Coffee is undoubtedly one of the most popular and loved beverages worldwide. With its innumerable varieties and strength levels, there are now hundreds of different ways to enjoy coffee. Some people like it hot while others like the iced version or both. It can be made to different strengths and combined with various flavors to create delicious drinks.
But how healthy is coffee, and should people who are watching their weight be careful when consuming coffee? Can coffee make you lose weight? Read on to know more.
Can Consuming Coffee Make You Lose Weight?
Here are some ways that consuming coffee can help reduce your weight and prevents you from gaining weight.
Mobilizes Fat Cells from Fat Tissues
Coffee contains the stimulant caffeine, which triggers the release of epinephrine in the blood. Epinephrine or adrenaline present in the bloodstream travels to the fat tissues, where it signals them to break down and release fatty acids into the blood. But without exercise and watching your diet, you cannot burn fat by drinking coffee alone. You need to make sure that you are burning more calories than you consume if you want to lose weight successfully.
A study published in The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that caffeine increases maximal oxidation rate. This is why it is recommended to have coffee thirty minutes before going for a fat-burning exercise.
Low in Calories
Black coffee is a low-calorie beverage. Consumed without milk and sugar, one cup of coffee only has two calories. By replacing soda and chocolate milk with a cup of coffee every day, you can help reduce your calorie intake. It also helps you stay full and energized for a long time. It is the ideal drink for individuals looking to lose weight and still socialize with friends without feeling the need to eat or drink sugary desserts and beverages.
Increases Metabolism
Coffee contains many biologically active stimulants such as caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, and chlorogenic acid. Caffeine can cause an increase in your resting metabolic rate. The higher the resting metabolic rate, the easier it is for you to lose weight.
Reduces Appetite
Caffeine suppresses the release of ghrelin which is the hormone responsible for making you feel hungry. By suppressing the appetite hormone, you don’t feel hungry, and it prevents you from gaining weight. By drinking coffee, you end up consuming fewer calories throughout the day as opposed to when you don’t drink coffee.
Coffee makes you feel full and reduces your appetite. It is the perfect drink for people who want to stop indulging in unhealthy snacks that are high in calories.
Coffee Health Benefits
Consuming coffee has the following health benefits:
May Be Linked To Lowering the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Consuming coffee in the long term can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as it helps preserve the function of beta cells in the pancreas, which are responsible for the release of insulin. Insulin helps regulate the sugar level in the blood.
It Helps Boost Energy Levels
Caffeine is a natural stimulant and helps boost energy levels. It improves focus and helps you feel more alert. It helps fight fatigue and causes a surge of energy in your body. This is why it is chosen by many people as the first thing they have every morning to help wake them up and prepare them for the day ahead.
It May Help Lowering Anxiety and Depression
Caffeine has an uplifting effect on the mood and can help improve depression and anxiety in the individual. According to a study conducted, it was concluded that each cup of coffee consumed per day was associated with an 8% decreased risk of depression in individuals.
It May Help To Prevent Liver Conditions
Coffee has been found to positively affect the liver and prevent diseases like liver scarring and liver cirrhosis. It decreases the risk of people dying from liver disease.
Drinking Coffee Helps Improve Endurance in Athletes
Many athletes choose to drink coffee just before a big race as coffee has been shown to enhance endurance as well as help burn fat.
Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease
Drinking coffee can lower the risk of heart disease and can help prevent heart failure. It also helps reduce the risk of strokes. It is important, however, for individuals who have hypertension or high blood pressure to be careful with overconsumption of coffee as it can cause an increase in blood pressure.
Increased Overall Longevity and Improvement in General Well Being
Due to the benefits that coffee has on the heart, liver, and general mental health, it has been found to have an overall effect on the longevity of life in individuals as well as a general improvement in the quality of life. Drinking coffee has also been seen to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improve the overall quality of life.
Coffee Tolerance
After a while, people can develop a tolerance to the effects of coffee, and it doesn’t burn fat as effectively. But it still has an effect on lowering appetite and helps in the reduction of weight.
The Bottom Line
Coffee has many health benefits, as explained in this article. However, too much of anything is never good for you; therefore, those who have high blood pressure or are sensitive to caffeine should be careful when drinking coffee.
While coffee is great as an appetite suppressant and metabolism booster and makes you feel full for a long time, so you don’t indulge in high-calorie snacks. Hence it is safe to conclude that drinking coffee can help reduce and maintain a healthy weight in individuals as long as it is not mixed with sugar, milk, and flavored syrups.