In this blog we look at how drinking matcha tea can be used as an aide to intermittent fasting.
Firstly, a word or two about intermittent fasting.
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting has a beautiful simplicity. It controls not what you eat but when you eat.
The idea is it stimulates the body’s metabolism to get it burning up fat reserves, rather than eating food constantly throughout the day.
It encourages the body to get used to burning fat for energy, to deliver a sustained energy surge throughout the day.
Intermittent fasting is not concerned with calories or limiting food intake, just the hours in which it is eaten. Naturally, it may be combined with other diet plans.
How Does Intermittent Fasting Work?
Intermittent fasting diet works by only allowing certain times of day – or the week – when you eat. The rest of the time your body is fasting.
During fast hours, only water and low calorie/ zero calorie drinks are taken, to maintain hydration and concentration.
This sounds drastic, but many of the fast hours are when you are actually asleep!
Who Can Intermittent Fasting Benefit?
Intermittent fasting works for lots of different people, for whom traditional dieting is not effective or convenient.
The fact is, for a lot of people, diet plans are fussy. They require shopping, cooking and planning.
Intermittent fasting diet does not ask any of this, you can eat a modified or healthy version of your normal fare, just within shorter hours.
People who may prefer intermittent fasting include anyone who finds the demands of a regular diet too tough, or anyone with a busy lifestyle.
The good thing about intermittent fasting is that it can be done to suit around your day.
Take for example the 5:2, which is one of the most popular intermittent fasting diets. This only needs to be practiced on two days out of the week. This means that you are only suffering a calorie restriction on the two days of your choosing – when it is most convenient. The rest of the time you may eat as usual.
This flexibility is what makes intermittent fasting so appealing to so many people. Especially to shift workers, or anyone who needs to ensure high energy levels during the working day, it is appealing, as it may be fit into weekends or leisure time.
Can Matcha Tea Be Taken During Intermittent Fasting?
Matcha tea contains 3 calories per gram. Whilst this is not zero, the low amount of calories, plus the small amount of matcha needed per cup, means that the calorific content of an unsweetened matcha drink is negligible.
Although some people prefer to only consume water during fast hours, many people choose to have low calorie drinks as a way of sustaining their energy levels.
Matcha is a great choice to make during intermittent fasting, because of its moderate caffeine levels and high concentration of l theanine, which helps deliver a sustained energy kick. This effectively powers you on through the hungry hours, keeping your body and mind sharp!
Anyone with a sensitive stomach may prefer to consume matcha tea whilst in their food window, though. For everyone else, it is fine to drink during a fast.
Benefits Of Matcha Tea To Intermittent Fasting
Matcha tea is a super food and can help deliver nutrients to the body, even whilst in a fast period.
But as well as all the proven health benefits it can bring (fighting illness, boosting immunity etc) it also has more direct advantages for dieters.
The chief advantage is that it can help suppress hunger. This makes it popular with dieters of all stripes, not just followers of intermittent fasting.
Additionally, it can help speed up the metabolic rate and burn calories faster, something every dieter desires.
All in all, matcha tea is ideal for intermittent fasting!