Discover the health benefits of coffee and how it can help in your weight loss efforts.
A hot cup of coffee is how many people like to start the day. Some people swear by it and wouldn't think of beginning their day without a fresh cup. Others drink it by the pot. But is it safe? And will it help or hinder your weight loss efforts?
Research has been back and forth on whether a few cups of coffee a day is a healthy habit or not. The latest research shows that it is not only safe to consume several cups of coffee per day, but it can actually help you lose weight.
How Drinking Coffee Helps:
Coffee reduces the risk of type 2 Diabetes.
Coffee gives you more energy for a tougher workout that lasts longer, making it possible to burn more calories.
Coffee does not contribute to heart disease as we previously thought.
Caffeine speeds up your metabolism making it easier for us to burn more calories --- even while at rest.
What To Watch Out For:
Avoid fancy drinks from places like Starbucks that are loaded with hidden ingredients and additional calories. Frappacinnos and Mocha Lattes are not going to help you lose weight.
Don't add cream and sugar to your coffee. These only add extra calories and make you crave more sweets.
Don't give into the donuts, muffins and other similar goodies when you stop to grab a cup of coffee. A donut can add another 200-300 calories (and who can eat just one?) and a muffin can range from 450-700 calories depending on the size and type.
Don't try to cut out coffee and reduce calories all at once. Gradually reduce your intake to phase it out if that is your goal.
Overall, coffee has been given a bad reputation and as long as you don't fill it or pair it with sweets it is a healthy way to start your day and kick start your weight loss.
The copyright of the article Coffee Aids Weight loss in Diet Trends is owned by Tracy Rose. Permission to republish Coffee Aids Weight loss in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
I've noticed that when I drink several cups of coffee it makes me urinate
constantly.. I’m talking 4-5 times in the hour. To me I always considered
this a good thing because even though I have a fast metabolism I seem to
retain water easily and when I drink coffee all that water weight pours
out.
Oct 22, 2008 1:00 PM
Guest :
i got up in the middle of reading this and got a cup of coffee. haha And I
may very well chug it and get up for another cup after reading this other
person's comment. water weight is my biggest enemy.
Oct 29, 2008 10:51 AM
Guest :
water weight is not the weight you should be trying to lose....
Nov 25, 2008 8:45 AM
Guest :
Coffee is a natural diuretic...it will make you shed water weight but, be
careful because you can easily get dehydrated and it causes you to have
frequent bowel movements. I did notice that it is helping me shed the extra
weight.
Nov 28, 2008 9:23 AM
Guest :
I don't think coffee is horrible. I like this article, but you really need
to match the amount of coffee you drink with water. Yeah, you are urinating
a lot, but I bet it's not clear urine. Thats actually not good. Caffeine
pulls fluids from all of your body and pushes them through your kidneys.
Well, your kidneys are filters and you don't want a too much waste going
through them at once. This in time, will cause problems with your kidneys.
Jan 12, 2009 11:59 AM
Guest :
When you are a diabetic you have to be careful as coffee sometimes can make
your sugar go high. Dietians for diabetic tell you to drink only
decafainted coffee but you still must be careful as for this type of coffee
still my sugar high.
Mar 13, 2009 6:53 AM
Guest :
Great article! I always wonder why after a cup of coffee I would have to go
so many times shortly after, now I know why... It makes lots of sense that
you have to match up your coffee intake with water, that's something I
wasn't doing, I will now... you definitely do not want extra waste
filtering thru your kidneys. but I love the fact that it helps in shedding
extra water weight. "B"
May 15, 2009 3:39 AM
Guest :
I woke up thinking of losing weight and my fancy coffee drink from
Starbucks. I was drinking a large one everyday with extra carmel and not a
lot of water. I will now take in more water and I have only one large fancy
coffee every 3 days. This article is very helpful. Thank you.
Jul 5, 2009 4:43 AM
Guest :
I find that the days I drink the most coffee are also the days I eat the
least. Coffee fills me up so much that I forget to eat. Obviously it is FAR
from healthy to live off coffee and almost nothing else so I do try to
remind myself to eat some healthy meals throughout the day, but I just find
it interesting that coffee acts as such an amazing appetite suppressant.
Aug 18, 2009 11:03 AM
Guest :
Water Weight doesn't really matter?? because as soon as you drink something
else you will get it right back. The reason coffee makes you lose weight is
because it increases your metabolism and gives you more energy so you are
more active.
I also agree that coffee acts as sort of an
appettite suppressant. I know when I drink a couple cups I don't eat nearly
as much for lunch as I do normally. This makes me eat a big dinner, which
for me is good because I usually eat junk for lunch and a MUCH healthier
dinner.
Sep 24, 2009 2:12 AM
Guest :
Great article...So many diets ban coffee,tea and juices.Coffee is 98
percent water the way i look at it,and i agree if you grab that Starbucks
big guy, you get up to 1200 calories a cup. Ask for their nutritional chart
the next time you visit, you will be blown away. I am raising my cup of
chocolate macadamia from maui, plain, no sugar or cream.Stay away from the
artifical sweeteners. The body still thnks they are real sugars, and mice
hated the stuff anyway, but then too with research, Mice were never
intended to drink coffee.Moderation, and common sense prevails..Bravo on
the guest comments....
Oct 11, 2009 2:44 PM
Guest :
I'm losing weight by drinking starbucks mocha drink every morning. That
keeps my hunger in check up to 2-3pm. also, eating less calories and
exercising 3 times a day helps a bit. :)
Sep 27, 2006
