Short Answer: Drinking a can of Bang will break your fast because it contains branched-chain amino acid (BCAA), which has calorific value.
Many resort to fasting as a technique to lose weight.
Fasting is an appealing approach because it follows a simple logic where you only allow yourself to eat during a specific time so that the body can use its stored energy.
Aside from weight loss, fasting offers a lot of potential benefits such as improved blood sugar control, heart health, and cancer prevention.
But, to make fasting effective, you should follow a strict regimen about the foods and beverages that you can eat.
In terms of beverages, let me share the ins and outs of fasting and energy drinks, particularly Bang.
You might be thinking, “Bang has zero calories in its nutrition fact label, so why does it still have calories?”
Well, I’ll explain it all in detail so keep reading.
First, let me give you a brief background on intermittent fasting.
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What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is not a diet per se but an eating pattern. It deals with when you eat rather than what food you eat.
Fasting has been practiced throughout history for cultural, religious, and spiritual reasons. But nowadays, many people use this approach to reduce weight and improve their health.
Fasting has been a very popular diet approach that has evolved into many different ways, mainly:
- 16/8 Method– 16 hours of fasting for men, 14-15 hours for women, and 8-10 hour eating window
- 5:2 Diet– 500 to 600 calories for 2 days a week and normal eating routine for 5 days.
- Eat Stop Eat– one or two 24-hour fasts per week.
- Alternate-Day Fasting– fasting every other day by either eating anything or only eating a few hundred calories.
- Warrior Diet– eating only small amounts of fruits and vegetables during the day, and eating one huge meal at night.
- Spontaneous Meal Skipping– skipping one or two meals when you don’t feel hungry
If you’re unsure if intermittent fasting is the right approach for you, check out its long list of benefits below.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting promotes different health benefits aside from losing unwanted calories.
Here are the research-based benefits of intermittent fasting:
- decrease blood sugar level
- reduce insulin resistance
- fights inflammation
- lower risk of coronary heart disease
- prevents neurodegenerative disorders
- helps in weight loss
- boosts metabolism
- increases secretion of growth hormone
- may delay aging
- may aid in cancer prevention
In the next part, we’ll answer some common questions you may have regarding fasting.
Is it Okay to Consume Sugar on an Intermittent Fast?
Consuming sugar means breaking fast because sugar has calorific value.
Sugar contains four calories per gram which is why even a little bit of sugar directly affects your fasting routine.
During your eating window, it’s best to be mindful of your sugar intake by consuming it in small amounts.
According to the American Heart Association, it is safe to consume no more than 24 grams of sugar or 100 calories per day for women and 36 grams of sugar or 150 calories per day for men.
For reference, Bang contains zero grams of sugar. It maintains its sweet flavorful taste by using zero-calorie sugar substitutes like sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
What truly breaks a fast?
Breaking a fast typically involves consuming any food or beverage that contains calories. This includes meals, snacks, and sugary drinks.
While there are differing opinions on small amounts of substances like black coffee or plain water, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance based on your fasting goals and intentions.
Is It Okay to Consume Caffeine on an Intermittent Fast?
You can consume caffeinated beverages during your fasting windows.
Caffeine is a stimulant commonly found in coffee, tea, and energy drinks. It enhances alertness and mental focus, which is why it’s commonly used in high-performance beverages.
It is acceptable to consume caffeine while on an intermittent fast, given that there is no calorie content or sugar additive on the food or beverage.
Some studies say coffee or caffeinated beverages suppress your appetite which can be helpful if you’re on a weight loss regimen.
Does Bang Break a Fast?
Sadly, drinking Bang breaks fasting because the branched-chain amino acids or BCAA in Bang has an equivalent calorie value.
Amino acids are great for the body. Each type of amino acid performs an essential role in the body.
But when consumed, the amino acids combine to become protein, which contains calories that the body has to metabolize.
This means that with the calorie that comes with BCAA, your body is technically eating, effectively breaking the fast.
Now, you may think, “Why does the packaging of Bang say it’s zero-calorie?”
The answer lies behind the FDA guideline.
The guideline states that products that don’t contain macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and fats as a whole should not be labeled as having calories.
Amino acids are a sub-unit of a huge macronutrient group protein. The Bang packaging claims it has zero calories because its ingredients don’t meet the standards for drinks with calories.
It might seem a little confusing, but it’s just a matter of technicality in the guideline.
Now let’s move on and discuss what type of drinks are best when you are fasting.
