what can you eat or drink while fasting

You can usually drink zero‑calorie fluids like water, black coffee, and plain tea while fasting, but anything with calories (sugar, milk, juice, soda, most creamers) will typically break a fast. What else is “allowed” depends on your fasting style and how strict you want to be for health or religious reasons.

Key idea: does it have calories?

Most fasting guides use a simple rule:
If it has calories , it breaks a metabolic fast; if it’s truly zero‑calorie, it usually doesn’t.

• Zero‑calorie = usually okay for intermittent fasting windows.
• Low‑calorie “gray zone” = may be okay for more flexible or “dirty” fasting styles.
• Fully caloric foods/drinks = save for your eating window.

What you can usually drink

These options are common across health sites and fasting communities.

• Plain water (still or sparkling; no sugar or sweeteners).

• Water with a squeeze of lemon or a few slices of cucumber (flavor is minimal; calories are trivial if you don’t eat the pieces).

• Black coffee (no sugar, no milk, no cream).

• Unsweetened tea: black, green, oolong, herbal, hot or iced, as long as nothing caloric is added.

• Plain or lightly mineralized sparkling water without sweeteners.

• Very low‑calorie electrolyte or flavored waters that truly have zero calories (check the label carefully).

Some intermittent fasting guides also mention:

• Diluted apple cider vinegar in water (for taste and cravings), as long as nothing caloric is added.

“Gray zone” things some people still use

These technically add calories or may affect insulin, but many “dirty fasting” or more flexible plans still permit small amounts.

• A splash of milk or cream in coffee (often kept under about 30–50 calories if allowed at all).

• Bone broth: low calorie but not zero; sometimes used on modified fasts for electrolytes and protein.

• Non‑nutritive sweeteners (stevia, sucralose, etc.): calorie‑free but controversial; some people find they trigger hunger or cravings.

If your goal is strict autophagy or very tight metabolic fasting, many experts advise avoiding these and sticking to truly zero‑calorie drinks only.

What you should avoid during a fast

Most mainstream medical and nutrition sources agree these break a fast because they contain meaningful calories.

• Regular sodas and energy drinks (sugar).
• Juices and smoothies.
• Milk, plant milks with calories, and milk teas.
• Sports drinks with sugar.
• Alcohol.
• “Diet” products that actually have a few grams of carbs/sugar if taken in larger amounts (read labels).

For religious fasts, there may also be specific rules about any food or drink, so it’s important to follow your tradition’s guidance in addition to general health advice.

Simple way to decide

When in doubt, check the label:

1. If it has 0 calories → generally safe for most intermittent fasting approaches.

2. If it has a few calories (like broth, a splash of milk) → only okay if you’re doing a more flexible or “modified” fast.

3. If it has significant calories → count it as part of your eating window, not your fasting window.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.