
Nowadays, coffee has become the central component of a weight loss routine some refer to as “the coffee diet.”
What is the coffee diet, exactly?
The premise of the diet claims that coffee burns fat, suppresses the appetite and speeds up metabolism. Combined with a sensible eating plan, the diet says that consumers should drink hot, black coffee right after each meal, before bathing and just before exercising.
Can the coffee diet promote weight loss?
So is coffee really the solution to shedding pounds and keeping them off? Due to the aforementioned benefits, which are research-backed, it may help. Yet keep in mind a few important points.
First, sipping java throughout the day without regard to the rest of your diet will probably not yield results. Simply displacing healthy meals and snacks with black coffee can become a form of restriction that deprives your body of nutrients, plus zaps your mental and physical energy. In other words, it’s not just the coffee itself but the balance of your overall eating pattern that’s key to weight loss.
For some people, coffee can trigger digestive irritation, including heartburn, and an upset stomach. Too much caffeine can also increase blood pressure, cause anxiety, rapid heartbeat, rebound fatigue, dehydration, and interfere with sleep.
I generally advise my clients to cut off all caffeine at least six hours before bed, and to listen to their bodies for signs that they may be overdoing it. It’s also important to consume a consistent amount of caffeine each day. This helps the body adjust, and can offset caffeine’s diuretic effect. Fortunately, decaf still offers a number of benefits, so if you want to try to increase your coffee intake for the polyphenol benefits, you may want to stick with “unleaded” entirely.
Bottom line: Coffee is good for you, especially without the add-ins. But it’s not a magic bullet, and too much can lead to unwanted side effects. If you’re a coffee lover, enjoy it in a healthy balance. But if you’re trying to lose weight, remain focused on the bigger picture. Eating clean, being active, getting enough sleep, and managing stress are still the pillars of healthy, sustainable weight loss.