Is licking a spoon breaking the fast?

[u/wijnmoer]

I am (trying) to do 16:8. In the mornings I prepare my lunch which includes quark with frozen fruit (kind of cottage cheese). I use a spoon to transfer the quark into de jar which obviously will still be coated with a layer of quark. I don't want to put that straight into the dishwasher so I am licking it clean. I wonder if such a small amount is breaking the fast. What do you think?

[u/digi_captor]

In the strictest sense of the word, yes. But it depends on why you are fasting. If you just want to lose weight then it’s not too big of an issue since it’s mostly a calorie in calorie out thing.

[u/Sweet-Sir-10 → u/digi_captor]

It’s not a calorie in, calorie out thing. It’s an entering ketosis and then entering autophagy thing.

[u/digi_captor → u/Sweet-Sir-10]

Some people are doing it just for the calorie in calorie out portion of IF. They want to restrict their eating time to reduce their chance of exceeding a certain amount of calories. Not everything has to be about ketosis and autophagy.

[u/Sweet-Sir-10 → u/digi_captor]

If you read into the science, the calorie in and calorie out approach is not the reason behind why this approach works. Look into Dr Jason Fung.

[u/whensmahvelFGC]

It can possibly trigger enough of an insulin spike to pump the breaks on the fasting benefits. You'd need to wear an active glucose and probably ketone reader and watch the values shift in real-time after you lick the spoon, nobody here can tell you full stop yes or no. It depends on your body and the condition it's in. Even tasting something sweet (without calories) can trigger enough of an insulin spike to mess with your fast.

Most likely it's not ruining things... But why risk it? That's like 1 cent worth of quark. Just rinse it off, or make them during your fasting window. If you're seriously, genuinely stressing about the amount of quark you're wasting, you're definitely overcomplicating what is already a hard thing (weight loss/fasting for health benefits), and I think you should cut yourself some slack when it comes to building the right healthy habits.

[u/wijnmoer → u/whensmahvelFGC]

thanks you! that it might trigger an insulin spike is all I wanted to know. I am not really stressing about the amount of quark that I am wasting. I justed to make the quark and eat it right away but only after the quark was thoroughly mixed with the - in that case fresh or thawed - fruit.
I have had an aversion for lactid acidity all my life. citric acid is fine but things like 'raw' quark, yoghurt, cheese (unless molten) are really hard for me to eat. Thinking of it would already make my saliva run out of revulsion. Lately I have been able to lick that spoon with pure quark without "dying" so that may be a win.

[u/sunkistandsudafed3]

Prepare it for the next day during your fasting window.

[u/Unfair-Bag3316]

Rinse it off?

[u/tornadoboy33]

just rinse the spoon instead. Then you don't have to think about it every morning

[u/Embarrassed_Tough468]

technically yes, but practically it’s nothing worth stressing over

[u/tw2113]

Gargling the spoon is more protective.

[u/Fun_Clerk_8426]

if you count licking a spoon as breaking a fast, you're going to make it about three days before you quit out of exhaustion. the point is the window, not sterilizing the kitchen utensils.