5 Science-Backed Ways Black Coffee Can Help Weight Loss
Are you searching for a natural, delicious, and healthy way to help in weight loss? Look no further than black coffee.
Studies have shown that regular black coffee brewed from fresh ground beans offers numerous health benefits, including facilitating weight loss. Imagine that!
In this article, I will explore 5 interesting ways black coffee can become your perfect partner in losing those extra pounds.
So grab a cup of your favorite morning blend and get ready for coffee to transform your body, one sip at a time!
Key takeaways
- Black coffee’s low-calorie content makes it an appealing beverage choice for those watching their calorie intake, with only around 3 calories per 240 ml cup.
- Thanks to the chlorogenic acid found in black coffee, it has the potential to slow down glucose production, so it is not stored as fat.
- Boosting metabolism is another remarkable feature of black coffee. The caffeine present stimulates thermogenesis, which is the generation of heat and energy from digesting food, aiding in burning calories even when at rest.
- Black coffee can also aid in reducing appetite. The caffeine in the drink lowers ghrelin levels, the hormone that triggers feelings of hunger, leading to less snacking and helping stick to nutritional plans.
- As a natural diuretic, it promotes increased urine production, which assists in flushing out excess water from the body, thereby reducing water retention.
- Although black coffee can contribute to weight loss, it should be remembered that it is one part of a larger weight-loss plan. It is most effective when paired with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
Background to Why You May Need A Coffee Boost
The most common weight loss methods are dieting and exercising, significantly reducing calories that turn into fat. Unfortunately, some people cannot lose weight as much or as quickly as others with diet and exercise alone.
This is because some people naturally have a slower metabolism, meaning their bodies burn fewer calories. As such, they try different methods to improve their metabolism, including drinking more water or green tea. Water temporarily speeds up the metabolism, while green tea increases fat-burning processes.
Aside from a slow metabolism, you may have a set point weight. This is your body’s predisposition for a certain weight.
It differs from person to person, but one thing is common: your body prevents you from going below this specific weight because it feels like it’s fighting against its own nature. Some factors affecting this are genetics, hormones, and medication—all of which you cannot necessarily control. Luckily, you can still lose weight despite your set point. One way is by planning your diet well. This includes choosing black coffee over other coffee types or drinks for the following reasons:
5 Reasons Black Coffee Helps With Weight Loss
Now let’s delve into the reasons why black coffee can be instrumental in achieving your weight loss goals. It’s not a magic, but there are some definite scientific reasons for it.
1. It has a very low-calorie content
Black coffee consists of water and ground coffee alone. Given this, 1 cup (around 240 ml) only contains 3 calories and minimal fat, protein, and trace mineral content. This is part of why people who practice intermittent fasting (a diet pattern involving cycling between eating and fasting) can drink black coffee, as it doesn’t interfere with their fast.
I do intermittent fasting 3x per week (fasting from 8 pm to noon), and I am really grateful that I can drink my morning coffee without breaking the fast. I’m not sure I would be able to do the fast without it.
Even if you’re not fasting, drinking black coffee is a better alternative to sugary beverages like soda. You just need to know the best temperature to brew and drink coffee. Use water between 195 and 205°F for the brewing process to get the optimal extraction of aromas and flavors from the beans. On the other hand, drink your coffee at 136°F, so you can appreciate its taste without burning your tongue.
2. It slows glucose production
One thing that causes weight gain is when the body stores glucose as fat. When the body produces too much glucose due to eating too frequently, it takes longer to remove glucose from the blood.
Drinking black coffee slows glucose production thanks to its chlorogenic acid content. This compound typically has high concentrations in coffee—especially in black coffee because it has no additional ingredients—with potential antioxidant and chemopreventive activities that are known to prevent cancer. In terms of weight loss, it lowers blood glucose concentrations, assisting your dieting efforts.
3. It boosts your metabolism
As discussed above, a slow metabolism can hinder weight loss. The caffeine in black coffee addresses this problem by stimulating thermogenesis, a process where the body generates heat and energy from digestion. As a result, you increase your energy use, helping burn calories even when you’re at rest.
