings, baked treats, and even green smoothies for weight loss. Most people prefer to consume plain matcha tea when planning to lose weight during intermittent fasting.
How to Prepare Matcha for a Fast
There are a few ways to prepare matcha tea for intermittent fasting.
If you want a matcha latte, you only need four key ingredients. Just be aware that you can only try this recipe when breaking your fast and not when the eating window has finished.
Simply add 11.5 fl oz of hot water, one tablespoon of matcha powder, unrefined coconut oil, and grass-fed butter into the blender. Once that has all been combined, you’ll notice the mixture is frothy and smooth. Drink this hot beverage before having big meals on an empty stomach.
Of course, there’s another quick recipe that allows you to drink matcha during a fast. You’ll need a quarter teaspoon of matcha powder and 8 fl oz of hot water (around 175°F). Mix these ingredients together using a whisk, and you’ll soon notice a frothy layer start to form on the top.
You can only add milk and sweeteners outside of the intermittent fasting window.
3 Proven Benefits of Matcha for Fasting
Matcha green tea has many benefits that improve your long-term health. Not many people realize that this daily drink contains more important nutrients than other beverages.
Let’s take a look at the 3 health benefits of matcha for intermittent fasting:
#1 Boosts energy
Drinking matcha can quickly increase your energy levels. The flavonoids and L-theanine stimulate your brain’s alpha-band oscillations – brain waves that control cognitive function. They may also raise serotonin and dopamine, which are the happy hormones in your body.
#2 High in antioxidants
Matcha green tea is packed with high levels of antioxidants. These natural molecules protect your cells against free radicals – unstable atoms that increase the risk of heart disease. Not getting enough antioxidants in your diet may expose you to more viruses and infections.
Another benefit of antioxidants is that they support good mental health. If free radicals reach your hippocampus, an area of the brain that controls learning and memory, you may experience depression. Antioxidants in matcha beverages may stop that from happening in the first place.
#3 Stimulates metabolism
One cup of matcha can stimulate your metabolism due to EGCG. This refers to epigallocatechin gallate – a plant compound that might aid weight loss. Consuming more matcha can increase thermogenic effects in the body and help your metabolism to burn extra calories during fasting.
Remember that matcha green tea is good for weight loss and muscle toning. The more weight you lose, the more likely your muscles will come through. You can have this hot beverage over regular green tea since the high levels of caffeine specifically target the metabolism.
A Word From MD
Matcha is a type of Japanese green tea that can boost your overall health. Even though it doesn’t have much sweet flavor, it’s much better than drinking just water and black coffee. You can enjoy this drink on an empty stomach and not feel any negative digestive effects.
One thing to note is that matcha won’t directly burn fat. People should go for a long-distance run or power walk while intermittent fasting. It might sound like an obvious trick when losing weight, but exercise during a fast can encourage the body to use more stubborn fat stores.
If you fancy trying matcha tea, don’t add milk or sugar. This can increase the calorie count and raise insulin levels, which could break your fasting window. High levels of insulin have been associated with type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and decreased life expectancy.
Conclusion
So, can matcha break your fast?
Drinking matcha won’t disrupt any weight loss results while fasting. You can enjoy this beverage during the fasting window, but only mix the powder with plain hot water. Some people consume 1–2 cups of matcha tea a day to relish the benefits and support their fat loss progress.
Does Wine Break a Fast? Decoding the Fasting Rules
Intermittent Fasting and Alcohol: Is It a Match?
Prime Fasting App Review: Your Weight Loss Warrior?
ProLon Review: Is It Better Than Fasting?
