While on intermittent fasting, the basic rule is to avoid calories and carbs. Apart from eating, people are often confused about drinking options. There are many zero-calorie beverages like black coffee, sparkling water, lemon water, soda, etc. However, among all this, if you are wondering about the effects of diet coke, then here’s what you need to know.
Can You Take Diet Coke While on a Fast?
In general, having diet coke is not a great thing for one’s health, especially when on a fast. Often people ask the question, does diet coke break a fast? Well, the answer to this question is quite mixed. Most diet cokes claim to have zero calories, which won’t break your fast. On a surface level, it seems fair for the fast. One can enjoy the cool, carbonated drink on a summer’s day. But, there’s no 100% assurance that the coke doesn’t include any added sugar or artificial sweetener.
Sugar and calories are the main culprits in this case. Sugar includes carbohydrates, the most crucial thing to avoid in intermittent fasting. Having diet cokes may also increase your regular sugar cravings. So, if your diet coke has any sugar or calories, it may break your fast. Apart from intermittent fasting, if your goal is to lose weight, diet coke isn’t a good thing for you. It will slow your weight loss journey. It’s not good for one’s overall health as well. Excessive consumption of diet coke can have multiple side effects like liver issues, heart disease, low metabolism, and so on.
People may have drink cravings, but many more options can fulfill them. Abstaining yourself from unnecessary food and drink is the key to success in intermittent fasting.
Autophagy and Diet Coke
Autophagy is a crucial stage while fasting that optimizes your cellular health. It’s a process where the cells get recycled. The damaged cells are transformed into new ones.
However, few studies say that diet coke sometimes hinders autophagy in intermittent fasting; due to artificial sweeteners, the process of autophagy gets disrupted. Sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, stevia, and sucralose trigger insulin, which then throws your body out of ketosis. Diet soda may also alter your gut microbiome, which is terrible for autophagy.
Alternative Drinks of Diet Coke for Fast
If you are having cravings for a drink, apart from diet coke you have so many other options. All of the below-mentioned beverages are beneficial during the fast. Here are the top 5 alternative drinks that one can enjoy.
Mineral Water
Mineral water is entirely a calorie-free drink with zero carbohydrates. It includes all the necessary minerals that your body needs while on a fast. Sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium help the body stay hydrated. These minerals also fulfill the need for electrolytes.
Coffee
Just because you are on a fast doesn’t mean that your coffee cup will remain empty. A daily dose of black coffee will keep you within the fast. It has a tiny amount of calories and zero carbs. This will serve your coffee craving and won’t affect your fast. It’s one of the best alternatives to diet coke. As per some research, it may also help you lose weight.
Tea
Tea is a good option for intermittent fasting. Black, green, herbal, or any type of tea will be fine. Tea has so many health benefits and is also calorie-free. Tea may suppress your hunger pangs and make your gut healthier. However, don’t mix milk, sugar, or artificial sweeteners. Otherwise, the tea won’t remain zero carbs and be calorie-free.
Flavored Water
Flavoured Water is also an excellent alternative to diet coke. If drinking regular water bores you, you can switch to flavored water. You can also make your flavored water with just a slice of lime and regular water. Flavored water gives you a refreshing vibe and keeps you hydrated.
Seltzer
As a drink, seltzer is far better than diet coke. It doesn’t have any calories or carbs. It suppresses hunger and feeds an upset stomach. Seltzers having salt give your body electrolytes, too. Thus, it helps the body balance the minerals and electrolytes.
Conclusion
To conclude, all these reasons make one understand that diet coke is unsuitable for fasting. Even though diet coke usually has almost very few or zero calories, it isn’t good for fast and for overall health as well.
We know you may have some immense cravings during a fast, but you must suppress your hunger for a soda. Instead of diet coke, you can have alternative drinks to fulfill your cravings. Having unnecessary carbs and calories will throw you out of ketosis. And again, going back to the fasting body stage is quite time-consuming and complex. So, you would not want to take a chance and break your fast just for a diet coke.