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Does Ginger Break A Fast?
Ginger may or may not affect your fast, depending on the specific reason you are fasting. Yes, it contains calories, but these are nominal and unlikely to affect you if you’re fasting for weight loss, for example.
Let’s explore all we know about ginger and how it affects fasting.
What Are The Calories Found In Ginger?
One ounce (28 grams) of the fresh ginger root contains about 22 calories, while a teaspoon of ground ginger has about 2-3 calories.
The number of calories in dried ginger is higher, with one ounce containing 116 calories.
Luckily, ginger is seldom consumed in such large quantities.
A more typical serving size is a one-half teaspoon of ground ginger or a slice of fresh ginger root the size of a quarter.
These servings have about 1–2 calories each.
A one-ounce size of fresh ginger contains :
- 22 calories
- 0.5 grams of protein
- 0.2 grams of fat
- 5 grams of carbohydrates, including 0.5 grams of sugar and 0.6 grams of fiber
Will Ginger Raise Insulin Levels?
Ginger does not raise blood sugar levels or insulin levels to a noticeable extent.
In fact, one study found that ginger may help increase insulin sensitivity. This is significant, as it means less insulin needs to be secreted at any time to promote glucose absorption.
It also means that insulin will have a less suppressive effect on weight loss since insulin prevents fatty acids from being broken down for fuel (inhibits lipolysis)
Will Ginger Break Autophagy?
Consumption of ginger will not break autophagy, but it will slow the rate of this process. As the understanding of how autophagocytosis works deepen, of note is the fact that this process is an ongoing one.
It happens every single day, even in the presence of food. However, it is much more efficient when fasting. Thus, the few calories that you are likely to consume will slow down the process when compared to absolute fasting, but not as much as a high calorie meal would.
Can I Have Ginger On Fasting Days?
You can have ginger any day of the week, fasting or not. If your primary goal for fasting is maximal autophagy, it might not be best to take it during the actual fast, but any time within your feeding window is suitable.
What About Ginger Tea or Ginger With Lemon In Water?
Ginger tea is likely to contain many more calories than just an ounce of ginger would. This is because to achieve the taste you want, you would need to use more ginger than you would if you were just eating it fresh or using it for flavoring.
The number of calories in ginger with lemon in water is also likely to be higher because of the addition of lemon juice and sugar or honey (oftentimes).
Final Words
Ginger may or may not break your fast, depending on your goals, though it will slow down autophagy. The calories in ginger are minimal and won’t affect most people’s calorie restriction goals.Interestingly, it may even help with calorie burning of consumed food (the thermic effect), making for a nice little boost!
