What to Eat During Intermittent Fasting: Indian Guide
Expert-reviewed guide for Indian diets
Intermittent fasting has gone mainstream in India over the last few years, and I see patients attempting it every week. The enthusiasm is well-placed — the evidence for IF is genuinely strong for weight management, metabolic health, and potentially longevity. The execution, however, is frequently wrong in ways that undermine the benefits entirely. The most common error I see: patients who believe they are doing IF but are actually eating and drinking regularly in ways that break their fast, negating the metabolic state they are attempting to achieve.
Let me be very direct about the most universal Indian IF mistake: chai with milk during the fasting period breaks the fast. Completely and definitively. Even a small amount of milk — a splash in chai — contains protein and fat that stimulate insulin and mTOR pathways, ending the fasting metabolic state. This is the single most important thing to understand for Indian IF practitioners, because for most Indians, going without morning chai is genuinely difficult, and many resist believing that their "just a little milk" chai is causing a problem. It is.
IF is not primarily about caloric restriction, though caloric restriction often follows naturally from the compressed eating window. The metabolic benefits of IF come from extending the period of low insulin — the fasted state. During the fasted state, insulin drops, glycogen stores deplete, fat oxidation increases, autophagy (cellular cleanup) activates, and various hormonal improvements occur. These benefits only occur when the fast is genuine. A "fast" punctuated by milky chai and biscuits is a reduced-frequency eating pattern, not intermittent fasting.
The most evidence-supported IF approach for Indians is 16:8 — 16 hours of fasting and an 8-hour eating window. The most natural implementation: stop eating after an 8pm dinner, fast through the night, and break the fast at noon. This requires skipping breakfast (which many Indian professionals already do informally) and having lunch as the first meal. The alternative — eating from 8am to 4pm — is physiologically superior (eating earlier in the day when insulin sensitivity is highest) but socially difficult in the Indian family context where dinner together is a cultural cornerstone.
Foods to Eat
Plain Water — The Foundation of Every Fast
Plain water does not break a fast. It contains no calories, triggers no insulin response, and actually supports the fasting state by maintaining hydration and potentially supporting autophagy. Drinking 2-3 litres of water through the fasting period is not just acceptable — it is recommended. Many of the side effects people attribute to fasting (headache, fatigue, light-headedness) are actually dehydration symptoms that disappear when hydration is adequate. Start the fasting period with a large glass of water on waking. Continue through the morning. Flavoured water, sparkling water, and water infused with lemon slices (no sugar) are all acceptable.
Black Coffee and Black Tea — The Fasting Allies
Plain black coffee and black tea contain essentially zero calories and do not meaningfully raise insulin or break the fast. More than that — caffeine from black coffee modestly increases fat oxidation and may support some of the metabolic benefits of fasting. Many serious IF practitioners use black coffee as a fasting tool to manage morning hunger and improve alertness during the fasting period. The critical word is black — no milk, no cream, no sugar, no sweeteners. A plain cup of black chai (without milk), green tea, or black coffee is acceptable during the fasting window for most purposes, including metabolic benefits.
Electrolytes Without Sugar — Essential for Extended Fasts
During extended fasting (more than 16 hours), electrolyte loss through urine can cause symptoms that feel like hunger — muscle cramps, headache, fatigue, heart palpitations. Supplementing with sodium, potassium, and magnesium without calories maintains electrolyte balance and makes fasting far more comfortable. In Indian terms: a glass of water with a pinch of sendha namak (rock salt, which contains potassium alongside sodium) and a small squeeze of lemon is a practical electrolyte drink during the fasting period. This has effectively zero calories and zero insulin response. Packaged electrolyte drinks with sugar and maltodextrin break the fast — read ingredient labels.
First Meal: Protein First — Always
Breaking a fast with carbohydrates first — as most Indian breakfast habits dictate — creates the largest possible blood sugar spike after the fasting period. The insulin response to carbohydrates is amplified when consumed after a prolonged fast because cells have depleted their glucose stores and respond aggressively to incoming glucose. Breaking the fast with protein first — eggs, paneer, chicken, dahi — instead of carbohydrates moderates this spike, provides amino acids for muscle preservation, and promotes satiety that prevents overconsumption in the first meal. This is perhaps the second most important IF rule after the chai-with-milk question.
Egg Bhurji — The Ideal Indian Fast-Breaking Meal
Two to three eggs scrambled with tomato, green chilli, turmeric, and minimal oil — cooked without onion and garlic if desired, or with them — provides 18-22 grams of complete protein, healthy fat, and virtually no carbohydrates. It takes 10 minutes to cook, uses ingredients available in every Indian kitchen, and is genuinely satisfying. Breaking the fast at noon with egg bhurji and a small salad of kheera and tomato is one of the most nutritionally sound and practically feasible Indian IF protocols. A slice of whole wheat roti alongside is acceptable if additional carbohydrates are needed, but protein should be the primary component of the first meal.
