Basic mushroom coffee is usually fine for intermittent fasting
Any add-ins, like MCT oil or creamers, will break the fast
The health benefits of mushroom coffee can align with intermittent fasting goals
Fasting with Functional Coffee
When practiced appropriately, intermittent fasting can improve overall health. Mushroom coffee is said to promote wellness while you’re fasting. But one sip of mushroom coffee–what if that breaks your fast? Is it safe? Does it mess with insulin, metabolism, or autophagy? While mushroom coffee is usually okay for fasting, added ingredients can complicate things.
Even though intermittent fasting is about when you eat, it’s important to know how drinking mushroom coffee can affect it. In this guide, we will explain the effects of mushroom coffee on fasting and how different preparations make a difference.
What Breaks a Fast?
Fasting comes in many types. Metabolic fasting for insulin control and weight loss, autophagy fasting for cell repair, gut rest fasting for digestive problems, and religious or spiritual fasting. Each has its own guidelines. We will mainly cover intermittent fasting, an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a specific schedule.
Anything that spikes insulin, glucose, or exceeds 5 to 10 calories is probably going to break a strict fast. 20 can be fine for those with more lenient fasts.
Consult your doctor before starting intermittent fasting because it isn’t for everyone, and guidance can help you choose better personal windows for fasting.
What’s in Mushroom Coffee?
Mushroom coffee is a powdered blend of ground coffee and mushroom extracts. It often contains other ingredients that promote better health, such as vitamins.
Common components of mushroom coffee include:
Coffee
Mushroom extracts (e.g. of Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, Reishi)
Natural flavors and sweeteners
Collagen, vitamins, turmeric, and other ingredients that promote wellness
Typical macros of mushroom coffee is 0 to 5 calories per serving, but this can change a lot depending on the brand. Read on and we will dive deeper into how each ingredient can impact fasting.
The Good News: Pure Mushroom Coffee Is Fasting-Friendly
Small amounts of mushrooms usually does not break a fast, nor does black coffee, so that’s good news. Pure mushroom extracts contain negligible calories, and adaptogens generally do not spike insulin. Reishi has been studied for reducing hyperglycemia in trials. In fact, edible mushrooms in general have even been recommended for being diabetes-healthy.
Because of this, many people drink a cup of mushroom coffee in the morning while fasting.
Still, mushroom coffee is often more than just coffee and mushroom. There can be additives like sugar, collagen, vitamins, and more. Anything added to basic mushroom coffee can mess with your fast, especially if you’re on a strict one. So read those nutritional facts, and if your blend doesn’t have any… that’s a red flag. Traditional mushroom coffee is safe for most fasting protocols, but it definitely depends on your health and the mushroom coffee ingredients.
Effects of Caffeine and Adaptogens During Fasting
Caffeine
A regular cup of coffee by itself can boost fat oxidation, enhance focus, and support fasting. Studies have shown that caffeine can reduce inflammation, which aligns with a goal of intermittent fasting. It can also improve heart health when consumed in moderation.
Caffeine is extremely low in calories by itself (~2 calories per serving), which makes it easier to stay fasting.
Lion’s Mane
Lion’s mane is a neutral-tasting adaptogenic mushroom. It’s been researched for its ability to improve cognitive performance, which is great because it also has few calories. Lion’s mane mushroom coffee by itself is usually fine for fasting.
Cordyceps
Cordyceps is often consumed by those hitting the gym because it can boost your energy levels smoothly. This means it can also enhance your energy during fasting, which can be helpful for sustaining you throughout the fasting period. However, some people may feel restless if they are too energetic during a fasting period but cannot eat.
Reishi is a medicinal mushroom used for thousands of years for its calming effects. During fasting, it could be helpful to drink a reishi mushroom coffee blend to help you manage stress better.
None of the above ingredients usually interferes with autophagy in meaningful amounts.
Impact on Different Fasting Goals
Everyone fasts with their own schedules and purposes. Some people are more strict than others. So many factors influence when and whether you should drink mushroom coffee during intermittent fasting. In general, we can say the following.
1. Weight loss and metabolic fasting
Mushroom coffee has been known to indirectly help with weight loss. It can boost the body’s metabolism, provide low-calorie energy, and even stabilize blood sugar. Of course, this depends on the mushroom coffee type. If you’re drinking a Latte or sweet blend from any brand, it probably is too tasty and thick for your fast.
2. Autophagy
Autophagy fasting involves fasting for a while to start the body’s autophagy process, which helps in cellular repair. It follows ketosis and lack of glucose in the system. often is visible through the sign of reduced appetite. Autophagy is a bit more complicated than metabolic fasting. Researchers and those experienced in intermittent fasting have said black coffee can even induce or support autophagy. A study showed that mice go into autophagy when taking black coffee. More studies are required for a clearer link between autophagy and black coffee in humans.
Generally, drinking black coffee does not count as breaking autophagy. Low-calorie mushroom extracts are also unlikely to disrupt autophagy. Some popyphenols in coffee products may even enhance autophagy. However, be careful about consuming coffee with extra ingredients and add-ins, since those can disrupt autophagy.
