9 Drinks to Keep You Hydrated While Fasting

Intermittent Fasting 101

There are many different types of fasts that stretch anywhere from a couple of hours to multiple days. The most popular of all is the intermittent fast. Rather than telling you everything you can't eat, fasts create constraints around when you eat. It breaks your day into normal eating windows and then fasting windows of no more than 200 calories. This approach promotes fat burning and weight loss, among many other health benefits. Within intermittent fasting, there are many different fasting schedules to choose from including:

• The 16/8 method: An 8-hour eating period followed by a 16-hour fasting period, done throughout the week.
• Eat-Stop-Eat: A 24-hour fast done once or twice a week.
• The 5:2 diet: Though not a "true" fast, the 5:2 method entails consuming 500–600 calories on two nonconsecutive days of the week and eating normally the other 5 days.
• Alternate-Day Fasting: Similar to the 5:2 method, alternate-day fasting entails eating only 500-600 calories every other day.

This wellness trend is nothing new. In fact, it's hard-wired in our biology from hunter-gatherer times when food was abundant only a couple of days of the week, creating fasting periods. No matter which eating pattern you follow, the benefits of intermittent fasting can still be felt! The primary benefits of fasting are:

• Weight loss
• Reducing inflammation
• Improving brain health by supporting the growth of new nerve cells
• Improving insulin sensitivity by lowering blood sugar levels and fasting insulin levels
• Encouraging cell turnover or autophagy
• Encouraging your body to enter ketosis and begin fat burning

Just like people experience the "keto flu" when they first transition to the keto diet, you might feel tired, irritable, or woozy when you first dive in. Don't worry, with proper hydration, you can curb these side effects and welcome all the benefits.

Nutrients Needed While Fasting

After being accustomed to 3 meals and some snacks every day, your body might react a little differently on an empty stomach! As part of your fool-proof intermittent fasting plan, it's vital that you keep your nutrient levels high via lean and clean dietary supplements to gently begin and break your fast. If you're a regular vitamin-taker, you'll want to be sure that you only take the water-soluble vitamins on fasting days, since you'll be taking them on an empty stomach. Some great water-soluble and fasting-friendly supplements include:

• Potassium: An electrolyte to boost your energy
• Sodium: An electrolyte to avoid headaches and muscle spasms
• Magnesium: To regulate muscle and nerve function and help you sleep better

Best Drinks to Stay Hydrated While Fasting

Is lemon in your water going to break your fast? The strictest fasters try to keep their fasting windows 100% calorie-free but really, anything below ~200 calories isn't going to take your body out of its fasted state. Hydration is critical to feeling full and energized throughout the day. However, for times when your body is craving a bit more or you just need quick hydration, try adding these drinks to your lineup!

• Unsweetened tea: Tea is a great way to wake you up in the morning while making your fasting windows feel a bit more "normal". On top of the amazing health benefits of herbal teas, drinking a cup of green tea can put some pep in your step without breaking the calorie bank or causing jitters on an empty stomach.
• Lemon Water: Compared to other fruit juices, lemon juice has virtually no carbs. Adding a little zing to your water makes it taste less drab and helps you to reach for it more often throughout the day.

Coconut Water: Did you know that coconut water might be even more hydrating than simple water? Studies have found that coconut water replenishes your body's electrolytes better than water and on-par with sugary sports drinks. This subtly sweet drink is also low in carbohydrates and calories! Just be sure that you're getting 100% pure coconut water without any added sugars.

• Flavored Sparkling Water: If the thing you miss most on your fasting day is a can of soda, try flavored sparkling water instead. A note of caution though, don't buy diet drinks of any sort, flavored sparkling water or diet soda included. They are loaded with artificial sweeteners! While they might help to satiate your sweet tooth, many zero-calorie sweeteners can impact your insulin response by activating your GI tract without elevating blood glucose levels, providing no energy to your body.
• Water with Apple Cider Vinegar: Drinking 1–2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar diluted in water gives your drink some complexity, can help you stay hydrated, and may even help to quell cravings while you fast. Ultra-strict fasters beware, there are about 3 calories in every tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
• Copper-Infused Water: Copper-infused water is simply water that has been stored in, and thus infused with copper. It's a common element of Ayurvedic medicine, and because it is involved in energy production it may help you to stay more alert. In any case, copper has been proven to have antibacterial properties. So if you need some water nearby, it doesn't hurt to store it in a large copper container for easy pouring!
• Black Coffee: Switch up your coffee order and stay hydrated with some black coffee! A common misconception about coffee is that it dehydrates more than it hydrates you, due to being a diuretic. In fact, coffee has net hydrating effects when consumed in healthy amounts, about four to five cups a day. However, caffeine can make you feel jittery and shaky when consumed on an empty stomach, so keep it low and slow!
• Bone Broth: Craving something more savory? Try bone broth! Bone broth is a low carb, low-calorie, and low, savory snack/drink that can help you feel full and satisfied. Plus, it is one of the only dietary sources of collagen! Win-win!
• Collagen Water: Collagen water is simple, filling, virtually tasteless, and exactly what it sounds like - collagen and water. Some fasters claim that any amount of protein will break your fast, but unflavored collagen supplements typically only have ~35 calories per scoop, well beneath the 200 calorie limit. Adding an unsweetened, flavorless collagen supplement to any of the above drinks can help to quell hunger pangs and get you to your next meal feeling full and energized. Pre-mixed collagen waters are available, but homemade recipes will save more money! Combine it with a high solubility collagen powder that's sourced from grass-fed cows or wild-caught fish.

Want even more advice on how to get started and make the most of your fasts? Visit the Amandean blog where we have everything you need from the science of autophagy to optimizing your fast for clearer skin, and everything in between.

Article References:

1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-breaks-a-fast
2. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/copper-water-benefits#claimed-benefits
3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide#safety-side-effects
4. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-coconut-water-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_8
5. https://www.zerofasting.com/which-sweeteners-break-your-fast/
6. https://www.zerofasting.com/should-you-supplement-while-fasting/