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Finding something to drink while fasting can be a bit of a struggle. I know I’ve been there. When I was first starting out it was just water after water after water. It got a little bit bland. So I started to do a little digging to find out exactly what I could drink while I was in my fasting window. Turns out there are a lot of great options and the one that we’re going to take a look at today is peppermint tea.
Does Peppermint Tea Break A Fast? Peppermint tea does not break a fast. Peppermint tea is naturally sugar-free and naturally calorie-free and therefore makes a wonderful option for anyone who is fasting or practices intermittent fasting each day.
If you are just looking for a great peppermint tea to drink during your fasting window, check out Buddha Teas Organic European Peppermint Tea, available on Amazon. Read on as we dive a little deeper into what makes peppermint tea such a great option for intermittent fasters.
Peppermint Tea Has No Calories
Peppermint tea is an herbal infusion that is naturally calorie-free. This is the core reason why it makes such a wonderful option for anyone who is on a fast or practicing intermittent fasting. The whole idea behind fasting is that you do not take any significant calories into your body for an extended period of time.
For intermittent fasting, the minimum fast is usually around 16 hours with an 8-hour feeding window. During those 16 hours, you must keep yourself hydrated. the majority of your liquids during this fasting. Are going to be water but every now and again you’re going to want something that’s got a little bit of flavor to it.
The little bit of flavor that peppermint tea adds is going to help keep those hunger pains at bay for a little bit longer. Although once you’ve been fasting for 6 months or a year you don’t really get hunger pains anymore. But it’s still nice to have something a little flavor during the fasting period. And peppermint tea certainly has enough flavor to fill that void.
Peppermint Tea Is Sugar-Free
One of the major reasons why peppermint tea has no calories is that it is naturally sugar-free. Sugar is notorious for adding a ton of calories to a very little amount of liquid. If you take a look at the back of a soda can you’ll see 30 or so grams of sugar adds 150 calories to your diet. So first and foremost when you’re looking for something to drink while fasting makes sure it doesn’t have any sugar whatsoever.
That doesn’t mean it can’t be sweet, however. Peppermint tea has a natural sweetness to it that really makes it a smooth and palatable herbal tea. The issue that people run into with the sweetness of peppermint tea is that it is not what we typically associate with sweet. In the western world sweet typically means sugary.
And so these subtle little sweet herbal teas like peppermint tea aren’t seen as really sweet unless you take the time to really drink them and appreciate the subtle sweetness that they have. Once you cut our sugary drinks you will be able to taste and appreciate the subtle sweetness of peppermint tea, which will make it that much more pleasing during your fast.
Related Questions
Whenever I get asked whether peppermint tea is a good option for fasting there are a couple of follow-up questions that seem to always get asked so I will address those right here very briefly.
Can You Add Milk To Peppermint Tea While Fasting?
Milk is a classic addition to many types of tea. It is a great way to cut through any lingering bitterness and make your cup of peppermint tea smoother and creamier. But it adds calories and cannot be used while you are fasting. Milk, cream, or anything similar will break your fast when you add it to peppermint tea.
You can add some things to your peppermint tea to make it taste better while fasting, but the list is limited. A little lemon juice should be ok or blending peppermint tea with another tea is another option. But anything with calories is a no-go.
Can You Add Sweeteners To Peppermint Tea While Fasting?
This is another definite no for fasting. Adding sugar, honey or other sweeteners to peppermint tea will break a fast. You are adding calories to your diet when you sweeten your peppermint tea. During your feeding window, you can add a little bit of sugar to your tea but even then it is adding unnecessary calories to your overall diet.
There are ways to add a little more sweetness to the peppermint tea, although peppermint tea is slightly sweet, to begin with, you can check out our peppermint tea flavor profile here.
Adding something like a hibiscus tea will go a long way to making peppermint tea more palatable if you dislike the flavor of straight peppermint tea, while still keeping your peppermint tea fasting friendly. Black and green tea are other options but you are introducing caffeine into the mix when you blend them with peppermint tea.
Does Peppermint Tea Have Carbohydrates?
The first related question I get does peppermint tea has carbohydrates. The answer is no. Peppermint Tea does not have a measurable amount of carbohydrates which makes it a great option for low-carb diets in addition to intermittent fasting.
Carbohydrates don’t directly apply to fasting because there is no need to keep your carbohydrate intake extremely low when you’re fasting as long as you’re in taking those carbohydrates during your feeding window. Although low carb does help you get to a fasted state quicker.
The reason this is such a frequent related question to peppermint tea and intermittent fasting is because many fasters also practice a low-carb diet.
Low-carb diets tend to make it easier to get into a fasted state once you move out of your feeding window and are moving into your fasting window. Low carb fasting diets show a lot of promise in some studies for dealing with some health issues(source).
So fear not if you’re on a low-carb diet and you are practicing intermittent fasting then peppermint tea is a perfectly viable alternative both in your fasting window and when you are finally ready to sit down and have a meal.
Can You Have Peppermint Tea On Keto?
Peppermint tea is great for low-carb diets so the next question that gets asked is, of course, is peppermint tea keto-friendly. Keto is probably the ultimate low-carb diet. It’s almost a no-carb diet. So you have to be particularly careful about what you eat and drink so that you can keep yourself in ketosis for as long as possible.
Because peppermint tea has no carbs it makes a very good option for anyone who practices a keto diet. A lot of people who practice intermittent fasting are also starting to take up the keto lifestyle as well. They seem to work pretty well together.
In fact, it is becoming increasingly common to see them recommended together and Studies have begun to show that there might be some benefits to practicing both intermittent fasting and keto diet at the same time(source).
Where Can You Buy Peppermint Tea?
Peppermint tea is a very popular herbal infusion. You can find it just about anywhere from your local grocery chain to boutique tea shops around the world. My favorite peppermint teas are Starwest Botanicals Organic Peppermint Leaf(*affiliate link) for a loose-leaf option. If you prefer a peppermint teabag option I would suggest Buddha Teas Organic European Peppermint Tea(*affiliate link).
Wrapping Things Up On Peppermint Tea And Fasting
That brings us to the end of our look at peppermint tea and intermittent fasting and a couple of related subjects. It’s always nice to have options when you are practicing intermittent fasting especially if you’re just starting out.
Just remember that water is going to be the main thing you drink during your fasting. But that there are quite a few other options if you want to introduce a little bit of flavor into your fasting window. Peppermint tea is definitely at the top of that list. I wish you the best of luck with your intermittent fasting and hope that your next cup of peppermint tea keeps you going until your next meal.
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.