0

Your Cart is Empty

Does coffee help weight loss? Coffee Diet Pros & Cons

Does coffee help weight loss? Coffee Diet Pros & Cons

Clark Clark
10 minute read

Listen to article
Audio is generated by DropInBlog's Blog Voice AI and may have slight pronunciation nuances. Learn more

When you’re trying to lose weight, it can often feel like everything is off-limits. But thankfully, in a sea of changes, one thing remains the same: the benefits of coffee make it one special little bean.

First, let’s answer the question. Can coffee help with weight loss? Yes, drinking coffee can support weight loss. But depending on how you drink it, it can also hurt your weight loss efforts.

We’ve compiled the evidence that coffee can aid in your weight loss journey. Read on for the potential pitfalls and best benefits of drinking coffee while shedding pounds.

Looking for the healthiest, best-tasting coffee on the planet? Try our original coffee, a smooth, nutty gold roast that’s the perfect healthy alternative to dark roast coffee (which can damage the teeth and gut).

What is the coffee diet?

The “coffee diet” is a phrase that refers to the following eating plan created by Bob Arnot, MD. The basic tenets of the coffee diet include:

  • Drinking at least 3 cups of black coffee daily for fat burning
  • Eating 1,500 calories or less
  • Choosing a healthy diet of vegetables, lean proteins, unrefined grains, and unprocessed foods

Dr. Arnot purports that this eating (and coffee drinking) plan will burn fat and help shed pounds. While many people report success using this plan, there’s no conclusive evidence for how well the coffee diet works yet.

What coffee helps you lose weight? Light roast coffee may help dieters lose bodyweight faster. Lighter coffee roasts, such as a gold roast, have a higher level of antioxidants and a less bitter taste, making it easier for coffee drinkers to consume without sweeteners.

Critics of the coffee diet say that the level of caloric restriction may be unsustainable. However, what’s not in question is the ability of black coffee to boost fat burn.

In reality, whether or not you follow Arnot’s “coffee diet,” there is plenty of evidence that drinking coffee as part of a healthy eating plan and active lifestyle can support a healthy weight.

How Coffee Can Aid Weight Loss

In many cases, coffee can aid weight loss thanks to its many beneficial properties. While health experts used to warn against the dangers of coffee, we’ve now realized that coffee can be good for you

The FDA now states that up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is safe for consumption. That comes out to roughly 4 cups of coffee. More than this amount can lead to side effects and even caffeine withdrawals.

How much coffee should you drink to lose weight? To lose weight, you should drink 3-4 cups of black coffee a day. This habit may burn body fat faster and suppress hunger. However, more than 4 cups of coffee exceed the recommended FDA guidelines for caffeine.

Now, to the fun stuff: Your favorite beverage can help you lose weight and feel great while doing it.

What are the health benefits of drinking coffee? The health benefits of drinking coffee can include properties that promote weight loss. Regularly ingesting black coffee:

  • Promotes fat burn
  • Suppresses appetite
  • Provides antioxidants
  • Increases fasting benefits

It’s important to note that caffeine is behind many of these benefits, which means you’ll want to opt for caffeinated coffee when trying to lose weight.

One more note: Coffee on its own is delicious, but probably won’t help you lose body fat on its own. It simply has its place in a healthy diet.

1. Promotes Fat Burn

Coffee can increase the rate at which the body burns fat. Not only does it encourage the body to use fat stores, but it also may give you the boost of energy you need to get more active, compounding its fat-burning properties.

Whether or not you’re in the gym, coffee boosts your metabolism and may even increase your basal metabolic rate. A higher metabolic rate leads you to burn more calories, regardless of physical activity level.

2. Suppresses Appetite

It’s no secret that most people’s eating habits change when trying to lose weight, and nobody likes being hungry. Thankfully, a cup of joe can serve as an appetite suppressant.

Research demonstrates that coffee has powerful appetite suppressing effects. Its properties include delaying your stomach emptying and regulating the hormones that signal hunger. Simply put, coffee helps you feel satisfied for longer.

3. Provides Antioxidants

More good news: Coffee is an excellent source of antioxidants. In particular, polyphenols have been proven to not only fight disease, but also to promote weight loss. These compounds are plentiful in both coffee and green tea.

Light roast coffees are an excellent source of polyphenols, which have also been shown to boost the healthy bacteria in your gut (another helpful factor for shedding unwanted pounds).

