Does David’s Tea Break a Fast?

Tea is a fantastic way to get through a long fast. It keeps you hydrated, and it curbs your appetite, even if only for a short time. Depending on the type of tea you choose, it will also give you more energy or help you relax. Simple, unsweetened tea is permitted in all intermittent fast diets. But, the trouble is, not all its teas can be labeled as ‘simple’ or even as ‘unsweetened’. David’s Tea is a well-known tea brand, that has a flavor for everyone. Does Davids Tea break a fast?

In general, no, because the quantities of sugar or milk some teas contain are very small. However, a lot depends on your own body, the type of intermittent fasting diet you’re following, and the quantity you’re drinking.

 

Does Davids Tea break a fast?

There are two aspects to take into consideration when figuring out if a food or beverage can break a fast or not. First, how many calories does a serving have? And more importantly, how many of those calories are coming from carbs? Second, can the ingredients cause an insulin response? Depending on your fasting goals, you may also wonder if the ingredients can disrupt gut rest or autophagy.

David’s Tea comes in many flavors. Most of them contain a blend of various plants and have under 2 calories per serving and no sugar or creamer. Others, on the other hand, are sweetened and may even contain milk powder. The ones that do contain sugar or milk are still fairly low in calories, but these ingredients, the sugar, in particular, are not a great idea during a fast. In most people, the smallest quantity of sugar will cause an insulin response, which automatically breaks a fast.

 

Effects on Intermittent Fasting

Benefits

Tea in general is one of the best beverages you can choose while intermittent fasting. After water, it is the most hydrating, low in calories, natural choice with a lot of benefits. For example, chamomile tea can cure headaches, Sleepytime tea can help you fall asleep faster and have a more restful sleep, and ginger tea can help immunity and may boost fat loss.

So let’s get to the benefits of David’s tea.

 

Helps you feel full for longer

Most teas have one amazing benefit that will help you while fasting: they increase satiety. The effect does vary from tea to tea, but it is not so much about the brand you choose but more about the type of tea. For instance, green tea has been shown to support healthy ghrelin levels. Ghrelin is a hormone responsible for making us feel hungry.

Sometimes, our lifestyle, stress, and other chemicals all around us, put us at risk for hormone imbalances, including a ghrelin imbalance. Did you ever feel like you’re constantly hungry like you’d like to eat non-stop? It might be psychological, after all, for many of us, food is also a coping mechanism with stress. But it could very well be a ghrelin imbalance. Drinking a tea that helps you have healthy levels of the hunger hormone, which will result in a much easier fasting window.

 

It boosts your energy

Tea, especially black tea, green tea, or matcha, is a great energizer. David’s Tea is famous for both its many flavors of black tea, but also its amazing matcha.

Why should you favor these teas over coffee? Because unlike coffee, the chances of getting jitters or anxiety after tea are very small. Coffee is also a known diuretic. Tea can sometimes have this effect, but it certainly does not compare to coffee, so it is a much better choice especially if you live in a hotter environment.

The energy tea provides is also milder. While you may think you need more than that, you should remember many people, including doctors, say that the fasting window should be a time of rest and that you should avoid over-stimulating yourself, especially with energizers. Tea is certainly a nice compromise.

 

Side effects

Believe it or not, tea can have some side effects, and David’s Tea is no different.

For instance, tea may lower the absorption of iron. That’s due to the tannins that are in tea. The good news is this side effect takes a while to happen, and you need to drink fairly large quantities. One or two cups a day shouldn’t do much harm unless there’s already a medical problem.

Because there is some caffeine in black and green tea, they may put you at risk for anxiety or even insomnia. Avoid drinking black or green tea in the evening, especially if you’re prone to insomnia, and don’t drink more than 1-2 cups during the day. Preferably, if you already drink coffee, avoid adding a cup of black tea afterward as it will only increase the likelihood of side effects. If you need more tea, you can always choose herbal varieties, which will not have the same side effect but will give you plenty of benefits.

David’s Tea also has added flavors and, depending on the variety you choose, you may also encounter other ingredients like sugar or milk. While the ‘natural flavors’ are generally safe, they are not regulated by the FDA or any other authorities, so you never really know what side effects they may bring. If you’re worried, stick to natural, additive-free versions.

 

David’s Tea vs. Earl Grey Tea: Which is better for fasting?

The answer depends on the variety of David’s Tea you want to choose. Many of their black teas contain ‘natural flavors’ and some are sweetened. In this case, for fasting safety, simple earl grey tea is definitely better.

However, you can still have other David’s Tea varieties, like herbal or even matcha tea. Make sure you choose one without any additives, and you shouldn’t have any issues while fasting.

 

The bottom line

Does David’s Tea break a fast? Most varieties don’t, as they have no sugar and are under 2 calories. However, some versions come with added sugar or even milk powder, and they will most likely break your fast. To avoid any disruptions, make sure you choose a tea without additives. Under the most conservative approach, you should also avoid the varieties that include ingredients labeled as ‘natural flavors’ because there’s little research to show us whether they impact autophagy or not.