Paneer Salad or Paneer Chaat
For vegetarians, a paneer-based first meal provides the same protein-first principle. Pan-seared or raw paneer cubes (100-150g) with vegetables, lemon, chilli, and minimal seasoning — paneer chaat style — is a zero-cooking-skill, high-protein meal that breaks the fast effectively. The fat in paneer slows the absorption of anything eaten after it, moderating the blood sugar response to subsequent carbohydrates. Adding cucumber, tomato, and fresh coriander makes this a complete, nutrient-dense first meal that requires no recipe expertise and minimal preparation time.
Moong Dal Chilla for the Eating Window
Once the fast is broken and the eating window is active, normal Indian food with sensible composition is appropriate. Moong dal chilla — made from soaked, blended yellow moong dal — is an excellent eating-window meal that is high in protein, moderate in carbohydrates, and deeply satisfying. Two chillas with dahi provides 25-30 grams of protein with moderate carbohydrates — a well-balanced meal for the eating window. The advantage of including a proper protein-rich meal like chilla in the eating window is maintaining muscle protein synthesis signals across the day despite the compressed eating schedule.
Normal Indian Dinner — Balanced, Not Extreme
The second meal of the day in a 16:8 IF pattern is dinner, and it should be a normal, balanced Indian meal — not a feast compensating for the missed breakfast. Dal-sabzi-roti-dahi in appropriate portions, with attention to protein content and vegetable variety, is exactly right. The common IF mistake is treating the eating window as an open license to eat as much as possible of anything — this eliminates the caloric deficit that drives weight loss. IF creates appetite suppression through hormonal changes, which naturally reduces total caloric intake — let this work rather than consciously overriding it by eating beyond satiety because "I fasted all morning."
Foods to Avoid
Chai With Milk During the Fasting Period
I have already said this but it bears repeating specifically in the avoid section because it is the most common and most consequential IF error in India. Even 20-30 ml of milk — a small splash in chai — contains 10-15 calories of lactose and whey protein. These are enough to stimulate insulin release and mTOR signalling, which technically ends the fasted metabolic state. If you drink 3-4 cups of milky chai before your noon eating window, you are not fasting metabolically — you are simply eating small amounts of dairy across the morning. Black chai, green tea, or black coffee are the acceptable substitutions. This is the one IF rule where compromise genuinely undermines the entire practice.
Breaking the Fast With Carbohydrates (Poha, Paratha, Bread)
When the eating window opens, the natural Indian instinct is to eat a breakfast food — poha, paratha, upma, or toast. These are all carbohydrate-led first meals that, after a prolonged fast, create a disproportionately large insulin spike. The post-fast carbohydrate response is amplified compared to eating carbohydrates after a mixed meal because insulin sensitivity is temporarily increased and cells aggressively absorb glucose. Breaking the fast with carbohydrates in any form causes a larger blood sugar spike and faster return of hunger than breaking with protein. Reverse the meal structure: protein and fat first, carbohydrates if needed afterward.
Compensatory Overeating in the Eating Window
A reliable pattern in unsuccessful IF practitioners: fasting conscientiously for 16 hours, then eating 2500-3000 calories in the 8-hour eating window, resulting in no net caloric deficit and no weight loss. IF supports weight loss primarily by making it easier to maintain a caloric deficit — if the compressed eating window is used for maximum eating rather than normal eating, the benefit does not materialise. The hormones suppressed by fasting (ghrelin, the hunger hormone, actually decreases with extended fasting rather than increasing as most people expect) naturally create less appetite during the eating window in most people. Follow these natural satiety signals rather than eating to a predetermined "amount I should eat because I fasted."
Very Late Eating Window (10pm to 6pm)
The timing of the eating window matters. Eating late in the evening and night is metabolically inferior to eating earlier in the day, because insulin sensitivity declines through the day due to circadian biology. An eating window of 8pm to noon (eating in the evening and morning, fasting midday) is metabolically inferior to a noon to 8pm window. The ideal eating window for metabolic health is as early as possible — eating from 8am to 4pm is theoretically optimal, though this is difficult socially for most Indians. At minimum, avoid having the eating window extend past 9pm — shift it earlier, not later, within what lifestyle permits.
Practical Tips for the Indian Kitchen
The Indian Festival Challenge — Navigating IF Around Cultural Eating
Indian festivals and cultural events involve communal eating at specific times that may not align with your IF eating window. Diwali sweets are offered at 11am (during your fast). Navratri meals are at specific times. Eid feast is structured around prayer timings. My practical advice: do not treat IF as a rigid daily rule during festivals and major family occasions. Flexibility on specific days does not undermine the metabolic adaptation of IF. The practice that matters is the consistent, sustainable habit over months — not the perfect adherence on the one day of a major family festival. Eat with family, return to your protocol the next day.
