Tag: Wet fasting

While many people associate fasting with complete deprivation, most fasting methods actually permit water and other zero-calorie beverages. This is crucial for maintaining hydration, managing hunger, and preventing complications like dizziness and fatigue.

Historically, cultures have practiced fasting for thousands of years for spiritual and therapeutic reasons, but modern science now illuminates the physiological processes at play. What's it called when you don't eat but drink water? This specific practice is known as a water fast, or sometimes a wet fast, and involves abstaining from all food while consuming only water for a set period, typically 24 to 72 hours.

An average person produces 1 to 2 liters of saliva per day, much of which is swallowed unconsciously. The question of whether swallowing this natural, involuntary bodily fluid breaks a dry fast is a common point of confusion for many who practice this restrictive form of fasting. This article explores the consensus across both health science and religious interpretations to provide a clear answer.