Coffee + Lemon Juice: Weight Loss Dream Team?

Whether adding CBD for a calming effect or lavender for floral notes, we love creating coffee concoctions to enhance the average cup of joe. But what about a splash of lemon juice? 

Though lemon coffee doesn’t sound so splendid, a number of TikTok users claim this drink is the latest weight-loss hack. 

Does lemon coffee really work? No, drinking coffee with lemon juice will not magically melt belly fat. While coffee and lemon juice each offer health benefits, pairing them won’t make weight loss more efficient nor will it compound additional health perks.

Who Started It?

Lemon coffee has actually been around for quite some time. In the 1830’s, the French had begun to invade Algeria. In 1840, an Algerian resistance seized a fortress in Mazagran occupied by 123 French soldiers.

With supplies running low, the French were no longer able to cut their coffee with brandy or milk as they normally would and they began to use cold water instead. This cold water addition also helped with the heat and made the coffee supply last longer.

Once these soldiers returned to France, they made requests for this cold coffee drink they had created and became accustomed to, un Mazagran, in cafes. Its popularity spread.

Mazagran has been designated as the first cold coffee. Through the years, the drink evolved into a coffee-lemonade of sorts with added lemon juice. The cirtusy zing of the lemon juice was meant to mask the duller flavor of lower-quality coffee beans.

Interestingly, Mazagran remains popular not in France or Algeria as one might think, but in Portugal.

Regarding the TikTok trend of drinking lemon coffee to lose weight, we’re not sure exactly who started it. Because lemons and coffee are common kitchen items, maybe someone decided to pair them and claim them as a convenient miracle weight-loss duo.

Such a claim by an influencer on any social media platform could easily gain traction for a time.

Ingredients

Lemon coffee is just one cup of coffee with the lemon juice of about half a lemon. Several recipes call for a sweetener of some kind which could help the taste. 

Though it might be tempting to make a lemon coffee latte, don’t! The lemon juice will curdle the milk.

What is the author’s opinion of coffee and lemon? I would try almost anything once. While it sounds a bit strange, it also sounds intriguing. After all, a number of lighter roasts already have citrus flavor notes.

Can Coffee Help You Lose Weight?

Coffee can lend itself to the weight loss process. That’s because caffeine intake aids in reducing body weight, fat, and BMI.

It also increases metabolic rates significantly. Granted, caffeine typically increases metabolism briefly when it’s active in your system. Accelerated metabolism causes the body to release more of the fat-burning hormone, norepinephrine.

Coffee has been linked to a decreased level of ghrelin, better known as the hunger hormone. In addition, sipping on a beverage over a period of time can lead to a feeling full for a longer period of time. This makes coffee the perfect drink for intermittent fasting. Because each cup of coffee only has 3-5 calories at most, it can ease fasting periods without break them. 

What coffee is best for weight loss?Black coffee is best when it comes to weight loss. Sweeteners, milk, and cream can add unwanted calories quickly.

It is worth noting that your body adjusts to caffeine consumption, meaning caffeine’s effects can lessen over time with frequent consumption.

Higher coffee consumption does not simply equate to more pounds dropped. Though coffee boosts metabolism and energy levels, the FDA recommends drinking no more than 4 cups a day. Too much caffeine can result in negative side effects like:

• Abdominal pain
• Anxiety
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations
• Increased blood pressure
• Fatigue

Some symptoms, such as anxiety or fatigue, could work against someone trying to lose weight. Both are often triggers to self-medicate with food.

Can Lemons Help You Lose Weight?

Not so much. The idea that lemons might help with weight loss stems from the many diets that recommend regularly drinking lemon water. Weight loss regimens or diets primarily recommend water because water aids with 1) hydration and 2) satiety. Lemon became a part of the equation simply because it offers a refreshing citrus taste.

Though lemons don’t contain incredible weight loss characteristics, they do have health benefits. As a citrus fruit, lemons are rich in vitamin C which fortifies the immune system and helps repair damage to cell tissues. It also assists with collagen production, iron absorption, and bone and cartilage upkeep.

Other Coffee + Lemon Health Claims

Though weight loss is the most popular claim made by lemon coffee proponents, a few others have cropped up as well.

• Healthier skin: Both coffee and lemon contain plenty of antioxidants, which have been shown to improve skin health. Antioxidants combat inflammation in the body which can manifest outwardly. When applied topically, antioxidants fight the aging process. Vitamin C, in particular, helps hydrate and brighten skin.
• Headache relief: Caffeine has been associated with alleviating headaches and acute migraines; however, for some, it can be a trigger. One migraine remedy calls for drinking a mixture of water, lemon juice, and Himalayan salt. This remedy attempts to fight 2 causes of migraines: dehydration and mineral deficiency. Scientifically speaking, the jury’s still out on this one. 
• Diarrhea relief: This benefit calls for munching on ground coffee with lemon. Though coffee does stimulate the stomach and lemon in hot water is considered a natural remedy to help settle the stomach, there’s no scientific data to back this unappetizing claim.

Once again, we see that individually, coffee and lemon have some great health benefits; however, there’s no scientific reason for them to be combined.

Key Takeaways

Social media quick fixes are not the ideal way to lose weight. As much as we might wish for a fast-acting solution for weight loss, the best bet is replacing poor habits with healthy ones.

If you’re working toward a weight loss gaol, the tried-and-true methods hold up:

• Create a calorie deficit. Consume fewer calories than your body requires in a day. We’re not talking starvation here. Cutting a few hundred calories will cause the body to begin using stored fat for energy. Though your stomach might growl in protest, your body is fully capable of functioning on a little less.
• Exercise. Build movement of some kind into your daily routine. Start with short walks around the neighborhood then gradually add more movement. Join a gym or a yoga group. The more you move, the more calories you burn.
• Assess your overall wellness. Take stock of other areas in life that could be affecting your diet. Lack of sleep, high stress levels, and emotional distress can factor into your ability to lose weight. 
• Implement mindfulness. Practice tuning in to each moment rather than running on autopilot. Deep engagement with tasks, thoughts, or responses can help us be more intentional about the daily decisions we make, including those concerning diet, exercise, and wellness.

Everyone’s weight loss journey is unique. To find the best plan for you, discuss your options with a nutritionist or registered dietitian. 

If you’re looking to create healthy coffee habits, start with Golden Ratio. Our silky smooth flavors require no added sweeteners. Not only that, our low-acid coffee is easy on the stomach and comes in pouches for easy prep.

Sources

1. The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
2. Caffeine and coffee: their influence on metabolic rate and substrate utilization in normal weight and obese individuals
3. Four-week coffee consumption affects energy intake, satiety regulation, body fat, and protects DNA integrity - ScienceDirect.
4. The Ambiguous Role of Caffeine in Migraine Headache: From Trigger to Treatment - PMC