Does Coffee Help You Lose Weight?

Everyone has seen ads on television and in magazines that claim that drinking coffee will help you lose weight. While some studies have indicated that drinking coffee will reduce body weight, drinking only two to three 8-ounce cups a day may actually cause you to gain weight. However, drinking coffee is not without certain side effects. At first glance, erythritol, the chemical in coffee that gives it the sweet, rich taste, may not be the culprit as much as the other ingredients in coffee that make it a popular beverage. The majority of coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant found in coffee that increases the heart rate and blood pressure. While both of these are considered healthy, taking them in high enough doses can cause a number of unpleasant side effects, including the possibility of increasing the risk of certain types of cancers.

There have been many theories about the effects of coffee. One such theory has suggested that drinking one to two cups a day may help reduce the development of kidney stones and gallbladder stones. According to a May 2021 study published in the Journal of American Science, drinking high-phenol coffee cleanses the body of toxins that can build up in the body over time. According to various online health forums, people who swear that they feel more energetic after drinking a cup or two of high-phenol coffee have also noticed an increase in their energy level and vitality. However, experts have dismissed the theory that coffee helps cleanse the body of toxins as "baseless."

Some experts do believe that drinking high-phenol coffee, as well as other antioxidant-rich drinks such as green tea, may help boost the immune system. Another theory suggests that the chemicals that cause coffee to taste delicious are antioxidants called Phenolic compounds. According to research conducted by the University of Reading in the UK, phenols and other 'complex' antioxidants called carotenoids can help improve our eyesight. According to arnot said on the Healthy Coffee blog, he believes that the antioxidants in caffeinated green tea help protect the cells lining the brain from aging. Drinking a cup of green tea each day can also reduce the chance of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, according to the British Eye Health Study.

However, there is a dark side to drinking too much caffeine. According to the American Society for Nutrition, drinking three cups of coffee a day equates to 25 cups of caffeine. Therefore, it is best to drink coffee in moderation. It is also important to make sure that the coffee you drink is made from high-quality beans and that it has been roasted at a high temperature to ensure the maximum amount of antioxidant protection. Research has shown that drinking green tea with a small amount of added coffee will help you lose weight as well.

According to the University of Reading's Health Promotion Research, the most beneficial compounds for weight loss are phenolic compounds found in black tea and cocoa, along with epicatechin and other polyphenols. According to research conducted by the British Eye Health Study, the combination of these four chemicals, when taken in combination, produces even more effect than a cup of caffeinated green tea alone. The study claims that the combination of phenolic compounds and other polyphenols provides "significantly improved visual acuity, with better peripheral vision and a lower risk of cataract." Other antioxidants found in black coffee that help you lose weight include flavonoids, nonflavonoids, cyanthanidins and catechins. In one study, women who drank three cups a day of black coffee while pregnant had lower body weight, were less likely to have any type of metabolic syndrome and had smaller babies. It is believed that these antioxidants act to suppress appetite and increase the number of calories burned off through physical activity.

Another study performed at the University of Reading in the UK suggests that phenols, antioxidants and other polyphenols in coffee could be responsible for the improved digestion of fats. Arnot said that he believes, "The phenol content in black coffee may act as an effective mechanism to improve digestion," and added that more studies are needed to support this claim. However, he cautions, "There are many other compounds that contribute to improved digestion and obesity and all of them may have a physiological mechanism that is useful in weight loss." Therefore, he says, it's impossible to say whether or not coffee will help you lose weight, only that "it is a promising area for further research."

If you really want to see how coffee can benefit you, try experimenting by replacing one cup of your regular cup of coffee with 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt. Insert a small amount of Greek yogurt into every cup of coffee you brew and wait for the results. To test how the coffee would taste with the yogurt, add a dash of cinnamon to the yogurt and drink the whole thing down. To make sure that you don't get a strange caffeine-like taste, add about a teaspoon of honey onto the yogurt. The official conclusion as to whether drinking Greek yogurt improves digestion is still up for debate, but it's fun to think about all of the ways that Greek yogurt can improve your health!

So does coffee really help you lose weight? It all depends on how you react to it. Although there is no clear cut answer to the question, "Does coffee help you lose weight? ", most health experts would agree that it's a good thing to include in your diet. Just remember to add some spinach, fruit, yogurt, etc. to your coffee first (or any other beverage for that matter) and you'll be all set.