Does Matcha Break a Fast? Here’s the Truth
Intermittent fasting has gained popularity as a way to lose weight, improve metabolic health, and promote overall well-being. Not consuming anything that may break the fast during fasting is key.
You may have wondered, does matcha break a fast?
Matcha is known for its health benefits, such as high antioxidants and increased focus, making it a popular choice among health enthusiasts. When considering whether matcha breaks a fast, it’s crucial to examine the caloric and nutritional content of the beverage. A standard serving of matcha contains minimal calories, typically around 2-3 calories per gram, which is insignificant and won’t impact your fast.
But that doesn’t mean all matcha drinks are safe. Matcha lattes, boba tea, and others are likely to break fasting.
If you want to learn about the impact of matcha on fasting, then let’s keep reading. This blog will cover matcha’s positive and negative effects on fasting and its health benefits.
Understanding The Relationship Between Matcha and Fasting
The health and wellness world has advocated fasting for a good reason. Time-restricted eating is the most commonly practiced variation, typically a 16-hour fast followed by an 8-hour eating window. Other variations can range anywhere from 24-72 hours.
Fasting has been shown to decrease several markers in inflammation, help lower blood pressure and increase metabolism leading to weight loss.
To understand this, it’s essential to know the different types of fasts that people follow.
Different Types of Intermittent Fasts
- Time-Restricted Eating: when you have an 8-10 hour fast followed by a 14-16 hour fasting period.
- 5:2 Fast: when you usually eat for five days, consume 500 or 600 calories daily for two days.
- Alternate Day Fast: when you eat food every other day. This involves alternating a typical day of eating one day followed by complete fasting the following day.
- Whole Day Fast: when you consume one meal daily, the fasting window is 24 hours until the next day. Typically, fasting begins after eating dinner until dinner the following day.
- Overnight Fast: This is the easiest intermittent fasting approach because it only involves fasting for 12 hours per day.
The general rule is that it won’t break your fast if something doesn’t contain enough calories to increase blood sugar.
Does Matcha Break a Fast?
Knowing which beverages will and won’t break a fast is essential to maintaining this health habit.
So, let’s talk about matcha and its impact on your fasting state. Matcha is a finely ground green tea powder with numerous health benefits, such as being rich in antioxidants and improving focus and energy levels.
Drinking plain matcha without added sweeteners or milk will not break your fast. The calorie content in matcha is minimal, typically between 2-3 calories per gram for a standard serving of 1-2 grams.
Avoid additives such as sweeteners, sugar, or milk, as they add calories and will break your fast. You can still add artificial sweeteners to your tea during a fast, as long as it doesn’t contain any calories.
Generally, pure green tea won’t break a fast if it doesn’t contain additional calories from sweeteners, milk, or anything else. It’s the same for any variety, such as sencha, genmaicha, hojicha, or green tea blend.
It’s worth noting the potential health benefits of drinking matcha while fasting. Matcha contains L-theanine, which improves alertness, focus, and relaxation. L-theanine provides a calm balance that pairs well with caffeine. This could be beneficial during your fasting period, as it may help counteract any fatigue or sluggishness experienced during fasting.
Matcha can provide several potential benefits during fasting, such as improved focus and energy levels. So, enjoy matcha during your fasting window without worrying about breaking your fast.
How Matcha Can Impact Fasting
Have you wondered what happens to your body when drinking matcha while fasting? Matcha contains antioxidants, caffeine, and several other compounds that work together. As a result, matcha can impact energy levels, metabolism and burn calories.
Let’s dive into matcha’s impact on your body while fasting.
Impact of caffeine
Matcha contains 70 milligrams of caffeine per cup 8-ounce serving. Having caffeine during a fast can stimulate your central nervous system and increase energy levels. Caffeine can help suppress your appetite and reduce feelings of hunger. It’s best to avoid caffeine if you’re sensitive to its effects because it may cause jitters.
Effects on metabolism
Drinking matcha during a fast can affect your metabolism. Specific antioxidants, like catechins, in matcha enhance thermogenesis (burning calories to produce heat). By boosting your metabolism, matcha may provide you with additional benefits during your fasting period.
Promote autophagy
Autophagy is your body’s natural process of cellular cleansing and recycling. It’s one of the main reasons people try intermittent fasting. Since matcha has no proven negative effects on autophagy, consuming it during a fast is considered safe.
Health Benefits of Drinking Matcha While Fasting
As you’ve learned, drinking matcha won’t break a fast. But did you know that matcha has a handful of various health benefits that can benefit your body, especially while fasting?
Let’s dive into the positive effects of matcha on fasting.
Rich in antioxidants
Matcha is known for its high antioxidant content, particularly a powerful antioxidant called EGCG. These antioxidants help combat free radicals and oxidative stress during a fasted state. As a result, it can support overall cellular health and lead to a more effective fast.