Thus, black coffee will help boost your metabolism and assist in weight loss, even when you’re not exercising.
4. It reduces your feelings of hunger
Your appetite is a significant determinant of weight gain. A bigger appetite will lead you to consume more food to satiate your hunger, preventing you from following your diet plan Caffeine reduces your appetite by lowering your ghrelin levels, the hormone responsible for making you feel hungry.
In short, drinking coffee can help suppress your appetite, so you seldom snack and strictly follow your nutrition plan instead. This is also one of the reasons I am able to do intermittent fasting till noon, without going crazy from hunger 🙂
5. Coffee also helps shed water weight
One of the lesser-known, yet significant benefits of incorporating black coffee into your everyday routine is its ability to help shed water weight.
Water retention can wreak havoc on the body, causing bloating, lethargy, and discomfort. Drinking a cup of black coffee, which is a natural diuretic, promotes increased urine production, thereby aiding in flushing out excess water from the body.
This not only provides a feeling of lightness but also refines your physical appearance as you lose the water weight. Medical experts and fitness professionals recommend sipping on a cup of regular black coffee first thing in the morning to kickstart your metabolism and keep the water-retention woes at bay.
How Much Coffee Can Help You Lose Weight?
Coffee is packed with beneficial antioxidants, but moderation is still key. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends limiting caffeine intake to a maximum of 400 mg per day for healthy adults, which equates to roughly three to four 8-ounce cups of brewed coffee. But that is the maximum amount. Drinking 1 to 2 cups will already deliver its physiological benefits.
While black coffee can potentially aid in weight loss by boosting metabolism and suppressing appetite, it is essential to note that consuming excessive amounts may lead to the unwanted side effects of caffeine overdose, including:
- insomnia,
- anxiety,
- increased heart rate.
So if you drink black coffee for weight loss, do it in moderation, and don’t drink coffee before bed.
Important:
Even though coffee can help in weight loss, it is just a small part of a much larger equation. A balanced diet and lots of exercise are key if you want to reach your weight loss goals. No amount of coffee will substitute them 😉
So even though a 2022 coffee survey revealed that 41% of Americans prefer drinking black coffee, don’t think all of them will be ripped.
What type of coffee should you drink to lose weight?
Making black coffee for weight loss involves using fresh coffee beans, preferably freshly roasted, brewing them with hot water, and not adding any sugar, milk, or cream to keep the calorie count low. You can also use decaffeinated beans for the same benefits without the caffeine.
Drinking pour-over black coffee is best for this purpose. Espresso is not such a good choice, since it is a very small beverage.
I would recommend looking into the Hario V60 or a Chemex, they are my preferred pour-over coffee methods. They are slightly harder to use than a drip coffee maker, but the results are so much better.
FAQ
Here are some questions you may have on the topic.
Drinking black coffee for weight loss can increase energy levels, suppress your appetite, reduce cravings, and enhance your body’s ability to burn fat. Additionally, the chlorogenic acid in black coffee can help prevent the formation of new fat cells.
Yes, there are numerous health benefits of black coffee apart from weight loss. It can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, reduce inflammation, improve brain function, and even provide antioxidants that protect against cell damage.
Drinking excessive amounts of black coffee can lead to weight gain, mainly if you add sugar, cream, or other high-calorie additives. Consuming large amounts of coffee may also contribute to dehydration or disrupt sleep patterns, which could negatively affect weight loss efforts.
You can drink black coffee in combination with other low-calorie beverages like green tea for a diverse source of antioxidants and weight loss-boosting compounds.
Using freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing coffee can ensure the maximum amount of chlorogenic acid, which can help in weight loss. However, any coffee brewed from ground beans contains some level of chlorogenic acid, contributing to weight loss benefits.
Drinking coffee on an empty stomach might lead to an increase in acidity, causing discomfort for some people. If you experience any discomfort, I would advise that you have a light snack with it, or drink it after a meal.
There is no evidence to lemons having any sort of weight loss benefits
Summary
Drinking black coffee is a norm for many people for various reasons. If you’re aiming to lose some pounds and have yet to try drinking black coffee, give it a go to help boost your weight loss efforts.
