What to drink during an intermittent fast

 

[Heads up]: We might get a bit nerdy in this post. Okay, a lot nerdy. But we think you’ll enjoy it all the same.

You’ve probably heard the term “intermittent fasting” at some point in the last year. Or seen it on the internet, surrounded by the words “hipster” and “trend”. But what is it, and how does it help? Why would anyone NOT eat on purpose? And more importantly, why is a sparkling water brand talking about it? Well, we’ve got all the answers right here.

What is intermittent fasting?

The concept of fasting itself is anything but new. For generations, people have fasted on specific days of the week, or even for entire months like Ramzan. More recently, however, scientific research has found that fasting on a daily basis (also called ‘time restricted eating’) can be hugely beneficial to the human body in a number of different ways.

Intermittent fasting is essentially done by eating all your daily calories within a specific window in a 24 hour period, while fasting for the rest of it. One of the most popular patterns is 16:8. What this means is that you fast for a 16 hour period, and then eat only within the 8 hour period that follows. So for instance, you could fast from 10pm on a Monday until 2pm on Tuesday, eat only between 2pm and 10pm on the Tuesday, and then resume your fast at 10pm. 

There are some schools of thought that believe the benefits of the fast only really kick in after 16 hours, and that you should fast for up to 20 hours at a time! But they also say you should work your way up from 16, so we’ll stick with that for now, thanks.

The science behind it

So how does it all work? Let’s break it down, and get a bit technical. The first thing you eat in the day triggers the release of metabolic enzymes in your body. Your metabolism then occurs in a 12-hour cycle, and you digest anything you eat in that time period. Eating beyond this period can cause problems, as your enzymes shut down after the 12 hours. This leads to the body resisting the effects of insulin, which could then lead to weight gain and even affect your muscle mass. So if you have that first cup of coffee at 8 in the morning, you ideally shouldn’t eat or drink anything (except water) beyond 8pm.

Given our lifestyles today, we’ve almost all been guilty of snacking at odd hours, and eating well beyond this 12-hour enzyme cycle. That ends up playing havoc with your metabolism, and could lead to serious health problems. Intermittent fasting is a way to deliberately control your food intake, to ensure better regulation of your metabolism, and overall health.

Alright, phew, we got through it!

How does it help?

Research has shown that intermittent fasting can lead to plenty of benefits, though of course, there’s still plenty we may still not know. Fasting for 16 hour cycles or longer has shown to improve metabolism, help with muscle growth, keep weight in check, and even reduce the risk of Type II diabetes! It’s also been shown to improve endurance, and even help with cell rejuvenation, and as research continues, there might even be more good stuff that comes to light.

We know that a lot of health trends seem to be promoted purely for the benefit of internet points, but the science on intermittent fasting appears to be overwhelmingly favourable. That being said, it’s important to do it right, so make sure you read up on it thoroughly if you plan to give it a try.

And where does Boca fit in to all this?

Ah yes, a very good question. Well, it actually fits in quite nicely. You see, no matter how long you’re fasting for, the one thing must do is stay well hydrated! 

Fasting could lead to dehydration, so experts say you need to make sure you drink plenty of liquids. What types of liquids you drink are important though.

According to the book The Obesity Code, here's what you can drink:

• All kinds of teas including black, green, oolong and herbal. Adding a small amount of milk or cream is always acceptable.
• Coffee, caffeinated or decaffeinated is also permitted. Again only a small amount of milk or cream since it does contain calories.
• The book recommends bone broth or vegetable broth with a pinch of salt to stay hydrated, because for longer fasts besides dehydration, you might become salt depleted. 
• And last, and most definitely not the least, is water, and of course our favorite 🙃sparkling water!

Since it has no sugar or anything other than just natural mineral water and fizz, Boca is an ideal fasting drink, as it won’t disrupt your cycle in any way at all. What’s more, it’ll help you stay hydrated without any of the calories, gives you the joy of fizz, and has natural minerals so that you won't get salt-depleted. It's a win-win-win! Just remember to have it chilled ❄️, and if you feel like it, add a twist of lime 🍋.

So to recap all of that: intermittent fasting has several benefits, there’s a scientific basis to it (and it’s not just a fad), make sure you do it right, and Boca fits quite neatly into the whole setup! We never thought not eating would be appealing in any way at all, but after doing our research for this post, we may have to rethink some stuff.

Until next time, may the fizz be with you!