Can drinking coffee help you lose weight? Nutritionist: It’s not caffeine that’s the most magical, it’s this…

Coffee lovers believe that drinking coffee has a lot of benefits. For example, many studies have shown that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop cancer, type 2 diabetes, depression, dementia and heart disease. Some even support that drinking coffee can help lose weight and burn fat. Which ingredients in coffee have such magical effects? How can we drink coffee wisely to truly achieve the magical effect of both health preservation and weight loss? Let’s hear what the nutritionist says.

Coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which can promote fat metabolism and relieve cell inflammation

When it comes to drinking coffee to lose weight and burn fat, the ingredient that everyone knows and often discusses is caffeine. In fact, in addition to caffeine, there is another active ingredient called chlorogenic acid (also known as Chlorogenic acid). Nutritionist Lin Shihang said that chlorogenic acid is a polyphenol. Past studies have found that it may help improve insulin sensitivity and promote fat metabolism by regulating intestinal hormone secretion or stimulating fat cells. In addition, chlorogenic acid can alleviate cell inflammation. In fact, obesity is often caused by long-term inflammation in the body, so inhibiting inflammation in the body can help improve obesity.

Chlorogenic acid is a natural phytochemical found in many foods, such as coffee, apples, pears, tomatoes, blueberries, etc. Among them, coffee contains the highest concentration of chlorogenic acid. The chlorogenic acid content of coffee beans mainly depends on the variety and roasting. Among the varieties, Robusta coffee beans have a higher chlorogenic acid content, about twice that of Arabica beans. Roasting is also the key. The lighter the roasted coffee beans, the more chlorogenic acid they can retain.

Coffee is lightly roasted or medium roasted to absorb more chlorogenic acid

Once coffee beans are over-roasted, not only will the chlorogenic acid content be almost decomposed, but the aroma and flavor will also disappear. Therefore, you might want to try light roasting with bright fruity acids, or medium roasting with caramel and cocoa nutty flavors, so that you can absorb more chlorogenic acid.

A manufacturer of health food coffee drinks once conducted a study on 109 men and women with visceral obesity. The study asked them to drink a cup of chlorogenic acid drink a day for 12 weeks. The results showed that their average weight decreased by 1.5 kg and their abdominal fat decreased by 9.3 square centimeters. This experiment was a double-blind experiment. The subjects were divided into two groups. One group drank a coffee drink containing 300 mg of chlorogenic acid, and the other group drank a coffee drink without chlorogenic acid. Then the results were compared. The final results showed that only chlorogenic acid has the effect of burning fat. A research report published in the Journal of the Association of Nutrition and Dietetics also showed that caffeine has no positive effect on weight loss.

Nutritionist: Drinking coffee alone will not have a good effect on weight loss

Does "drinking coffee to lose weight" depend on the chlorogenic acid content? Nutritionist Lin Shihang said that chlorogenic acid helps with insulin sensitivity and fat metabolism, but the concentration of coffee may not reach an effective dose, and there are many forms of coffee, some with milk, some with sugar and cream, and weight loss still depends on the overall diet. Therefore, it is recommended that people who want to lose weight have the correct mindset and an overall diet and exercise plan. Drinking coffee alone will not have a good effect on weight loss.

What precautions should be taken when drinking coffee? Nutritionist Lin Shihang said that coffee can be used as a hobby drink with functional effects, but it should not be consumed in large quantities or replace water. In terms of drinking suggestions, first of all, do not add sugar, creamer, fresh cream, etc. to reduce the burden on the body. Moreover, coffee contains caffeine. According to the government's caffeine limit recommendations, 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day is acceptable. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you should avoid coffee products to reduce problems such as palpitations and headaches.