Coffee is genuinely refreshing, revitalizing, and a favorite drink among many, having both positive and negative effects on human health. But one effect, in particular, stands out, especially for those who are weight conscious.
So how does coffee affect your weight?
On a positive note, it can support weight loss if used correctly and along with other measures.
Moreover, coffee contains more caffeine than other beverages, which may lead to weight gain when consumed in large quantities.
Excessive consumption of coffee leads to increased sugar cravings and poor sleeping habits, which may cause you to add more pounds.
Besides, consuming coffee with additions containing too many calories and added sugar has been linked to weight gain.
Depending on how and the quantity you consume, the effects of coffee cuts across the board in weight management.
Researchers have done many studies on the impact of coffee on health, especially on weight.
So let’s figure out how a coffee drink can make you gain weight.
How Does a Cup of Coffee Help to Cut Weight?
In its natural state, plain black coffee naturally contains few calories and may help you achieve a healthy weight.
The amount of calories consumed directly impacts your weight. And science has proven that one of the best ways to reduce weight entails creating a deficit of calories.
But how does one create caloric deficit? This can be achieved in 2 ways:
- Physical exercise, and
- Calorie restriction
It is easy to reduce calorie intake by drinking lower-calorie beverages like coffee. Among other things, cutting coffee consumption will make a significant difference in weight management.
In contrast, consuming the same amount of sugar-containing water may cause weight gain of up to 2 kilograms (4 pounds) in 6 months.
Despite drinking coffee regularly and relishing its sweet taste, many people can not tell how many calories do coffee beverages contain?
Coffee has a very low-calorie level compared to most beverages. For instance, an average cup (240 ml) of brewed black coffee contains about two calories.
Therefore, sugarless black coffee can be one of the most efficient ways to reduce overall calorie intake. If you are watching your weight, sugarless black coffee effectively substitutes high-calorie beverages like soda, chocolate milk, and juice.
Despite that, some coffee drinkers prefer to add ingredients to their drinks, which results in additional calories and body weight.
How Does Caffeine Enhance Metabolism?
Caffeine is a naturally present stimulant, typically found in soda, coffee, and tea, with coffee having the most caffeine per serving out of these three. For instance, the average cup of brewed coffee comprises nearly 95 milligrams of caffeine. Even so, the caffeine levels in a coffee drink vary based on the type of coffee bean, roasting, and preparation methods.
Drinking coffee has the health benefit of boosting your metabolic rate – a matrix of measures showing the value of calories you burn per day. Leveraging this benefit, manufacturers include caffeine as a critical ingredient in the production of weight loss supplements.
Caffeine in large doses, on the other hand, may be required to influence metabolism significantly.
In several studies, researchers revealed that a caffeine intake of 10 milligrams per kilogram (4.5 milligrams per pound) of body weight speeds up the metabolic rate by nearly 15%. For an adult weighing 150 pounds, this equates to 680 milligrams of caffeine, or 7 cups (1,660 ml) of coffee (68 kg)
Even so, some evidence shows that regular caffeine use can help keep weight in check and even help reduce it.
In another study running for 12 years, scientists linked caffeine intake to weight loss. However, the respondents who ingested the most caffeine were only approximately half a kilo lighter than those who consumed the least.
Separate research examined people who had successfully lost weight. Again, people who consumed the most caffeine and coffee had a greater chance of keeping their weight off in the long term.
Caffeine Suppresses Hunger
Weight loss is another benefit of caffeine.
Several factors affect appetite, including meal food composition, hormones, and the amount of exercise you do. For example, drinking caffeinated coffee reduces levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone.
According to another research, people who drink caffeinated coffee require lesser calories during the day than those who do not.
Nevertheless, caffeine’s effect on appetite suppression is mixed, with some studies claiming that it has little or no effect on feeling full.
Key points:
- Plain black coffee contains high caffeine level and low calories
- Coffee has caffeine, a natural stimulant that causes weight loss in two ways. One, it boosts metabolism, and two, it reduces hunger
What is the Possibility that Coffee Promotes Weight Gain
You can use coffee to manage weight in two ways; it might promote weight loss in some cases, but it can adversely affect weight in other ways as well.
How does caffeine Interfere with Sleep Patterns?
People love coffee so much because it is a natural stimulant, especially when you need to stay alert and energized.