Appetite suppression
Fasting can be challenging at times, especially when hunger pangs strike. Thanks to its caffeine content, matcha acts as an appetite suppressant. Drinking matcha during your fasting window may help you feel full and satisfied for longer. This can be particularly helpful in avoiding overeating when it’s time to break your fast.
Enhance focus and alertness
Matcha contains a unique combination of caffeine and L-theanine. This blend promotes a calm, focused state of mind without the jitters or crashes often associated with regular caffeine intake. Drinking matcha during fasting may even help improve cognitive function, support stable energy levels, and maintain a positive mood.
Is It Safe To Drink Matcha On An Empty Stomach?
If you’re thinking of drinking matcha on an empty stomach, you’re likely concerned about its side effects. Not everyone should drink matcha without food because of the caffeine, medication interactions, or stomach acid.
Here’s what you should consider if you’re unsure whether to drink matcha during a fast.
Caffeine sensitivity
matcha contains caffeine, affecting individuals differently depending on their sensitivity levels. Drinking matcha on an empty stomach may increase caffeine absorption, potentially causing symptoms like jitteriness, heart palpitations, and anxiety, especially if you are sensitive to caffeine. Consider having a small snack or meal before consuming matcha to minimize these effects.
Overconsumption
While matcha offers numerous health benefits, avoiding overconsumption is key. Even though matcha is low FODMAP, drinking a lot may cause gastrointestinal discomfort such as bloating, gas, or stomach pain. Sticking to the recommended daily intake and spacing out your matcha consumption throughout the day can help you enjoy the benefits without causing discomfort.
Increase stomach acid
Matcha is a powdered variation of green tea, which is considered slightly acidic. This is because it contains tannins, which has shown to increase stomach acidity. For some people, drinking matcha while fasting may lead to stomach discomfort, heartburn, or even nausea.
Personally, I avoid drinking matcha on an empty stomach because of my first experience. My stomach likely felt nauseous after drinking matcha in the morning. That’s because matcha can raise stomach acid levels and upset the lining. Of course, this is just my personal experience, and not everyone’s body works like mine (thankfully).
Drinking matcha or any variation of green tea on an empty stomach is generally safe. Just be mindful of caffeine sensitivity, overconsumption, and potential medication interactions. Considering these factors, you can enjoy the benefits of matcha without experiencing adverse effects.
How to Drink Matcha While Fasting
A simple cup of freshly whisked matcha is full of flavor. It’s vegetal, earthy, subtly sweet, and has umami. You can certainly add different flavor enhancers like sweeteners, but it’ll increase calories and break a fast.
Here’s how to enjoy matcha while fasting.
Like with any tea, choose high-quality matcha from a reputable brand. You’ll know it’s good quality if the matcha is vibrant green rather than dull.
Brew your matcha in hot water, and don’t add milk or sweeteners. Both of these will add calories and break your fast. This means giving up your matcha lattes, boba tea, and even a Starbucks matcha until your eating period.
Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of matcha powder per cup of water. You can adjust the amount depending on how strong you like your tea.
Whisk the matcha powder in hot water until it’s well mixed. You can use a traditional bamboo whisk or an electric frother for convenience.
Consume matcha in moderation because it does contain a fair bit of caffeine compared to most teas. Stick to 1-2 servings daily while fasting, depending on your tolerance and needs.
If you’re following an intermittent fasting schedule, you can drink matcha during fasting or eating.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matcha and Fasting
Like other green teas, matcha contains very low calories and doesn’t significantly impact insulin levels. It’s generally safe to consume during a fasting period because it won’t interrupt the metabolic state of your fast.
Matcha is rich in antioxidants, such as catechins, that may help with digestion and overall gut health. However, it’s not specifically known as a detox tea with gut-cleansing properties. To maintain a healthy gut, it’s essential to consume a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and stay hydrated.
No, drinking matcha first thing in the morning is completely fine. Matcha is a good source of caffeine and energy to help start your day. It also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation without drowsiness, which can help balance the energizing effects of caffeine.
Yes, you can drink green tea while intermittent fasting as long as it’s unsweetened. It has an insignificant amount of calories and won’t disrupt the metabolic state of fasting. Green tea can also provide health benefits, such as increased alertness and antioxidants, which may complement your fasting goals.
Yes, adding milk or other dairy products to matcha will increase the calorie content, breaking your fast. To maintain the benefits of fasting, it’s best to consume matcha without any additives or sweeteners during your fasting periods. If you prefer matcha with milk, you can enjoy it during your eating window instead.
Final Thoughts
Fasting is a common practice that can support weight loss, reduce inflammation, and lower blood pressure. If you’re a matcha enthusiast thinking of going on a fast, you may have wondered if it can break a fast. As you’ve learned through this blog, matcha can’t break a fast.
A typical serving of matcha contains about 2-3 calories and negligible amounts of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. However, being mindful of the ingredients is key.
If you prefer your matcha with added sweeteners or milk, this will increase the calorie content and potentially break your fast. To properly consume matcha during fasting, prepare it with only hot water and no additives.
