Coffee is a morning ritual for the majority of people and the first thing most of us consume when we wake up. Coffee contains caffeine which is a stimulant which provides a boost of energy to get us going for the day. The way we take our coffee though makes a great difference to the benefits it can bestow us including helping us to lose weight and keep it off.
However to derive these results it is important to ditch additives to your coffee such as sugar, milk or cream and keep it black.
Black coffee for weight loss
Coffee contains components such as chlorogenic acid (CA) which acts as an accelerator to aid weight loss. CA helps to slow down the production of glucose in the body. The caffeine in black coffee activates metabolic activity in the body increasing energy. A study published in Obesity, Research Journal observed that in people that were overweight the consumption of black coffee with breakfast resulted in a lesser intake of food during lunchtime, although this catalytic effect is only short term it is still an effective way to aid weight loss. It has also been studied that caffeine effectively acts on the hunger hormone Peptide YY (PYY) This polypeptide is secreted from the cells of the large intestine which in turn acts as an appetite suppressant. Drinking a cup of coffee before a workout will also help to burn more calories and as black coffee also has a diuretic effect it increases urination and decreases water content in the body which leads to weight gain for many people.
Black coffee is also beneficial for alleviating depression. Numerous studies have indicated that black coffee can help to prevent mild to moderate depression. Researchers at Qingdao University Medical College in China carried out a meta-analysis on the results of 15 of the previous studies done in regards to the correlation between coffee consumption and depression. The results published in the March 2016 issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, found that there is up to an eight percent reduced risk of developing depression per average cup of caffeinated coffee consumed per day and because of the caffeine component (found in many painkillers) it can be a useful aid in relieving headaches (when not drunk in excess) Black coffee consumption is also associated with notable improvements in blood cholesterol levels.
Because of the caffeine ingredient contained in coffee it is important to drink it in the mornings and not at night. Sleep is also a very important component for a weight loss programme and we also need good quality sleep to maintain our health and fitness. Sleep is a natural fat burning method that the body needs to regain energy. By drinking black coffee too late in the day and especially at night you run the risk of having a bad night’s sleep resulting in your body being tired the next day and storing more insulin to sustain the energy it will require to compensate for the lack of sleep.
Start drinking black coffee in the morning and improve your health and figure. Giving up the sweet pleasure of sugar laden coffee is not easy but after you start taking your coffee ‘black’ and reaping the rewards it will become just another lifestyle change you have incorporated into your long term weight loss plan.