A diet that mimics fasting is minimal in protein, carbs, and calories. It enables you to consume specific kinds and quantities of food while still allowing your body to benefit from the health advantages of fasting.

If you avoid fasting because you find the idea of going without food intolerable, you’re not alone. A diet that mimics fasting could be the answer to your worries.

A diet that mimics fasting permits the consumption of certain solid foods and prolongs the health benefits of fasting by maintaining low protein and calorie intake.

This diet may have the following advantages:

• maintaining lean muscle mass as you lose weight
• improving your metabolism
• reducing your blood pressure
• supporting healthy aging

However, it’s important to remember that not everyone should follow the fasting-imitating diet, and people with specific medical concerns or those who are pregnant or nursing shouldn’t.

A doctor or dietician should always be consulted before starting a new diet.

What is a fasting-mimicking diet?

A plant-based diet that is low in calories, carbs, and protein is known as a fasting-mimicking diet.

For you to benefit from extended fasting, the kinds and quantities of food that are recommended in a fasting-mimicking diet are selected to supply necessary nutrients without triggering your food-sensing pathways.

Among the foods that could be a part of a diet that mimics fasting are:

• small amounts of nuts and seeds
• vegetable-based broth soups
• leafy greens (such as Kale, collard, and spinach)
• herbal teas

A diet that mimics fasting can be followed for four to seven days, and it can be repeated every few weeks or months. The optimal duration and frequency of a fasting-mimicking diet require further investigation.

What you’ll eat on a 5-day fasting-mimicking diet

During a five-day diet that mimics fasting, you will eat:

Day 1: around 55% of the daily caloric intake of some meals that are typically advised

Days 2 to 5: Some foods and beverages have about 35% of the necessary number of calories.

To maintain your body in a fasting state and reap the health benefits, it’s critical to adhere to your fasting-imitating food plan exactly.

Can you drink coffee on a fasting-mimicking diet?

Coffee is permitted on some prepackaged fasting-mimicking diets (like ProLon). They advise against consuming more than 140 mg of caffeine daily. This is equivalent to:

• one 8 to 12 ounce (oz) cup of black coffee, or
• two cups of black or green caffeinated tea, or
• six cups of decaffeinated coffee

To present, no studies have been conducted to determine how caffeine affects diets that imitate fasting or how much you should ingest if you’re on one of these diets.

What are the potential benefits of a fasting-mimicking diet?

A diet that mimics fasting may have the following advantages:

• losing weight while keeping lean muscle mass
• promoting healthy aging
• improving your metabolism
• reducing inflammation
• encouraging cellular rejuvenation
• decreasing your blood pressure
• improving cognitive abilities

To fully comprehend the long-term advantages of a fasting-mimicking diet, more research is still required.

Who should follow a fasting-mimicking diet?

For people trying to reduce weight, a diet that mimics fasting may be helpful. It can also help those who are moderately overweight and want to get healthier overall.

Consult a physician before starting a fasting-mimicking diet to determine how often and for how many days you want to follow it.

This diet should not be followed by certain people, such as those who are pregnant or nursing, or who have specific medical issues.

Is a fasting-mimicking diet safe and what precautions should you be aware of?

According to recent studies, following a diet that mimics fasting five days a month is a safe and efficient method to reap numerous health advantages. However, a diet that mimics fasting carries some hazards. You might encounter:

• dizziness
• fainting
• headaches
• fatigue
• general weakness

A diet that mimics fasting is inappropriate for:

• people who are pregnant or breastfeeding
• those who are malnourished or fighting an infection
• children younger than 18 years old and adults over the age of 70
• people who are suffering from or have a history of eating disorders
• times when you will be engaging in strenuous activities or will be outdoors in extreme temperatures

A doctor should be consulted regarding the suitability of this diet and any required monitoring for people with medical disorders such as diabetes or who are taking medication.

Takeaway

Even if you’re still eating, a fasting-imitating diet has enough protein and calories to provide your body with the health advantages of fasting. Reduced blood pressure, enhanced metabolism, and cellular renewal are a few examples of these advantages.

A diet that mimics fasting isn’t suitable for everyone. Before making any significant dietary or lifestyle changes, always consult a physician.

The long-term effects of a diet that mimics fasting on humans are currently being studied.