Hardly any beverage is ascribed so many effects as coffee: it is supposed to banish fatigue, promote concentration, relieve headaches and activate fat burning. Above all, knowledge of the stimulating effect of caffeine on the cardiovascular system has led to coffee being touted in many a diet guide as a “miracle cure” for losing weight.
Does coffee help you lose weight?
But can coffee really help with weight loss? It is certain that the pounds do not melt alone by drinking coffee. We reveal how much truth is in the partly supposed wisdom and how you can use coffee sensibly in your diet.
Fat burning: only effective with exercise
Studies have shown that the caffeine contained in coffee actually promotes the release of fatty acids from the depots (lipolysis). However, this process alone is not enough to make the fat deposits disappear. This is because if the free fatty acids are not consumed as part of an increased energy requirement, the body stores them again.
Caffeine can therefore only support fat burning in combination with sufficient exercise. However, whether a cup of coffee before exercise increases calorie consumption to the necessary extent has not yet been proven.
Tricking out cravings with coffee
Black coffee contains virtually no calories and is therefore perfectly permissible during a diet. In addition, the warm drink fills the stomach and can thus reduce cravings. So if you find yourself craving rather unhealthy snacks between meals, try having a cup of coffee instead of reaching for a candy bar or cornflakes.
But be careful: sugar, syrup, cream or lots of milk, as in the popular trendy drink latte macchiato, can quickly turn coffee into a calorie bomb. Therefore, it is best to enjoy your coffee pure or with just a small shot of low-fat milk.
Green coffee: effect not proven
A new diet trend from the USA are dietary supplements with extract from green coffee beans. The active ingredient chlorogenic acid contained is said to reduce the absorption of sugar in the intestine and thus support weight loss. So far, however, no reliable studies exist to prove the effectiveness of the preparations.
Healthy diet and exercise essential
So if you want to lose weight, you do not have to give up coffee: In low-calorie preparation form, the popular hot drink can support a diet. Decisive for a permanent weight loss, however, is a balanced diet in conjunction with sufficient exercise.
Radical fasting cures and zero diets, on the other hand, are expressly not recommended: they do not bring long-term success and can seriously damage health.
