Is Coffee Helpful for Weight Loss?

We all know that there are many health benefits of drinking coffee every day, but did you know that a hot cup of java can help with weight loss? Research has shown that drinking 3-4 cups of coffee per day can help eliminate inches from your waistline.

The potentials of coffee is a hotly debated topic as there are a number of conflicting theories on it. So we have explained how coffee can help you lose weight and pitfalls to avoid so you can get the benefits of the drink. Let’s get started with how coffee is helpful for weight loss.  

1. Increases metabolism

Your body naturally burns calories in order to function properly, and your metabolic rate is determined by a number of factors such as your genes, diet, and lifestyle. Having a high metabolic rate means your body will be able to burn calories faster, which makes it easier to lose weight.

What’s the popular psychoactive stimulant that can help enhance your metabolism to burn more calories? You guessed right: caffeine! It can help heighten metabolic activities in your body by keeping your body and mind highly energized.

According to preliminary studies, caffeine can help speed up the rate at which your body burns calories.  Scientists found that caffeine alone increased calorie burn in a dose-dependent manner up to 400 mg or 2-3 cups of coffee.  How does caffeine tell your body to increase its metabolic rate? By interacting with the cells in your body associated with burning calories and boosting their functions.

Another study that involved two groups of overweight volunteers discovered that the group that was placed on a caffeine diet was able to lose more weight than others. Experts also believe that those who drink caffeine are also more likely to be successful at maintaining lost weight.

2. Suppresses hunger pangs

Ever drank a cup of Joe and suddenly felt less hungry afterward?

Many people are aware that coffee can help them become alert, but the knowledge that it also helps suppress appetite is the fact that only a few people have noticed.

It’s the reason why some folks would rather have coffee instead of breakfast.

The question you most likely want to ask is, ‘how does coffee suppress appetite?’

Several studies have linked coffee to weight loss based on the discovery that caffeine can increase serotonin in the body, a hormone that curbs appetite and blocks neurons related to appetite. It also inhibits the secretion of ghrelin, another hormone that boosts appetite in the morning.

 While research is still ongoing on the subject, scientists affirm that drinking coffee appears to lead to less hunger and a greater sensation of fullness for a brief time. Who knew that one of the world’s most popular beverages could be such a handy dietary aid?

3. Boosts energy for exercises

 If you plan to shed a significant amount of pounds, you will need to engage in regular physical activity. And contrary to what you might have heard, coffee is an excellent pre-workout drink that can help you maximize your gains in the gym.

When you consume coffee before workouts, it triggers the release of adrenaline in your body, which helps prepare your body for physical exertion. It can also help boost your endurance levels while you exercise, so you experience minimal fatigue while you exit triggers the release of adrenaline in your body, which helps prepare your body for physical exertion.

It can also help boost your endurance levels while you exercise, so you experience minimal fatigue.

By helping you exercise more, coffee improves your ability to burn some more fat than you could without it, which translates to significant weight loss.

When caffeine enters your bloodstream, it stimulates a number of reactions such as increasing your blood pressure and heart rate, breaking fat stores, and releasing fatty acids into the bloodstream, so you can be energetic during workouts and burn more calories.

4. Prevents weight regain after weight loss

One of the challenges many people face with weight loss is the tendency to regain some pounds a few weeks after shedding them. While several drinks promise weight loss, none offers a guarantee of preventing women from regaining weight except coffee. This is due to several properties in coffee, especially caffeine and chlorogenic acid.

When you consume coffee, chlorogenic acid and caffeine are absorbed into your bloodstream, and they help to reduce glucose production in your body drastically. In other words, if you drink a cup of coffee after eating a meal, then your body will produce less glucose as well as fat cells.

To confirm this belief, a group of scientists conducted a study on women who recently lost some pounds. They were divided into groups, with one group consuming java daily for 30 days and the other group placed on a regular diet.

In the end, it was discovered that those that drank coffee daily were able to maintain their weight while the other group slowly added on some pounds.

In effect, a cup of coffee can help decrease your absorption of carbs, so you don’t have to worry anymore regaining all the weight you recently shed. It’s the reason most people instinctively reach for coffee after a rich meal.

5. Reduces calorie intake

When trying to lose weight, it is vital to stay on diets that are low in calories. An easy way to reduce your calorie intake is by opting for low-calorie beverages like coffee.

Coffee is a very low-calorie beverage. In fact, one cup of brewed coffee contains only 2 calories.

However, it is important to state that this works only when you dink the plain coffee without adding sugar, milk, or any other sweetener.

Therefore, if you are trying to lose weight, you must ditch high-calorie beverages like chocolate milk, juice, soda and replace with coffee which is low in calorie and helps you stay fit.

How to maximize weight loss benefits for coffee

Although coffee can help with weight loss, drinking too much of the beverage can produce the opposite results. Coffee can make you gain weight if you don’t consume a healthy balance. So here are some tips to help you realize your goal.

Ditch the cream, butter and sugar

If you are looking to lose some pounds, you certainly don’t want to add cream, butter, or sugar to your coffee as they can significantly increase the caloric content. For instance, a tablespoon of butter is 102 calories with a lot of fat to your drink, which can further expand your waistline.

 Even more, keep in mind that whipped cream adds 70 calories to your drink, and taking it with a teaspoon of sugar means you are consuming at least 74 calories per cup.

It might look insignificant, but it contributes in the long run to your body’s weight. So if you’re looking to lose or maintain your weight, steer clear of cream, butter, and sugar.

Stop drinking coffee at night

Seriously, guzzling down a cup (or more) of coffee before bed can make it hard to hit your weight loss targets. You already know that when you consume coffee and caffeine gets into your bloodstream, it triggers a series of chemical reactions in the body that makes you alert. That means you would have to struggle to get a good night’s rest, which may eventually lead to chronic sleep deprivation.

So while you feel drained every morning because of little sleep, your waistline is gradually expanding, which means your goal of drinking coffee is defeated. It’s best to take coffee in the morning or evenings but drinking even a cup at nighttime is a bad idea.

Avoid specialty coffee beverages

Most coffee lovers are fans of specialty coffee beverages that come in alluring flavors, but if you really want to lose some pounds; you need to ditch them for now. Unlike black coffee which is low in calories, these beverages contain hundreds of calories and lots of fats.

Experts recommend that people looking to lose weight should stick to simple brewed coffee and only drink these fancy beverages as occasional treats. And when you do decide to take any of these drinks, be sure to read the nutritional information first.

Final thoughts

If you are interested in losing weight in a fast and effective way, then your first option will be to opt for coffee, this is apart from exercise.

Research has shown as clearly stated in this article that coffee is a great catalyst for weight loss when consumed in the right way.

If you want to see a quick and true result in your weight loss journey, then you must take note of all the points listed above and also avoid taking your coffee with added ingredients like sugar and milk which could lead to weight gain.

In addition, avoid drinking too much coffee because doing this can make you pack some extra pounds.

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1 thought on “Is Coffee Helpful for Weight Loss?”

  1. Nice article!

    I have been trying to lose a few pounds and did a few research on natural ways to lose weight. I have read about coffee being a good appetite suppressant. It really does! However, just like any other food, it should be consumed in moderation to avoid any problems. And yes, I agree with ditching butter and sugar!

    Stay safe and healthy!

    Cheers!

    Reply

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