If you do intermittent fastingespecially at the beginning, when you are not yet used to it, or in times when we have more physical activity or pressures in our daily lives, it can be difficult to maintain fasting hours. If you really can’t get by without snacking, we can consider what could we take then without breaking ketosisthe metabolic state in which fasting places us.

Not everyone uses the same formula in intermittent fasting, since it is about leave a time window for food consumption and the rest of the time do not eat anything. You can fast for more or less hours, and it can be broken at different times of the day, which usually range from breakfast in the morning to the main meal at midday.

Whatever time period you have chosen to fast, you must know that, by definition, any intake breaks the fast, including water. However, in intermittent fasting, as occurs in long fasts, There are certain intakes alloweddesigned in most cases to keep us hydrated.

If you want to delve deeper into how to do a healthy fast, you can consult the online course Detox Plan in 7 days at the Bodymente School.

Foods that do not break the fast

These are the foods that do not break the fast because they do not usually break ketosis.

• For example, we can have some drinks apart from water: we can drink black coffeewithout any type of milk or sweeteners, or tea or infusions. We should avoid, as always, soft drinks with sweeteners, even if they do not contain calories and do not break ketosis, since they accustom us to sweet flavors and usually contain unnecessary additives.

• Another common food option that does not break the fast, especially during long fasts, is mild unsalted vegetable broth. Although vegetable soup, depending on how we make it, can provide us with about 8 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, broth only provides us with 0.5 grams. Obviously, it will also give us much less energy and nutrients, but it is a good option that can also help us maintain ketosis.

However, there are foods that, although they can quickly take us out of fasting, are foods that do not break ketosis, that is, they allow us to maintain the metabolic state sought during fasting.

• He avocadofor example, only provides 2 grams of digestible carbohydrates per 100 grams; However, it is a very nutritionally dense food, high in healthy fats and fiber.
• Other low-carbohydrate foods can be combined with fats or proteins for snacks, such as vegetable cheese or tofu, with celery, cucumber and zucchini.

In any case, the ideal is to fast that can be maintained naturally, without noticing a loss of energy.

Combine fasting with ketogenic diet

The people on a ketogenic dietwhich as we already know can be 100% vegetable, They also seek to enter ketosis. Although in many places we find that we are told that this occurs when we limit carbohydrates to 20 grams each day, this is not entirely true.

The amount of carbohydrates to enter ketosis should cover 5 to 10% of each person’s caloric needs and must be adjusted in dietary consultation. If you exercise a lot, that amount will be higher. Thus, there will be people who will enter ketosis by taking up to 50 grams of carbohydrates, either from having a physically demanding job or from doing high-intensity sports daily.

Entering ketosis is, in any case, the reason why carbohydrate-rich foods are eliminated or restricted. Alcoholic beverages, sugary foods, those based on refined flours and ultra-processed foods are left out. Cereals are restricted, including whole grains and derivatives, such as pasta, legumes, many fruits and some vegetables.

Combine the ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting It’s not usually easy. We encounter two types of restrictions: on the one hand, entering ketosis and maintaining it by restricting carbohydrates, and on the other hand, time restriction.

Let’s see what to eat in this case during the hours in which intakes are allowed if we follow a plant-based diet, or even what healthy foods allow us to eat without losing ketosis in case we break the fast.

First of all, it must be taken into account that the protein sources That we choose will allow us to add fruit or vegetables to our menu of the day. This is essential for the contribution of dietary fiber, necessary for the correct functioning of the digestive tract:

• He tofuwith less than 2 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, is the reference protein in keto diets vegan.
• He seitan It is usually about 15 grams, so it is still an option, but it will be more difficult for us to balance the pattern dietetics.
• The hemp seedshigh in proteins and healthy fatty acids, provide 9 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, so they are undoubtedly a very interesting option ahead of seitan. Additionally, both fresh, unadded tofu and hemp seeds are gluten-free options.
• Whipped soft tofu and yognatural vegetable ures type skyr (which would actually be more of a type of cheese), are good options between meals and can be seasoned with a multitude of spices, from chili powder to oil and oregano, to cinnamon. Plant-based yogurts work very well with hemp seeds and other low-carb seeds, making them healthy, nutritious and satisfying keto snacks.

It is common to think that they cannot be consumed fruits on the ketogenic dietbut it’s not true. Those that have a very high energy density, such as bananas, are usually eliminated from the guideline, but that does not mean that all fruits have the same contribution in digestible carbohydrates. Yes indeed, If we eat fruit as a snack or as a way to break the fastwe will have to take it into account for the rest of the day.

Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries They provide between 5 and 6 grams per 100, and their contribution in vitamins and fiber is excellent. The blueberriesat 12 g, are also a good option. They would be good options to eat between meals.

In summer, we have different types of melons and watermelonswhich usually provide about 7 grams per 100, with a high content of water and electrolytes that help us stay hydrated. The peaches They give us 8, the oranges 10 and clementines and cherries about 12, the same as apples and pears. The quantity must be taken into account: a medium fuji apple, for example, usually provides us with about 15 grams of carbohydrates, which is why other fruits are usually chosen.

It is easier to get fiber with fewer carbohydrates if, instead of fruit, we consume abundant vegetablesespecially those that grow on the surface, not those that grow underground. Thinking about it this way is a trick that helps us select them more easily.

The spinach They are used both in the ketogenic diet because they only provide 1 gram of carbohydrates per 100 g of vegetables, and we can use them in both salads and smoothies. He zucchinihe green pepper and the cucumber They provide about 3 and can be served with crushed avocado, fresh vegetable cheese or whipped tofu.

Vegetables like potato They already provide us with 15 grams per 100 g of food, and that is why, like pasta or whole legumes, it is not usually common in keto diet dishes. The carrot and the beet They only contribute 7.