Will Bang Energy Drinks Kick Me Out of Ketosis?
Bang Energy Drinks will not kick you out of ketosis because it has zero sugars and zero carbohydrates.
Ketosis is the state where the body does not have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy, so it burns the stored fat in the body, leading to weight loss.
But if you’re on a keto or low-carb diet, I highly suggest you drink the Bang Keto Coffee which is made for people under a keto diet regimen.
Will Zero Calorie Drinks Break a Fast?
It depends.
Zero-calorie drinks are technically safe to consume while fasting, but sometimes there are other ingredients in an energy drink that contains calories.
For instance, Bang Energy Drinks are considered zero-calorie, but since they are infused with BCAAs, they still have trace amounts of calories.
Like mentioned before, amino acid is converted into protein when metabolized; and a gram of protein contains 4 calories.
So the higher the amount of amino acids, the greater the calories it contains.
Also, remember that the FDA does not require manufacturers to declare the calorie content from micronutrients in their products. Therefore, it’s likely that while an energy drink says it has zero calorie content, it may have minimal traces of calories inside that may break your fast.
To make sure your preferred energy drink is calorie-free, do your research. Don’t let your fasting efforts go to waste.
Best Drinks for Intermittent Fasting
During fasting, it is best to limit yourself to water, coffee, tea, and bone broth to keep yourself hydrated while remaining in a fasted state.
Water
Water contains no calories so, it is acceptable to drink water while fasting.
You can drink plain or carbonated water as they do not have a calorific value.
Drinking water is one of the easiest ways to feel full without adding calories to your daily calorie quota. It’s healthy and it helps keep you refreshed. Not only that, but water also keeps you hydrated throughout the day.
If you start feeling hunger pangs, drinking a glass of cold water should keep them at bay.
Coffee and Tea
Aside from water, coffee and tea could also be considered while fasting.
There are studies that say you will still remain in a fasted state if you consume no more than 50 grams of calories per day.
So, as long as you take your coffee black and do not add milk or too much sugar, you’ll still be able to maintain a fasted state.
Additionally, experts found out that coffee can help improve your metabolism, which is beneficial for people trying to lose weight.
Other benefits of coffee include:
- reduced inflammation
- decreased risk of Type 2 Diabetes
- better brain health
Bone Broth
Another option is drinking bone broth which contains a lot of nutrients and a small amount of calories.
Drinking bone broth while fasting will replenish the electrolytes in your body. This will help you feel full enough to last you through your fasting hours without a hitch.
But if you’re really keen on consuming energy drinks, I’ve listed down for you some zero calorie, zero sugar energy drinks you can choose from.
Energy Drinks for Fasting
Here are my energy drink suggestions with very minimal calorie content:
| Celsius Energy Drink | Sugar: 0 grams, Caffeine: 200 mg- 300 mg, Calories: 10 |
| XS Energy Drink | Sugar: 0 grams, Caffeine: 80 mg, Calories: 10 |
| REIZE Energy Drink | Sugar: 0 grams, Caffeine: 50 mg, Calories: 11 |
For a more elaborate list, you can also check out this video of beverages you can safely consume during fasting.
How many bangs can you drink in a day?
It’s generally recommended to consume energy drinks in moderation and not exceed one or one can per day. Excessive intake of energy drinks can lead to potential health risks, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and difficulty sleeping.
It’s important to listen to your body, be aware of your caffeine sensitivity, and consider the overall balance of your beverage choices for optimal well-being.
The Bottom Line
Bang contains a small number of calories because of the branched-chain amino acids.
If you choose to believe in the studies that say 50 calories per day will not throw you out of fasting then there’s no problem with drinking a can of Bang.
But, if you want to maintain strict intermittent fasting, it’s best not to consume Bang Energy Drink.
You may consume it during your eating window time or before your workout.
This is because Bang is designed to increase your physical performance during high-intensity exercises, so you’ll be able to burn a lot of calories.
And in terms of other energy drinks, check the nutrition facts label and the ingredients list to ensure little to no-calorie value.
Watch out for supplements like creatine, BCAA’s, high fructose corn syrup, and other artificial sweeteners that contain a minimal amount of calories when consumed.
I hope this article helped you maintain your strict diet regimen. Eat and drink responsibly so you can finish your intermittent fasting journey with ease.
Don’t buy Bang without first checking out my Bang buying guide to ensure you don’t pay too much and get the best deal possible.