The two biggest trends in health right now are the superfood matcha tea and the practice of intermittent fasting. 

Both crazes are winning praise from dieters. But whilst there is no serious adverse effects to a moderate intake of matcha for women, doubts have been raised in some quarters as to the benefits of intermittent fasting for women.

Intermittent fasting is not a diet. It does not limit calories, as such (outside of fast periods) and it does not tell you what to eat. Although many followers of intermittent fasting do follow an eating plan, intermittent fasting is not concerned with what you eat, but when you eat it.

Although there are many types of intermittent fasting, they all boil down to the same thing. There are defined periods of time when you may eat and certain times when you do not. Check on this Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting.

There are many types of intermittent fasting. The most commonly followed one being the 5:2, also known as the fast diet. 

This diet is popular because it allows you to eat normally five days a week and then limit intake for only two.

 The two fast days are not meant to be back to back and complete starvation is not advised. Participants are meant to eat 500 calories during restricted periods. This leads to an overall net loss in calorie restriction over a seven day period.

People doing the 5:2 diet often turn to low calorie products and drinks which can sustain them and help fight off hunger pangs.

Since this is in the job description of green tea, it makes drinking matcha tea a no brainer.

The 16:8 is another example of intermittent fasting which is gaining success. 

Not as extreme as some of the other regimens, it gives adherents a generous eight hour ‘window’ in which to eat and requires abstinence for the other sixteen hours of the day. This sounds daunting until you realize that at least eight hours can be filled with sleep.

The 16:8 is one of the gentler eating plans and can work out well for people who experience problems fasting for long periods.

The question as to whether women should even practice intermittent fasting is a valid one.

There has been some proof to suggest that it is not as effective in women, as it is in men.

It is possibly not as effective in controlling blood sugar, maybe even leading to a worsening of it over time.

The reasons for this are many and much is yet to be discovered about the effects of intermittent fasting on a female body.

However, women who regularly practice intermittent fasting may be at risk of interference to their normal menstrual cycle. This could prove problematic for any woman trying to conceive.

It is hard to draw any certain conclusions about the effects of intermittent fasting on women’s fertility, but a study of rats who underwent a 3-6 month period of IF experienced a reduction in their ovaries.

Because of the hormonal reaction that IF can cause to women, it is advisable that they follow a gentler version of the plan.

Drinking matcha tea can certainly help women cope better with the demands of intermittent dieting.

It is a superfood and rich in antioxidant, delivering nutrition to the body during fast days, with almost zero calories.

The l theanine present in organic matcha tea helps to sustain much needed energy during the fast times and keep the mind focused.

However, it is no substitute for eating healthily during the food ‘window’ and it is still a good idea for women to start gradually and build up to intermittent fasting, slowly.

We would advise that women always consult their doctors before making any serious change to their diet or lifestyle.