As a stimulant, caffeine inhibits adenosine, a brain chemical responsible for inducing sleep.
This attribute is crucial, especially when you wake up in the morning or need an energy boost. But on the other hand, the same feature may disrupt your sleep pattern if consumed late in the day.
So, caffeine can affect sleep patterns and lead to weight gain. In addition, researchers have linked sleep deprivation with obesity, increased cravings for processed foods, and a greater appetite.
A Popular Coffee Pairing may Make You Fat
There is a perception that coffee pairs well with sweet treats, such as pastries. The truth is that the caffeine in coffee alters your perception of sweetness, so you become hungrier and crave sweet foods.
You may gain weight if you regularly consume a high-sugar snack with your coffee.
All is not lost; there is a way out.
Start your day in high moods by enjoying your coffee with snacks that minimize sugar cravings and make you feel full—particularly protein and healthy fat.
For example, you could eat oatmeal with a few nuts or an egg for breakfast to start your day.
Including proteins and fats in the diet can help reduce sugar cravings and prolong feelings of fullness.
Adding Calorie and Sugar rich Ingredients
While black coffee has few calories, many people prefer to add milk and sugar to it, adding calories and sugar.
In major towns, coffee shops and popular franchises beckon coffee lovers. Most of these outlets offer sweetened coffee drinks containing added sugar and hundreds of calories on their menus. Various types of coffee drinks available in these coffee shops, including;
- Starbucks Grande – 16 oz, 470 ml
- Caramel Frappuccino – 420 calories with 66 grams of sugar
When you consume sugary beverages regularly, such as sweetened coffee, you might gain weight and become obese.
Bulletproof coffee is another trendy coffee drink, which involves adding healthy fats such as butter or coconut oil to the beverage to make a high-calorie drink. As a result, it has low carbs, making it ideal for weight loss and increase energy. But on the downside, it has low nutrients, higher saturated fat, and may increase cholesterol levels.
It is okay to consume healthy fats in moderation – they have health benefits. But adding excessive amounts of these high-calorie, high-fat foods to your drink without compensating for the extra calories could have unintended consequences such as weight gain.
Key points
- Excessive consumption of caffeinated coffee could negatively affect sleep patterns
- Coffee drinks with other ingredients may have excess calories and fat
Coffee and Weight Gain
If you are concerned about your body size and shape, there are several ways to enjoy your daily coffee without gaining weight.
It is essential to moderately use sugar and other ingredients to minimize the effects of coffee on the body. Common ingredients such as flavored creamers, table sugar, liquid sweeteners, and pre-prepared lattes have many calories and sugar.
Nevertheless, you can reduce the sugar intake even with flavors and other ingredients in coffee beverages.
- Add a melted dark square of high-quality chocolate.
- Consider using a natural sweetener like stevia, which is free of calories.
- Try coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk, or half-and-half
- Add a little cinnamon.
- Add 2 or 3 drops of vanilla.
Even so, some ingredients such as coconut milk and half-and-half contain low sugar levels, yet they have a higher caloric content than those in other additions. Therefore, using these products in small quantities in your coffee will help you avoid consuming excess calories.
Drinking plain black coffee might be a tall order to some people because of its naturally bitter taste. However, getting used to the bitter taste may require gradual reductions of the added sweetener.
For example, every time you add a sweetener, try to add a little less than previous. Similarly, during your shopping, you could pick a smaller quantity of the sweetener.
Brewing your coffee at home is an effective way to monitor and control calories and sugar levels.
But if you fancy Bulletproof coffee, use healthy fats, and for better results, use minimum quantities.
Remember that your daily calorie intake lies firmly in your hands, so be sure to monitor and control it.
Key point
Watch your body weight by:
- Minimize added sugar
- Use healthy fats
- Avoid excess calories
Conclusion
Scientists have extensively studied the effects of coffee on body weight.
Despite its effects on diet and metabolism, coffee does not make you gain weight. On the contrary, it may stimulate weight loss by increasing metabolic rate and curbing appetite.
A cup of black has fewer calories. But consuming coffee with added ingredients high in calories and sugar changes the equation, leading to weight gain. Besides, excessive consumption of coffee disrupts sleeping patterns, causing weight loss on top of other health issues.
So if you desire to lose weight, then plain black coffee is your best friend. And if you cannot take it without additives, keep track and monitor sugar and caloric levels.
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