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Will cucumber water break a fast?

If you are using a true fast, then adding cucumber to water will break a fast. However, if you're using the fasting mimicking approach, the answer depends on how much cucumber is in your water. Cucumber contains carbohydrates, which is one of the macronutrients that spikes insulin.

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New to Intermittent Fasting and wondering if your daily cup of cucumber water will break a fast? Today, I'm sharing everything you need to know about cucumber water and Intermittent Fasting so that you can start achieving your wellness goals!

Does Cucumber Water Break a Fast?

There are two ways to approach Intermittent Fasting. One is from a true fast perspective. In this circumstance, any food or drink (other than pure water) will break a fast. Typically this is used for religious or specific therapeutic purposes. The second method is fasting mimicking. During a true fast, the storing hormone, insulin, is low. This allows the body to naturally switch into fat burning (aka lipolysis). This low insulin state can be "mimicked" by not consuming any food or drink that will spike insulin. The two macronutrients that spike insulin are protein and carbohydrates. By only consuming pure fat ingredients and liquids, this can mimic the true fast and allow the body to continue using fat as fuel. If weight loss is your goal with Intermittent Fasting, either Intermittent Fasting approach can be used. So that brings us to our question: does cucumber water break a fast? If you are using a true fast, then adding cucumber to water will break a fast. However, if you're using the fasting mimicking approach, the answer depends on how much cucumber is in your water. Cucumber contains carbohydrates, which is one of the macronutrients that spikes insulin. A good rule of thumb is to aim for less than 1 gram of protein and/or carbohydrates in order to stay in your "fasted" state. Using 1/8 of a medium sized cucumber brings you at less than 1g of carbohydrates. So if you're using a few slices of cucumber, you're in the clear. However, if you juice 1/4 or more of a medium sized cucumber, this is where we start to get into a little bit of murky territory. At this point, the amount of carbohydrates and protein starts to exceed that one gram rule. This still likely won't be enough to cause insulin to be secreted. However to be safe, you can opt for 1/8 or less of a cucumber in your water during your fasted state. Pssst - wondering what type of fasting is best for your goals? Click below for my free Intermittent Fasting Schedule quiz to find out!

Will Lemon Cucumber Water Break a Fast?

When combining multiple ingredients in your water, it's important to consider the compounding effect. Roughly 1/4 of a lemon alone is safe during the fasted period, just like how 1/8 of a cucumber alone is in the clear. However, when combined, the grams of carbohydrates and protein add up as well. In order to stay under the one gram rule, you can aim for a combination of 1/16 cucumber (or a few slices) with 1/8 lemon (or 1 slice of lemon) when combining both in your water during your fasted state. Get the EXACT details, simple meals and science-backed tips on how to achieve your weight loss goals with Intermittent Fasting with the Complete Intermittent Fasting Bundle Join thousands of men and women around the world and start achieving your weight loss goals TODAY! Head over HERE to get started!

Your Nutritionist,

Autumn

Autumn Elle Nutrition

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Is eating 4 eggs a day healthy?

Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health. Some choose to eat only the egg white and not the yolk, which provides some protein without the cholesterol.

Eggs have been in the news a lot — again. It seems like every few years, questions arise about these meals in a shell. Are they good or bad for you? What about their protein and cholesterol?

Looking at the nutritional breakdown, one egg contains roughly 75 calories, 5 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, 0 carbohydrates, 67 milligrams of potassium, 70 grams of sodium and 210 milligrams of cholesterol. Eggs are also a great source of vitamins A, D and B12, as well as choline, which is a nutrient that's essential in many steps of metabolism. Except for its cholesterol content, one egg is a healthy option for breakfast lunch or dinner. Research shows that the cholesterol in eggs doesn't seem to negatively affect the human body compared to other sources of cholesterol. For example, eggs typically are eaten with other foods high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, such as bacon, cheese and butter. These foods are known to increase the risk of heart disease, and they should be eaten sparingly. Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health. Some choose to eat only the egg white and not the yolk, which provides some protein without the cholesterol.

Here's how eggs stack up nutritionally in dishes that feature eggs:

Calories Fat

(grams) Protein

(grams) Sodium

(milligrams) Cholesterol

(milligrams) 2 Scrambled Egg Whites 34 0 7 110 0 2 Fried Eggs 184 14 12 94 420 Denny's Western Omelette 700 46 38 2,180 760 McDonald's Big Breakfast 760 48 28 1,530 485 Eggs can be a good addition to a healthy, well-balanced diet. Just watch out for those high-calorie, high-fat extras like cheese, bacon and butter.

Anne Harguth is a dietitian in Waseca, Minnesota.

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