IF Question Regarding Coffee

Hi Everybody,

I am thinking of trying out Intermittent Fasting, but I need my coffee in the mornings. To start, I know that for medical purposes, you can drink black coffee and still be considered to be fasting. If I added a little vanilla extract to my coffee, would I still be considered fasting or would it “dirty” my fast?

Cheers,
M

Replies

  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 43,256 Member
    edited April 2019
    I do IF...I have had black coffee with sugarfree vanilla caramel syrup...as long as it doesn't have calories in it then it is fine ..as least that is how I understood it
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Just vanilla extract would not be a problem. Generally a fat source also would not be considered breaking the fast, like cream.
  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
    Um, doesn't vanilla extract contain alcohol?????
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    Depends on what your goals are. If you are trying to achieve autophagy, then any calories will break your fast. If you are just practicing fasting for weight loss / appetite control, then having a couple of calories won't completely derail you.
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  • zeejane4
    zeejane4 Posts: 230 Member
    edited April 2019
    Danp wrote: »
    IF isn't magic and shifting a few calories out of your fasting window to enjoy a cup of coffee isn't going to impact your weight loss.

    What's more likely to impact your weight loss is 'falling off the wagon' because you're denying yourself something you enjoy and eventually the cravings will get to you.

    This.

    I do 16:8IF but have no problem with one or two cups of coffee, with splenda and half&half, outside of my eating window. A few calories outside of my window isn't a big deal and it doesn't trigger an increase in hunger, like I find with eating a meal in the morning.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    bpotts44 wrote: »
    Just vanilla extract would not be a problem. Generally a fat source also would not be considered breaking the fast, like cream.

    If there is a problem there must be a definitive negative outcome. What is the negative outcome? How can it be measured? Breaking a fast is not a negative outcome because everyone does it each day at some point. Since there is no measurable benefit in humans for increased fasting that can't be claimed either.

    Changing the way calories are distributed during the day is a benefit for some people. It doesn't matter if someone is fasted or not unless eating breakfast makes a person hungrier through the day.

    This is literally where the word breakfast comes from.
  • BattyKnitter
    BattyKnitter Posts: 503 Member
    I don't "do" IF but I often don't eat until lunch, sometimes because I'm not hungry but mostly because I like having my calories split up into 2 meals rather than 3, I feel more satisfied that way. Like other have said, it's not magic it just helps me stick to my calorie deficit. I do add creamer to my morning coffee, about 70 calories worth.
  • lin_be
    lin_be Posts: 393 Member
    I skip breakfast and drink two cups of coffee with 4 tbsps of half and half pretty much everyday. I’ve continued to lose weight but that’s also because I hit my calorie goals, not because I skip breakfast.