What we do know: In many cases, coffee and tea can make sticking to your fast that much easier. Interestingly, one animal study 2 found that coffee actually induced autophagy in mice, but it's not clear if autophagy would have been greater in the absence of all calories or if the results would have even been the same in humans. Here, our experts elaborate on a few items that technically have calories (and technically break a fast) but still deliver on many of intermittent fasting's perks:Īs mentioned above, coffee and tea have such minimal calories that it's hard to say if they reduce any of fasting's benefits-at most, these drinks may slightly reduce autophagy. Of course, not everything is on the table. 'A fast is broken with consumption of food or a caloric substance however, many people who enjoy the benefits of fasting and want to incorporate it as a daily ritual may take a more flexible approach such as a 'fat fast' using coconut oil, MCT oil, grass-fed butter, or cacao butter blended into a warm liquid during their fasted window.' Integrative dietitian Ali Miller, R.D., appreciates a more flexible approach as well. 'Some effects, such as the impact of fasting on the gut microbiome, may be different depending on whether it's a water-only fast or a very-low-calorie diet with a small amount of food consumed, but both may provide some level of benefit when compared to eating a standard amount of food.' 'For me, I like to fast as long as possible with just water-that might be 13 or 14 hours of a water fast-then I'll have my tea with almond milk (the start of my 'dirty fast') and end at around 16 hours.'Įven Horne agrees that some perks of fasting remain with minimal food intake: 'One mechanism that is known to remain active when a small amount of food is consumed is ketosis-as long as you consume less than 50 grams of carbohydrates ,' he says. 'I call this 'dirty fasting,'' says Shah. So, many experts say it's OK to consume certain caloric foods in small quantities to help you stick to an intermittent fasting plan.Ĭase in point: To help patients stay happy and compliant with their fast, integrative physician Amy Shah, M.D., allows the consumption of 30 to 40 calories from sources that won't spike blood sugar, like coffee or tea with a splash of unsweetened almond milk. Some foods maintain many of fasting's benefits-while keeping you sane. Of course, we know that an all-or-nothing approach isn't always warranted or sustainable-and that there are still plenty of benefits to be had in the territory that lies between a strict water-only fast and eating a full-blown meal. That said, I would say stick to as close to zero calories as you can during your fasting hours with plenty of clean filtered water herbal teas are also good.' 'I would say if you're drinking organic black coffee-no cream, no sweeteners-then you should be fine. We don't have any good evidence to show either way,' says Vincent Pedre, M.D., an integrative physician and gut health expert who frequently recommends intermittent fasting diets to his patients. 'I've heard good debates about whether coffee can break a fast. Others aren't so sure we need to be quite this nitpicky, though. 'In humans, it appears that autophagy does not remain as active when any food is consumed,' he says.īut what if we're talking about a measly 2 to 5 calories in a cup of tea or coffee? This ultra-low-calorie territory is where things get a little tricky.Īccording to Horne, it likely needs to be a water-only fast to maintain the maximum benefit from autophagy. According to Horne, some mechanisms behind fasting's benefits, like ketosis (which increases fat burn), remain active with the consumption of certain macronutrients but others, like autophagy, may or may not remain active. Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.Hate to break it to you, but 'technically, consuming any calories breaks a fast,' says Benjamin Horne, Ph.D., a genetic epidemiologist who has published research on the effects of intermittent fasting.Įven a few calories' worth of food can inactivate some of fasting's perks. USDA sources for nutritional information:īeef (Beef, ground, 70% lean meat / 30% fat, patty, cooked, broiled) You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares. Cashew is an excellent source of dietary fiber.ĭetailed nutritional comparison of beef and cashews is analyzed below.Cashew has more thiamin, however, beef contains more riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B12.

Both beef and cashews are high in calories, iron, potassium, protein and saturated fat.Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?įor a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in beef and cashews:

Beef cashew calories