These lighter roasts also have greater amounts of chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant that may slow your body’s absorption of carbs and lower blood sugar. 

On the other hand, medium and dark roast coffee beans have often lost some of their caffeine content and antioxidants during the roasting process.

Looking for a tasty light roast to try? Our variety pack offers 3 flavorful options.

4. Increases Fasting Benefits

Science says that intermittent fasting with black coffee can help you reach your goals.

Beyond weight loss, studies have indicated that drinking coffee may also increase the anti-inflammatory and disease-fighting effects of intermittent fasting. For those on the keto diet, it can also support ketosis.

The compounding effects of fasting and coffee may help you lose weight faster.

How Coffee Can Stop Weight Loss

Though coffee can have impressive weight loss benefits, it may interfere with weight loss if not consumed thoughtfully. 

Here’s what you need to watch out for when drinking coffee for weight loss:

  • Sugar
  • Additives
  • Sleep
  • Digestive disruption

Sugar

Adding sugar to your coffee can wreck its benefits. Added sugars in coffee equate to added calories, which can set back your weight loss goals. What’s more, elevated blood sugar is linked to weight gain.

Sugar can also increase your insulin levels, leading to increased hunger and cravings. 

The bottom line is to choose a coffee with no added sugars. Beyond its potential effects on your overall health, sugary coffee can also slow your weight loss goals.

Does black coffee help with weight loss? Yes, black coffee is a low-calorie beverage that can help speed fat burn and weight loss. Black coffee may also help increase performance during workouts.

If you’re looking for a delicious coffee with no sugar, check out our flavorful Chai Spiced Gold.

Additives

Not a big fan of unflavored coffee? If you’re quick to reach for the bottled creamer, beware: There are tons of unhealthy additives lurking in coffee creamers beyond added sugars. 

These additives can cause a host of issues that interfere with weight loss, from inflammation to gut issues (which we discuss more below) and more.

Other “healthy” coffee additives may also slow your efforts to drop a few pounds if you’re not careful. 

For instance, butter coffee — popular among keto dieters — is very high in calories. If you’re not on a high-fat, low-carb diet, this type of coffee beverage can throw off your weight loss goals.

Sleep

Many people underestimate the impact of sleep on weight loss. Too little sleep at night can increase your odds of type 2 diabetes, raise your blood pressure, contribute to poor food choices, and more.

Since caffeine’s effects last for quite some time and can disrupt sleep cycles, experts recommend cutting down coffee consumption around 8 hours before bedtime. 

Overdoing caffeine consumption in the late afternoon or evening can actually work against your goals.

Digestive Disruption

For some individuals, coffee can contribute to bloating or worsen IBS symptoms. (On the other hand, roughly 29% of people say that coffee helps them use the restroom directly after use.)

If coffee leaves you feeling bloated or keeps you running to the bathroom, it may not be the fitting addition to your weight loss program. A healthy digestive system is a part of a high-functioning metabolism, and it’s not worth forcing your body to drink coffee if it’s not responding well.

However, the low acidity in gold coffee products helps many coffee drinkers to enjoy beans without the burn. They’re easier on the stomach than regular coffee.

Black Coffee vs. Other Coffee Drinks for Shedding Pounds

Let’s set the record straight: Not all coffee beverages are suitable for your fat loss goals.

Drinks generally found at a coffee shop, like sugary lattes, mochas, and Starbucks Frappuccinos, aren’t exactly known for their slimming properties. Many pre-sweetened drinks or flavored creamers come with their own added calories.

If you’re aiming for weight loss, take your coffee black. 

Don’t like the bitter taste of traditional dark roast? Try a smooth, nutty Original Gold Coffee instead.

Does black coffee help in weight loss? For many people, drinking black coffee can help with weight loss. Studies have shown its ability to increase fat burn, decrease hunger levels, and improve performance during workouts.

Check With Your Doctor

Not everyone should be using coffee for weight management. Leading health experts recommend that individuals with the following conditions consult with a doctor first:

Coffee may interfere with or worsen these conditions, even when used as part of a weight loss program. However, this is not a definitive list, and any plan to decrease your body mass should be discussed with a professional.

Coffee for weight loss is also not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

One final note:A current trend suggests green coffee bean extract to lose weight. There are many potential health interactions, and you should not take this supplement without medical supervision.

Sources

Ā« Back to Blog