3. Gut rest
Mushroom coffee is considerably easy on the body. It tends to be better for the gut and stomach when compared to traditional coffee beverages. Everyday Dose’s article on mushroom and acid reflux shows how mushroom coffee can act as a helper for those who have acid reflux or indigestion.
However, drinking mushroom coffee during fasting may stimulate acid production or cause unease in the gut for some people, so test your tolerance before drinking it during intermittent fasting.
When Does Mushroom Coffee Break a Fast?
Certain formulas or add-ins can end your fast. Let’s take a look at some of the most common disruptions to fasting that can be found in a cup of mushroom coffee, as well as mushroom coffee add-ins.
MCT oil and similar add-ins can help with gastrointestinal disorders and boost overall health. However, it could add hundreds of calories. That is not great for fasting. Essentially, all creamer mixes and oils should probably be avoided due to their abilities to break a fast.
Collagen is a popular add-in to mushroom coffee. It is essential for skin, bone, and joint health. However, it can have enough calories to break a fast. Be careful if you drink mushroom coffee with collagen–check the calorie count to see.
Sugars or sweeteners should be avoided. Even natural sweeteners like honey can be over 60 calories. Cinnamon is relatively lower in calorie count depending on how much you use.
Protein-based mushroom blends can easily break a fast since it can interrupt autophagy and trigger an insulin response at the same time.
All of the above can trigger insulin spikes, disrupt the autophagy process of cell “cleaning”, or exceed caloric thresholds for your fasting.
Pure Blends vs. Mixed Products
Pure mushroom instant coffee is usually safe while fasting. Brewed coffee with powdered mushroom extracts and nothing else can also be useful for providing energy and clarity while intermittent fasting.
What mushroom coffee brands break or don’t break a fast?
Four Sigmatic has mushroom coffee options that have as few as 0 calories per serving, making it very convenient for strict fasting.
Atlas+ offers excellent quality mushroom coffee. The Coffee Superblend has 20 calories, which can work if you’re not on a strict fast, but the Latte Superblend does have 50 calories per serving.
MUD/WTR uses 100% organic cacao, ayurvedic herbs, and functional mushrooms. Their blends have over 20 calories per serving of 6 grams.
Mushroom latte mixes should also be avoided if you are doing a fast. These tend to have richer, creamier ingredients with more calories. Essentially, it’s best to avoid mushroom coffees with added oils, sugar, milk powder, or heavy ingredients while fasting.
Pro tip: Always check for calories first when on a fast. A mushroom coffee blend with under 5 calories per serving is considered fasting-friendly for most people.
Best Practices for Fasting-Compatible Mushroom Coffee
If you choose pure, unsweetened blends of mushroom coffee for your fasting, it will probably be safe and low calorie enough to not break the fast. Definitely avoid creamers or caloric add-ins during your fasting window. If you accidentally consume too many calories, don’t worry–it’s not the worst thing in the world. But do try to drink black mushroom coffee or with minimal spices and additives going forward when on a fast.
Consider adding powders after your fast begins if desired, if these powders are not too heavy.
When drinking mushroom coffee during your fasting window, it can improve mental clarity and give enough energy to feel good about your day without going overboard.
Timing Tips
Most people drink mushroom coffee in the morning. Know that if you really want a cup in the afternoon during your fast or in the evening after your fast, it may still impact your sleep schedule if you plan on sleeping soon.
Drinking mushroom coffee early in your fasting window can promote enhanced alertness. A lot of people choose to do some exercise while fasting to get to autophagy more effectively. Compared to regular coffee, mushroom coffee usually causes fewer jitters and energy crashes hours after drinking, so that’s good to know.
For OMAD (One Meal A Day) or 16:8 fasters, mushroom coffee may be best in the morning or early afternoon. But since you’re only having one meal, it can be hard to maintain, so what you drink or eat can make a big difference.
## When Mushroom Coffee May Not Be Ideal During Fasting
Mushroom coffee isn’t for everyone when they’re fasting. For example, anyone with adrenal issues or other pre-existing health conditions should be careful about fasting and consuming caffeinated beverages at the same time.
Individuals with sensitive digestive systems should also be cautious. While mushroom coffee often has great effects on people with IBS or other digestive concerns when compared to regular coffee, you never know how exactly your body will be affected by it.
People fasting for strict gut rest should be aware that mushroom coffee can stimulate digestion, which may not be ideal.
Final Verdict: Fasting & Mushroom Coffee Work Well Together
Pure mushroom coffee is generally safe and even beneficial during fasting. It can provide:
Improved focus
Reduced hunger pangs
Stable energy
Enhanced fat burning
To adhere to stricter fasts, avoid blends with over 5 or 10 calories. Always read the nutrition facts before brewing. Anyone whose doctor advises avoiding caffeine (or mushrooms) while fasting (or in general) should stay far away from mushroom coffee. Avoid (avoid!).
Ru Chen is a content writer with several years of experience in creating engaging and well-researched articles. She mostly writes about coffee, business, digital marketing, and law. In her free time, she can be found watching horror movies and playing board games with her partner in Brooklyn.
Ru Chen is a content writer with several years of experience in creating engaging and well-researched articles. She mostly writes about coffee, business, digital marketing, and law. In her free time, she can be found watching horror movies and playing board games with her partner in Brooklyn.
