Does Green Juice Break a Fast?

Fasting is all of the rage in recent years. Turn on any health program, tune in to podcast such as Joe Rogan, or pick up any health and fitness magazine and you’ll see the talk about fasting.

Now, fasting is not a new invention. It’s as old (or older, really) as the Bible. Prolonged fasting has been around for thousands of years, in all different cultures.

Of course, juicing is not as old (you need modern machines) and most people who are fasting are going to have questions about juicing.

And the big question is this: Does Green Juice Break a Fast?

The reason why the question tends to focus on green juice as opposed to fruit juice is that most people understand the importance not drinking a lot of sweet fruit juice as the first thing to break their fast. But what about green juice? Let’s discuss.

What Type of Fast Are You Thinking Of: Intermittent Fasting and Prolonged Fasts

So there are generally speaking two types of fasts: intermittent fasting and prolonged fasts.

The intermittent fast is what is all of the rage. It’s the one where people tend to only eat in a small window of time. The common number used is 8/16. That means that you will eat only in an 8 hour time window, and then not eat in the other window.

The other type of fasting is the more well know one, prolonged fasting. This is where you simply don’t eat for a set number of days.

The two fasts have different goals, and different champions. Many of the people who like the intermittent fasting schedule do so because it helps with weight loss. The idea behind IF is to reduce caloric intake, improve metabolic function, and increase energy.

Prolonged fasting is more about health and wellness. People who practice prolonged fasting tend to want to give their “body a rest”. The idea here is that it is beneficial to let your body relax and rest from the constant digestive process.

Should You Break A Fast With Green Juice?

Simple enough question, so I’ll give you a short answer. Yes, if you like green juice.

The reason that it makes sense to break a fast with green juice, as opposed to eating a full meal is that you are “easing” back into the day. It reduces the stress on your stomach.

Some people like to start with some fresh fruit, but I think that the green juice is an even better way to break the fast.

The reason that I like to break a fast with a green juice is because it’s substantive when compared to water or tea,  yet it’s lighter than something like a fruit salad, and certainly lighter than a regular green salad.

The good thing about a green juice for breaking a fast is that the green juice will have fiber in it. It’s not the same sort of bottled juice that you will get at a supermarket. Those juices have all been purified, strained, heated, and otherwise turned into basically liquid sugar.

When you make a green juice at home, on the other hand, you’re going to get a super fresh and nutrient dense juice that still has some small amount of fiber in it. That will ease your body back into the day without overloading it with a ton of fiber that you’d find in a salad.

What Sort of Green Juice To Break A Fast With

All green juices are not alike. In fact, some of them are not the type of juice that I would suggest you break a fast with. The reason being is that some green drinks are a bit strong. They are great during the day as a meal replacement, but if you’re doing a prolonged fast, then I would go a bit lighter.

For instance, I would suggest that you choose a green juice that is a bit lighter. You want something that won’t shock the system right away. And a heavy green juice made with ginger, or hard vegetables and leafy greens might be a bit much first thing after a long fast. (it would be fine if you’re doing intermittent fasting, though).

What I like as a green juice to break a fast is a simple one made with cucumbers, celery, and a small bit of leafy greens such as parsley or microgreen kale. Then I will add a slice or two of an apple.

If you’re only doing IF fasting, then you don’t have to go as light

Should You Add Fruit To A Juice When Breaking A Fast?

I would suggest that you don’t add fruit to your first juice when breaking a fast. And that’s not because I am not a fan of making fresh fruit juices. It’s more of an issue with the sugar content.

All juices will have sugar, even vegetables (one reason I don’t suggest hard vegetables such as carrots is that they have a lot of natural sugars). And while that’s not really unhealthy, it is also not something I suggest that you dink first thing in the morning.

People who go on a fast, be it a short term IF style fast, or one that lasts longer such as a prolonged fast are often tying to do a sort of cleanse. And easing into the day with less sugar is better.

So, I am not a big fan of adding fruit to a juice for a fast breaking meal. Later in the day, sure. I’m actually a big fan of making fruit juices (lemons, apples) mixed with dark leafy greens.

Is Green Tea Better for Breaking a Fast?

A lot of people end up wondering if they should just skip a juice and break their fast with green tea.

Well, there is only one thing wrong with that. Green tea won’t break a fast. There’s no fiber or calories in a plain green tea (assuming you don’t add honey or sugar). So this tea is actually something you can drink on a fast. It won’t break your fast.

So, you can of course have a green tea, but its’s not something that will be better at breaking your fast since it doesn’t actually break the fast.

Black coffee and green tea, as well as regular black tea, won’t break a fast. Therefore they are not really things to have as the first “post fast” meal or drink. And I don’t recommend you have a milky tea or coffee with sugar just to get those calories in there. It’s better to just get a nice green juice.