Fasting is a great way to reset the body or help manage overconsumption. People worldwide practice fasting and even incorporate it into their religious worship. During fasting, people report the feeling of low energy and lightheadedness. This may lead to consuming something like an energy drink for a quick pick-me-up. So can drinking So, can G fuel break a fast?
All of G Fuel’s beverages contain acesulfame potassium. This ingredient is typically coupled with artificial sweeteners and will technically break a fast by triggering an insulin spike.
What Types of Energy Drinks Won’t Break Your Fast?
When seeking energy drinks that won’t break your fast, look for drinks that don’t contain sugars, L-Leucine, or acesulfame potassium. Although these ingredients are not the end-all-be-all to fasting, they can be a significant cause of insulin spikes in the body.
Insulin signals cells body to absorb the sugar and use it for energy, and this is what usually happens after a meal one of the benefits of fasting is the improvement of insulin sensitivity, which occurs thanks to the decrease of insulin levels. So, an unnecessary insulin spike should be avoided during a period of fasting.
Some drinks can appear fast-friendly on the surface. But you can be causing insulin spikes without even knowing it. One way to be sure is by creating your own energy drink is one particular way not to break a fast. By creating your own energy drink, you know what is in it.
Important info when consuming a high amount of caffeine
One must exercise extra caution when using any product with caffeine in powder form. Too much caffeine can cause adverse reactions in the body. Responsible brands will have warning labels indicating high amounts of caffeine. When mixing caffeine powder, follow recommended portions.
Here is a simple recipe for making a homemade energy drink:
- 350ml – Carbonated water (You can use any brand. I like to add Perrier or Bubly. Better avoid the ones that contain “Natural Flavors”)
- 1/2 – Lemon
- 3g – Beta-alanine powder
- 1/2 a scoop or 500mg – Guarana powder(a full scoop contains 220mg of Natural Caffeine)
- 2 – 4 drops of Stevia (Optional)
Caffeine in Beverages
| Beverage | Caffeine |
| Tea | 26 mg |
| Red Bull (8.4 oz) | 77.4 mg |
| Black Coffee | 95 mg |
| Monster Energy | 86.4 mg |
| G Fuel | 150 mg |
Can I Drink G-Fuel When Doing an Intermittent Fast?
Although G- fuel contains ingredients that will break a traditional fast, it is acceptable to consume during an intermittent fast.
Intermittent fasting is based on a time window rather than what you consume. This form of fasting is attractive to many because of its milder restrictions. One main point to note is not having a long enough window won’t allow your body to trigger autophagy.
G Fuel supplement facts (Original formula)
Why Is Autophagy Important When Fasting?
Autophagy is the body’s ability to clean and detox on a cellular level. Autophagy is the goal standard when fasting for weight loss, mental clarity, and other physical improvements to the body. Many people hope to reach the state of autophagy and use fasting as an accelerant.
Types of Fasting
Depending on the type of fasting, It’s critical to be diligent about what you consume because you can break your fast without knowing it.
Some popular alternative forms of intermittent fasting
Time-restricted: In time-restricted eating, people can still eat a regular diet within a time window. The range can be from 6 to 12 hours.
Overnight Fasting: Fasting for over 12 hours or more. This 12-hour period includes the time you spend sleeping.
Alternate-Day Fasting: This fasting method is pretty self-explanatory. You fast for one day, then you eat for one day. You go back and forth.
The benefits of Intermittent fasting have been spreading and gaining more popularity day by day. Among them, there is a decrease in blood pressure and oxidative stress.
People have reported feeling the results of intermittent fasting within 48 hours. Intermittent fasting has its hurdles. One major hurdle is the constant craving for food. Another is the lightheadedness you feel after a long stretch of not having any food.
I’ve told my friends and family about fasting. And they first ask, why would you put yourself through that?
And I always tell them after getting over the hump, I experience clarity. It’s clarity that is next to impossible to obtain from my typical daily food intake.
G Fuel Ingredients Broken Down by an MD
| Will it break a fast? | info | |
| Taurine | No | – Amino acid – Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects – Boosts energy performance – Improves heart health – It may regulate adipose-tissue-derived factors – useful in a weight-loss diet the amino acids do technically break a fast, but the insulin response is minimum (spike similar to that of water), so it will not reduce any of the potential health benefits of fasting* |
| L- citrulline malate | No | – can help muscle fatigue and accelerate the recovery – it improves strength and endurance – always check that the supplement does not contain added sugar |
| Caffeine | No | – black coffee does not break the fast – it stimulates gastrin and promotes gut activity – it may boost autophagy and ketosis |
| Glucuronolactone | Yes | – natural metabolite in the liver – derived from glucose – antioxidant – it is rapidly processed – as it is a form of sugar, it causes a metabolic response |
| N-acetyl-L-carnitine HCl | No | – amino acid – helps the body to make energy from fat – benefits the nervous system |
| L-tyrosine | No | – amino acid – helps mood stability – it’s better to take it on an empty stomach |
| Choline Bitartrate | No | – molecule similar to vitamin b – also called vitamin J – acts as a precursor for acetylcholine synthesis, a neurotransmitter – enhances athletic performance – reduces cholesterol levels and helps in weight loss – it may boost memory performance |
| N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine | No | – amino acid – also called NALT – a highly bio-available form of tyrosine, more water-soluble but with a lower conversion rate to tyrosine in the body – a nootropic precursor necessary to replenish neurotransmitters e.g., epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine – it has anti-stress effects – it limits cognitive impairment incurred by fast-state hunger – it can increase thyroid hormones |
| Adenosine-5 Triphosphate Disodium Salt (ATP) | No | – commonly used by athletes as ergogenic aids – reduces muscle fatigue – supplements are not orally bio-available – increases uric acid concentrations |