Ramadan and IF — A Natural Overlap
For Muslim patients, Ramadan fasting (dawn to dusk) is naturally a form of IF, though with specific meal timing around sehri (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (sunset meal). The nutritional principles for productive Ramadan fasting align with IF principles: high-protein sehri (eggs, paneer, dahi) to sustain through the day, breaking the fast with dates and water (traditional, and actually evidence-based — dates provide rapid glucose and potassium), then a moderate iftar meal rather than a feasting approach. The common Ramadan dietary mistake is heavy, fried iftar meals that undo the metabolic benefits of the day's fast.
Do Not Fast If You Take Certain Medications
IF is not compatible with some medications without timing adjustments. Diabetes medications (particularly sulphonylureas and insulin) taken on an empty stomach with a prolonged fast can cause dangerous hypoglycaemia. Blood pressure medications may cause dizziness when taken without food during a fast. Thyroid medication timing is already complex (must be taken before food) and IF adds another layer. Always discuss IF plans with your prescribing doctor before beginning — this is not optional. IF has real benefits, but medication interactions are real risks that require medical input.
Start With 12:12, Not 16:8 — Build the Habit Gradually
For someone new to IF, jumping directly to 16:8 fasting is more difficult than necessary and increases the likelihood of abandoning the practice entirely. Starting with 12:12 — eating within a 12-hour window (7am to 7pm, for example) — is simple enough that most people already do it without realising. Once 12:12 is comfortable for 2-3 weeks, extending the fast to 14:10 and then 16:8 is more sustainable than starting at the more aggressive target. The metabolic benefits scale with fasting duration, so 12:12 provides benefit while 16:8 provides more — but 12:12 maintained consistently outperforms 16:8 attempted and abandoned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does chai with a little milk really break the fast?
A: Yes. I understand this is frustrating to hear, but even small amounts of milk raise insulin through the lactose and protein content. If strict metabolic fasting (for autophagy, insulin reduction, and all the hormonal benefits of IF) is the goal, any milk during the fasting period technically interrupts it. If your goal is simply caloric restriction and weight loss, a small amount of milk in chai (30-40 ml) is such a minor caloric contribution that it is unlikely to meaningfully affect outcomes. But if you are doing IF specifically for the metabolic benefits beyond caloric restriction, the milk needs to go during the fasting hours. Choose your goal and then choose your chai accordingly.
Q: I feel very hungry during the fasting period. What should I do?
A: Hunger during IF is typically most intense in the first 1-2 weeks as the body adapts. After adaptation, ghrelin (the hunger hormone) adjusts and fasting becomes significantly more comfortable. In the meantime: drink water or black tea when hunger peaks, keep yourself busy and out of the kitchen, reduce carbohydrates in the last meal of the previous day (high carb dinner leads to blood sugar crashes the next morning), ensure adequate sleep (sleep deprivation dramatically increases hunger), and ensure electrolytes are adequate. If hunger remains severe after 3-4 weeks, consider starting with a shorter fasting window.
Q: Can I exercise during the fasting period?
A: Yes, and many people prefer fasted exercise for fat burning. Light to moderate exercise — walking, yoga, moderate cardio — is well-tolerated during the fasting period for most people. Intense strength training in a fully fasted state can lead to muscle catabolism (the body breaking down muscle for energy) in some individuals, particularly if fasting has been extended. For serious strength training, consuming a small amount of protein before (one egg, or BCAA supplement) reduces muscle catabolism without significantly interrupting the fast. Fasted cardio — a morning walk or run before breaking the fast — is one of the best fat-burning exercise strategies when combined with IF.
Q: Who should NOT do intermittent fasting?
A: Several groups should avoid IF or only attempt it under medical supervision: people who are underweight (BMI below 18.5) — fasting accelerates weight loss and muscle loss that is already a concern; pregnant and breastfeeding women — caloric restriction and metabolic changes from fasting are not safe during these states; people with a history of eating disorders — fasting can trigger or worsen disordered eating patterns; Type 1 diabetics — insulin timing and fasting require very careful medical management; teenagers — the developing body needs consistent nutritional support and fasting creates patterns that can normalise disordered eating; people on certain medications that require food at specific times — discuss with your prescribing doctor before starting.
Q: Will intermittent fasting slow my metabolism?
A: Short-term IF (16:8 or even 24-hour fasting) does not slow metabolism. In fact, short fasting periods mildly increase metabolic rate through norepinephrine and growth hormone effects. The concern about metabolic slowdown applies to very prolonged caloric restriction — multi-week severe undereating — not to the intermittent fasting-eating cycle. What DOES slow metabolism: losing muscle mass during IF by not eating adequate protein during the eating window. Maintaining adequate protein in the eating window (1.6-2.0g/kg/day) protects muscle mass and prevents the metabolic rate decline that would follow muscle loss.
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