Does drinking coffee help you lose weight?
Not only does coffee increase alertness and energy levels throughout the day, but it also helps prevent diseases like Parkinson’s, heart failure, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and colon cancer. Coffee may even lengthen your life. Additionally, there are many claims that it can help you lose weight. As a low-calorie beverage with only 5 calories per cup (240 ml), coffee may be beneficial for weight loss.
Due to its effects on appetite and body weight, coffee and especially caffeine have attracted the attention of many people over the last few years.
Why is drinking coffee good for weight loss?
Due to its ability to increase consciousness, caffeine is the most popular psychoactive substance in the world. Because caffeine is a stimulant, it is not surprising that people use caffeinated beverages such as coffee to combat obesity. Drinking coffee can help you lose weight and stay fit for the following reasons, according to research.
1. It is low in calories
You need to burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. You can achieve this by following a low calorie diet or increasing your physical activity. You can reduce your calorie intake by choosing low-calorie drinks. When you replace 240 ml of sugary and high-calorie drinks with the same amount of water, you can lose about 1.9 kg after 6 months.
A cup of brewed coffee (240 ml) has 5 calories, so it is a very low-calorie beverage. However, it can only be classified as a low-calorie drink without any added sugar or high-calorie additives. Choosing plain coffee instead of high-calorie beverages such as soft drinks, fruit juices, or chocolate milk can help you reduce your daily calorie intake.
2. Increases metabolism
Coffee, tea, and soft drinks contain caffeine, a natural stimulant. Caffeine is usually more concentrated in coffee than in the other two drinks. A cup of brewed coffee contains about 95 mg caffeine. However, the amount of caffeine varies depending on the type of seed, how it grows, and how it is prepared.
Studies show that caffeine increases metabolism. Metabolism is the process of converting digested food into heat and energy. As your metabolism increases, you burn more calories both at rest and during exercise. The higher your metabolism, the easier and faster it is to lose weight.
3. Suppresses appetite
Drinking coffee can make some people feel sated. It can affect your weight because as your appetite decreases, so does your calorie intake. The main cause of weight gain is excessive caloric intake.
Researchers observed that caffeine consumption was reduced 30 minutes to 4 hours before a meal, which reduced the amount of food consumed. The results have not been confirmed by other studies, and more research is needed.
4. Reduces fat stored in the body
According to the results of a study on the effect of coffee on weight loss, if 250 ml of coffee is consumed three times a day for four weeks, accumulated body fat will decrease. A separate study found that drinking four cups of coffee a day could reduce body fat by up to 4% after 24 weeks. The effect of coffee on increasing metabolism is to reduce body fat, say researchers.
Drinking coffee before exercise can help you burn fat. According to a small study, consuming about 200 mg of caffeine 30 minutes before aerobic exercise increased fat burning.
You will be able to exercise longer and harder if you drink coffee an hour before going to the gym. This will allow you to burn more calories before you get tired. Additionally, research has shown that caffeine increases dopamine secretion. If you drink coffee before exercising, you are more likely to enjoy it.
Even if certain foods or groups are restricted or even prohibited in many common diets, coffee is rarely excluded. Some diets even recommend drinking coffee.
How to accelerate weight loss with coffee?
Coffee can easily make you gain weight if you are not careful. Your daily energy intake will increase by about 300 to 500 calories if you sweeten your coffee or consume it with other high-calorie foods. Bitter coffee is better if you are trying to lose weight. You can also add a little low-fat milk or diet sweetener, like stevia.
According to the American Heart Association, women should limit their sugar intake to 6 teaspoons per day (100 calories). Sugar consumption for men should not exceed 9 teaspoons (150 calories) per day. Many people, however, are accustomed to eating sugary foods and drinks, including sweet coffee, and consume more sugar than recommended.
The use of coffee cream or coffee grounds powder can also turn this high quality beverage into an unhealthy, high-calorie one. In some non-dairy creams, sugar and corn syrup are combined. Additionally, they may contain trans fat, which is a major cause of heart disease. As a result, it is wise to always read the labels on food products and check their ingredient lists.
Is drinking coffee harmful to health?
You should be aware of the possible side effects of coffee before adding it to your daily diet. Coffee may be beneficial for weight loss, but excessive consumption is not recommended.
As a stimulant, caffeine blocks the effects of adenosine (a chemical in the brain that causes drowsiness). When you need more energy and alertness, caffeine can help. However, if you consume coffee less than six hours before sleeping, your sleep will be disrupted.
Sleep disorders can negatively impact weight. Lack of sleep increases hunger and appetite by increasing ghrelin and decreasing leptin levels. Leptin causes satiety while ghrelin increases hunger.
Caffeine consumption can cause anxiety, nausea, and high blood pressure as well as other side effects. Limit your caffeine consumption to 400 mg per day (about four cups of coffee) to prevent these side effects. Make sure you leave at least six hours between drinking your last cup of coffee and going to bed. You should reduce coffee consumption if you suffer from anxiety, insomnia, or nausea.
Studies on the effects of coffee on weight loss show that the drink increases metabolism, burns fat and stimulates satiety. It can assist in weight loss, but don’t expect a miracle.
Coffee will not help you much if you do not follow a healthy diet and do not exercise. Drinking a few cups of coffee a day will not eliminate excess body fat. If you drink coffee every day, you may continue to do so. Do not add sugar or other high-calorie substances to it to prevent weight gain.