| Fruit Powder | Yes | – it is dried fruit finely ground – used as a natural flavoring – it contains fruit sugar, then calories – it causes a glycemic and insulin response |
| Maltodextrin | Yes | – raises blood sugar levels higher than table sugar – 4 calories/gram, like sugar – it comes from GMO corn – it can cause side effects like allergic reactions and bacteria associated intestinal disorders |
| Malic Acid | No | – alpha-hydroxy acid found in certain fruits – plays a role in the energy production in the body – usually bound with L-citrulline in citrulline malate (L-arginine) components – boosts sports performance – used as a food additive, as medicine for dry mouth, as a skin-care ingredient in cosmetics – it might lower blood pressure – if taken in a supplement with added sugars, it may break a fast |
| Citric Acid | No | – alpha-hydroxy acid found in citrus fruits – in its natural form it is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory – it can be made from GMO, and it can derive from a fungus – can cause mold allergies – used as a preservative – if taken in a supplement with added sugars, it may break a fast |
| Natural Flavors | Yes | – flavor enhancers – created from substances extracted from plant or animal sources – a natural flavor mixture may contain chemicals – can contain spices, fruit, herbs, dairy, etc. contains calories |
| Artificial flavors | Yes | – flavor enhancers – created from substances extracted from synthetic chemicals – mimics the taste of natural ingredients even if they are zero-calorie may interfere with the fast as they cause an insulin spike |
| Silicon Dioxide | Yes | – also known as silica or E551 – food additive – it has been shown to help flush out aluminum – some silica supplements contain thiaminase, which can make you lose vitamin B1 faster, and added sugar that can make you break a fast |
| Acesulfame Potassium | Yes | – typically coupled with artificial sweeteners – flavor enhancers, very sweet – stable when heated – it has been shown to disrupt the gut biome it has been linked to cancer and thyroid damage |
| Sucralose | No | – sweetener – even it does not cause insulin spikes, it can impact the metabolism stimulates hormone secretion in the gut |
| FD&C Red #40 | No | – artificial colorant for food – may be dangerous for the body can cause allergic reactions and other side effects |
| FD&C Blue #1 | No | – artificial colorant for food – may be dangerous for the body toxicity has been reported |
Why Any Amount of Calories Can Omit Your Fast
Technically speaking, any amount of calories will break a fast. Some G Fuel beverages contain 15 calories per serving. If participating in an alternative form of fasting, this would be 85 calories below the dirty fasting threshold.
Calorie restriction shouldn’t be the goal when fasting. If you’re fasting for health reasons, you can still achieve a state of ketogenesis and receive significant benefits from fasting even with consuming calories.
Do Amino Acids Break a Fast?
Amino acids or branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) do technically break a fast.
Amino acids have a caloric value, so they trigger metabolic reactions in the body which will break a fast.
Most BCAA supplements actually contain 4 calories per gram, and some other supplements have zero or very low calories. In the packaging, manufacturers label the supplements as calorie-free or very low-calorie, even if sometimes they do contain calories. The reason is that, according to FDA guidelines “Protein shall not be declared on labels of products that, other than ingredients added solely for technological reasons, contain only individual amino acids.”
A fast is broken when we consume anything that has caloric value and causes an insulin response. BCAAs do trigger a small insulin response, but it is not enough to switch your body out of the predominantly fat-burning state. In fact, scientific studies have shown a modest increase in insulin, similar to that of the water.
So, amino acids break a fast but not in a way that will reduce any of the potential health benefits of fasting.
Highly Recommended Read:
Lately, BCAAs seem to be on every label as a selling point, but are they essential for the body? You’re in luck because we wrote an excellent resource demystifying BCAAs. When you’re done reading this article, check out our article on What Are BCAAs, & Are They Worth the Hype? (8-minute read).
Depending on the fasting method a person practices, it is possible to make different considerations. If you are fasting to restrict calories, burn fat, or for any other wellness reasons, taking BCAAs is reasonable and will benefit you. That’s different if you are fasting for religious or personal reasons and do not want to break the fast out of principle.
Can Artificial Sugars Break a Fast?
There is a lot of scuttlebutt around artificial sweeteners. But whether you love them or hate them most will not break a fast. Most artificial sweeteners don’t have a metabolic effect meaning they will not trigger an insulin reaction.
Energy drinks with artificial sweeteners tend to be coupled with Acesulfame potassium. Acesulfame potassium is a flavor enhancer, but it can also mimic the effects of carbohydrates in the body.
Any insulin spikes in the body will turn off the results of a fast. Acesulfame potassium will inhibit the body’s ability to reach ketogenesis. If you’re fasting to lose weight, ketogenesis is the state most people want to get to.
What Happens During Ketogenesis?
When in the state of ketogenesis, your body finds fat to burn if it doesn’t have enough carbohydrates. As it uses alternative energy, it creates ketones which are used for fuel.
Ketosis is a process that occurs when your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy. Instead, it burns fat and makes things called ketones, which it can use for fuel.
A simpler way to put it!
Fasting for an extended time causes your body to signal that you’re in a deficit. This will trigger your body to tap into its stored fat supply for energy.
Final Thoughts
Although there are so many benefits to fasting, one should always seek out a medical professional or health expert when planning to fast. Moreover, if you suffer from an underline health condition, speak to your doctor before you start to fast.
Dr. Irene Mazzuca (Medical Advisor)
Contributor at dejittr.com. Irene holds a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery from the Sapienza University of Rome.
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Photo altered by dejittr.com | Photo attribution: S O C I A L . C U T
