Dirty fasting is a term for consuming a small number of calories during a fasting window.
For instance, you may be having intermittent fasting with window periods (when you can eat something).
When you incorporate other foods other than water, tea, and black coffee in this window, you practice dirty fasting.
It could be that you added a little cream in your coffee with the thought that it won’t cause a huge change in your calorie intake at the end of the day.
The bottom line with dirty fasting is that it always boils down to the daily total calorie intake.
This differs from traditional or “clean” fasting, a method in which you don’t consume any calories during fasting windows.
Is it effective?
In matters of weight loss, the one thing that counts is consistency.
Many people have complained about how their weight loss diet is strict, putting a stop to it.
Well, if you feel the need to add that little cream to your coffee, feel free to do so.
This will not affect your weight loss because it is not that you are stopping the process, but you are slowing it down.
Experts have also pointed out that it is better this way than starting a weight loss diet and then putting an abrupt end to it simply because you have had enough already.
Your Body During Dirty Fasting
Each time you take anything that is registered as food, your body responds by producing insulin, a hormone responsible for regulating glucose intake in your body.
The release of this hormone shifts your body from fasting mode to eating mode.
Autophagy, which is your body’s process, “self-eating” will stop, and glucose will be your body’s preferred source of energy.
It is due to this reason that you are advised that if you want to reap the fruits of fasting, you should keep your insulin levels low.
If You’re Interested
If you’re interested in intermittent fasting, it’s best to choose a method that has research backing its effectiveness over dirty fasting, such as time-restricted eating — where you consume all your calories within a specific timeframe.
For example, some people may choose to eat within a 6- or 8-hour window and fast for the remaining 16–18 hours.
The only way to ensure that you’re in a fasted state is to take in zero calories during your fasting window.
However, most experts agree that the negligible number of calories in drinks like black coffee and herbal teas won’t break your fast.
Working with a registered dietitian can also help you decide whether intermittent fasting is the right choice for your specific needs and health goals.
