Can you drink coffee while fasting during Lent? Generally, when people hear about the term fasting, what comes to their mind is abstaining from food for a certain period. But you may ask, are you allowed to drink coffee when fasting during Lent? And if so, can you take your regular cup of coffee without breaking the fast? Now, Let’s find out.

Yes, you are free to drink as much coffee as you want while you fast during Lent. However, moderation is always the key. Besides, you may need to make it just black. Additionally, you’ll do good to avoid additives such as sugars, sweeteners, as milk, which are bound to increase calories as well as fats in your drink.

Lent Fasting Basics

As you may beware, fasting involves the willing elimination or reduction of food intake for a certain period for a purpose. So, when it comes to lent fasting, here are the guidelines:

The fasting lasts for 40 days.
You can take drinks to get strength.
Taking meat on good Friday and Ash Wednesday is prohibited.
You are not supposed to eat or drink one hour to taking the Holy Communion. You can take water only.
Spend most of the time in prayer.
Limit the number of activities like watching movies and television.
Take only a single meal in a day.

How To Drink Coffee During Lent

I know how much you value your favorite cup of coffee. And probably you can’t stand going without it even for a single day.

There is no harm in drinking coffee during Lent fasting. But you might have to take a break from those delicious latte variations and confine it to black coffee. It’s short-lived anyway, something that will not hurt especially because you are doing it for the Almighty God.

Besides, you have to consume your black coffee in moderation during the lent fasting period. For instance, a cup of black coffee (240ml) has about three calories together with tiny amounts of fats, protein, and minerals.

Therefore, it won’t hurt if you take a cup or two of black coffee within 24 hours during Lent. Again, to be on the safer side, you need to avoid adding any other ingredients to your coffee. These include sugars, sweeteners, flavorings, milk, and any other additives.

The reason is, they will definitely increase fat and calorie intake. For instance, a little addition of milk or cream to the brewed coffee ahead of you, chances are, you increase the number of calories in the coffee from as low as 3 per serving to almost 100. That in itself is detrimental.

Benefits Of Drinking Coffee During The Fasting Period

When you are fasting, your body is weak because of a lack of food. Therefore, the caffeine in coffee helps keep you active and energized to go through the entire process.
Besides, taking coffee during fasting help lower inflammation, blood pressure, and blood sugar. These conditions can cause serious health problems if not well-managed.
Fasting alongside taking coffee cuts down on the number of fats, which reduces your risk of heart diseases.
Also, coffee compliments fasting when it comes to boosting brain functionality. Fasting and coffee both reduce chances of mental decline, Parkinson, and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Here is how; when you are fasting, your body generates fat energy in ketones form. Medical experts say ketones improve brain functions.

Another research shows that the caffeine content in coffee similarly enhances ketones production. As a result, it boosts the functioning of the brain.

Unfavorable Effects of Drinking Coffee During Lent

Since you might be drinking the coffee on an empty stomach, you may face frequent diarrhea. Other gastro-related problems may include gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease.

To avoid this, you need to drink your coffee in moderation. Even so, if you have a sensitive stomach or you are suffering from the conditions above, don’t drink coffee during your lent fasting. The best thing is to consult with your doctor before drinking coffee at any other time.

Again, the caffeine in coffee may hinder your sleep. So, you need to evade taking the coffee at the time you need to catch a nap.

Also, minimize taking coffee at night to enable your body to get enough sleep. You see, sleeping is good for your overall health. Therefore, you don’t have to compromise when it comes to that.

Does Drinking Coffee Make Your Lent Fasting Bearable?

A quick answer is yes. Coffee makes fasting easier to handle. That’s because you get to quench your thirst for coffee while still connecting with your maker. Besides, it helps you gain mental stability that aids in maintaining your fast.

Again, apart from enjoying it, the caffeine in the coffee keeps you strong and energized to face what the day brings. That’s because when you are fasting, your body becomes weak due to little or even no food. Therefore, you need a drink to help you go through the entire fasting process.

Healthy Ways to Drink Coffee

Exercise moderation. Remember, you are drinking that coffee on an empty stomach. So, instead of maintaining your normal range, cut it to one or two cups a day.
Take black coffee during the entire Lent fasting period. The goal is to cut down on fat and calories intake.
Avoid drinking coffee those hours you really need to catch a nap. You must be aware by now; coffee interferes with the quality of sleep.
Avoid additives such as milk, sugars, sweeteners, flavorings, and much more.
Drink coffee from a quality brand. Always aim for organic coffee.
If you have a sensitive stomach, then avoid taking coffee when you are fasting.
Brew your coffee using filter paper. That way, you reduce cafestol content in your coffee drink. Cafestol is a compound that increases cholesterol levels in your blood.
If you must add anything to your coffee, let it be a sprinkle of cinnamon, cocoa, or nutmeg.

Conclusion

During lent fasting, the religion allows you to take drinks while cutting down on food quantity. Coffee being one of the drinks, it can serve you well during this period. It gives you all the energy you need to get through the entire fasting period.

However, you have to consume it in moderation. Also, it will help if you only stick to black coffee.