Does Herbal Tea Break A Fast? [Intermittent Fasting FAQ]

Does herbal tea break a fast? Can you drink herbal tea while fasting? Get all of your answers here!

If you are a tea drinker, you may be wondering if will herbal tea break a fast and can I drink herbal tea while intermittent fasting? In this article, we will get all of those questions answered for you. Keep reading to learn more!

Does Herbal Tea Break A Fast?

No, plain herbal tea will not break your fast. Typically, you can safely consume plain herbal tea while fasting.

Does Herbal Tea Break A Fast – Further Details

Herbal tea is an infusion or blend of various leaves, fruits, bark, roots, or flowers. For the most part, herbal tea is considered to be fasting-friendly. I say “for the most part” because every person is unique. You will need to drink herbal tea during your fast to see how your body responds.

Herbal tea tends to fall into the “grey area” of clean fasting. For some people, it’s fine to drink and for others, it’s not.

Some people may notice that their insulin levels do spike while consuming herbal tea. Others may feel fine drinking herbal tea while fasting. Do an experiment and see what works best for you.

Generally, herbal tea is more bitter, so it should not trigger an insulin response. As a reminder, you should not add any sweeteners or milk to your tea while you are fasting. If you enjoy adding these items to your tea, drink your tea during your eating window.

Sometimes herbal teas are packed with fruit. Fruitier herbal teas may contain more sugar and could spike your insulin levels, therefore breaking your fast.

Intermittent fasting expert Gin Stephens says, “the fasting time isn’t supposed to be a flavor adventure.”

If you have an herbal tea that is sweet, fruity, and contains a lot of flavor, it may not be a good choice for your fasting window.

What teas are recommended while fasting? Check out our guide to the best teas for intermittent fasting.

How Do I Know If I Spiked My Insulin Levels?

How do you know if herbal tea works for you? How do you know if you spiked your insulin levels? Start by clean fasting for a full month. Clean fasting means only consuming water, black coffee, plain green/black tea during your fasting window.

After a month, you will understand how your body feels while fasting. Then you can experiment with herbal tea and other items that may fall into the grey area. If you consume herbal tea and feel shaky and hungry within an hour of consuming it, you likely spiked your insulin levels.

This article is all about can I drink herbal tea while intermittent fasting.

Can I Drink My Favorite Tea While Fasting?

Let’s dive into some common questions regarding specific types of tea.

Can I Drink Peppermint Tea While Intermittent Fasting?

Can you drink peppermint tea while fasting? The answer is: it depends. Peppermint tea falls into the grey area of clean fasting. For some people, peppermint tea may be fine during fasting. For others, you may notice an insulin spike and may need to avoid peppermint tea while fasting.

Can I Drink Chamomile Tea While Fasting?

It depends. Chamomile tea also falls into the grey area of clean fasting. For some people, chamomile tea may be fine during fasting. For others, you may notice an insulin spike and may need to avoid chamomile tea while fasting.

Can You Drink Green Tea While Fasting?

Yes, you can drink green tea while fasting. Green tea will not spike your insulin levels and is considered fasting-friendly.

This article is all about can I drink herbal tea while fasting.

What Can I Consume While Fasting?

If you are following a clean fast, you can consume the following items when fasting:

• Water (unflavored, no added fruit)
• Black coffee
• Plain green tea or black tea
• Mineral water, unflavored sparkling water, seltzer water (with no added ingredients)
• Salt, electrolytes or minerals (unflavored, no additives)
• Medications as prescribed by your doctor

Additional Fasting Resources

Here are some other frequently asked fasting questions that may help you out!

• Can You Chew Gum While Fasting?
• What Are The Best Electrolytes For Fasting?
• Why Am I Not Losing Weight On OMAD?
• Does Lemon Water Break A Fast?
• Does Diet Soda Break A Fast?
• Does Cinnamon Break A Fast?
• Does Splenda Break A Fast?

This article is all about herbal tea fasting and herbal tea intermittent fasting.

Frequently Asked Questions