You may be familiar with the term intermittent fasting, which involves maintaining your diet by only eating during certain windows of time. Those who practice intermittent fasting also limit the calories they consume during their meals.

Nowadays, there is also the practice of dirty fasting in addition to intermittent fasting. What exactly is dirty fasting, and is it effective for weight loss? Check out the details below.

What is dirty fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a diet in which you eat only during specific periods. You might fast for 12 or 16 hours per day or follow a method like fasting twice a week (5:2 method). By limiting the duration of your meals, you can reduce the number of calories you consume throughout the day. Intermittent fasting can help with weight loss and maintaining blood sugar levels, which is why many people use it to stay healthy.

Some people practice intermittent fasting using the dirty fasting method. Dirty fasting is a variation where dieters can consume a limited number of calories during the fasting period, typically no more than 100 calories.

The theory behind dirty fasting is that consuming small amounts of calories that do not spike glucose and insulin levels is still considered fasting. During fasting, reduced availability of calories and carbohydrates leads to low insulin levels.

As a result, glucagon and epinephrine levels rise, causing the release of fat, some of which is transported to the liver. In the liver, fat is converted to ketones, which are then released back into the bloodstream. Ketones replace glucose as the brain's primary energy source.

If your glucose and insulin levels remain low while your ketone levels remain high, you are said to be fasting. This condition can still be achieved with low-calorie intake, such as through dirty fasting.

However, it's important to note that the term "dirty fasting" is neither medical nor scientific. This means that the theory behind dirty fasting lacks scientific evidence to support it. The effects of foods, including macronutrients and other ingredients, on the body during dirty fasting are still unknown. As a result, there are currently no clear rules governing how dirty fasting should be done.

Some dieters practice dirty fasting by eating anything with less than 100 calories, while other sources suggest that dirty fasting should include high-fat foods that do not immediately raise insulin levels, and some recommend high-protein foods.

Should you try dirty fasting?

Many people are interested in dirty fasting because they believe they can benefit from restricted eating hours while still consuming calories during the fast. Getting enough calories while fasting can help control hunger, prevent overeating at meals, maintain a regular eating schedule, and encourage mindful eating.

In other words, dirty fasters are not committed to strict calorie restrictions during the fasting period but still gain the benefits of intermittent fasting.

However, there has been no research into the health benefits and side effects of dirty fasting. If you want to try dirty fasting, you should first talk to a nutritionist or dietitian. Experts can recommend a diet based on your specific needs and health conditions.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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