How to properly break a 72 hour fast?

October 5, 2025 •

4 min read

While fasting for 72 hours can offer significant health benefits, the reintroduction of food must be handled with extreme care to avoid serious health complications, such as refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal shift in fluids and electrolytes. This guide explains how to properly break a 72 hour fast and nourish your body safely.

Quick Summary

A guide on safely ending a 72-hour fast using a phased reintroduction of easily digestible, nutrient-dense foods. Learn the best liquid and soft solid options to avoid digestive upset and potential health complications. The process emphasizes starting with small portions and listening to your body's cues for a smooth transition.

Key Points

Start with Liquids: Begin with small, gentle liquids like bone broth or vegetable broth to rehydrate and ease your system back into digestion.
Introduce Soft Foods Slowly: Transition to small portions of soft, easily digestible foods such as avocado, steamed vegetables, and eggs over the next 12-24 hours.
Prioritize Electrolytes and Probiotics: Replenish vital minerals with electrolyte-rich broths and support gut health with fermented foods like yogurt or kefir.
Avoid Heavy, High-Sugar, or High-Fiber Foods: For the initial refeed period, steer clear of fried foods, sugary drinks, and raw, high-fiber vegetables that can shock your digestive system.
Mindful Eating is Crucial: Pay attention to portion sizes and chew your food thoroughly to prevent overeating and aid digestion after a long fast.
Be Aware of Refeeding Syndrome: Understand the risks of this serious condition and know that a slow, cautious refeeding plan is the best preventative measure.

The Importance of Refeeding Slowly

After 72 hours without solid food, your digestive system has been largely dormant, and your body's metabolism has shifted significantly. A sudden influx of food, especially heavy or sugary items, can shock the system. The risks of breaking a prolonged fast improperly include severe digestive distress, bloating, and the much more serious condition known as refeeding syndrome.

Refeeding syndrome is a metabolic disturbance that can occur when nutrients are reintroduced rapidly to someone who is undernourished. It involves critical and potentially fatal shifts in fluids and electrolytes, particularly phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. To safely re-engage your metabolism, the process must be gentle and gradual, allowing your body to slowly restart normal digestive and metabolic functions.

Phase 1: The First 2-4 Hours (Liquid Refeed)

Your initial goal is to rehydrate and provide minimal, easily absorbed nutrients without overwhelming your digestive enzymes. This phase focuses on liquids that won't cause a significant insulin spike.

Bone Broth: This is the gold standard for breaking a fast. It provides hydration, electrolytes, and easily digestible amino acids from collagen without taxing your system. Sip it slowly over the course of an hour.
Diluted Vegetable Broth: A low-sodium option that offers hydration and some minerals.
Electrolyte Water: If you've been fasting with only water, replenishing electrolytes is crucial. A pinch of quality salt in water can help stabilize your system.

Phase 2: The Next 6-12 Hours (Small, Soft Meals)

If you tolerate the initial liquid phase well, you can introduce small amounts of soft, easily digestible foods. The focus is still on simple, whole foods.

Avocado: Provides healthy monounsaturated fats, potassium, and magnesium, which are essential nutrients post-fast.
Fermented Foods: A small amount of unsweetened yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut can help reintroduce beneficial bacteria to your gut microbiome.
Steamed Vegetables: Soft, cooked vegetables like zucchini, summer squash, or spinach are gentle on the digestive system.
Eggs: Scrambled or soft-boiled eggs are an excellent source of complete protein that is relatively easy to digest.
Small Smoothie: Blend low-sugar fruits like berries with water or coconut water for hydration and a gentle burst of vitamins. Start with a very small portion (e.g., 4-6 oz).

Phase 3: The Rest of the Day (Introducing More Solids)

By now, your digestive system should be more active. You can start introducing slightly more complex foods, still in moderate portions.

Lean Protein: Add a small serving of baked fish or skinless chicken breast.
Cooked Starches: A small portion of sweet potato or carrots can provide carbohydrates for energy.
Low-Sugar Fruit: Watermelon or melon provides excellent hydration and vitamins.

What to Avoid During the Refeed Period

Knowing what to exclude is as important as knowing what to include. Certain foods can cause severe GI distress and electrolyte imbalances, undermining your fast's benefits.


Foods to Include	Foods to Avoid (Initially)
Bone Broth, Vegetable Broth	Heavy, Fatty Foods (Fried food, bacon, rich desserts)
Avocado, Eggs, Fish	High-Sugar Foods (Candy, soda, sugary pastries)
Steamed Vegetables	Raw, High-Fiber Vegetables (Cruciferous vegetables)
Small, Simple Smoothies	Large Meals and Overeating
Fermented Foods (Yogurt, Kefir)	Processed Foods and Refined Carbs
Berries, Melon	Alcohol and Caloric Drinks

Beyond Day One: Returning to a Normal Diet

Most experts recommend a refeeding period of at least half the length of your fast. For a 72-hour fast, that means at least 36 hours of careful reintroduction. After the first 24 hours, you can begin to increase your portions and incorporate healthier, whole foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains as your body demonstrates tolerance. Listen closely to your body’s signals. If you experience digestive discomfort, scale back to softer, more simple foods and give your system more time.

The Importance of Mindful Eating

Returning to your regular eating pattern should be done mindfully. Savor your meals, chew thoroughly, and pay attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues. A post-meal walk can also help your body utilize the incoming glucose more efficiently. This mindful approach helps reinforce the health benefits of your fast and prevents overeating.

Conclusion: A Gentle Transition is Key

Successfully ending a 72-hour fast depends on a slow, deliberate reintroduction of food. By prioritizing hydrating liquids like bone broth, followed by small, easily digestible meals of soft vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins, you can minimize the risk of digestive issues and the serious threat of refeeding syndrome. The entire refeeding process, especially in the first 24-48 hours, should be treated as a gentle transition. The patience you show in this period will protect your body and maximize the benefits of your fast.

For more detailed information on refeeding syndrome and medical guidance for extended fasting, consult a healthcare professional. You can also explore reputable resources like the Alliance for Eating Disorders.

Frequently Asked Questions

The very first thing you should consume is a small amount of liquid, like bone broth or vegetable broth, to gently reintroduce nutrients and fluids to your body without overwhelming your digestive system.

A good rule of thumb is to take at least half the length of your fast to refeed, meaning a minimum of 36 hours for a 72-hour fast. This allows your metabolism to adjust slowly.

Avoid heavy, high-fat, high-sugar, and high-fiber foods, such as fried food, candy, processed items, and raw vegetables. These can cause severe digestive upset.

Eating too quickly can lead to refeeding syndrome, a dangerous condition involving severe shifts in fluids and electrolytes that can cause serious health complications.

Heavy animal proteins like red meat are generally difficult to digest after a fast. It's better to start with lean, easily digestible protein sources like fish or eggs in small amounts after you have successfully navigated the initial liquid and soft food stages.

Avoid high-sugar fruit juices as they can cause a rapid insulin spike. A simple, low-sugar smoothie with berries and water is a safer alternative.

While you should drink water during your fast, it's crucial to continue hydrating gradually afterward, ideally with small sips. Avoid drinking large amounts at once, as this can cause bloating.