Green Coffee For Weight Loss
Charushila is an ISSA certified Fitness Nutritionist and a Physical Exercise Therapist. Over a span of 6 years, she has authored more than 400 articles on diet, lifestyle, exercises, healthy food, and fitness equipment. She strives to inform, educate, and motivate her readers via authentic, straightforward, and fact-checked information.
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Green coffee bean extract is the most talked about weight loss supplements in the world. It is the unroasted form of coffee bean that contains a high amount of chlorogenic acid. Research shows that chlorogenic acid inhibits visceral fat accumulation, has anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular protective properties, and increases insulin sensitivity (1). Moreover, green coffee extract has a lesser amount of caffeine as compared to coffee. But the weight loss claims of green coffee extract is highly contested. And any controversial supplement or food can raise curiosity and concern amongst those who want to use it for weight loss. So, I did a little digging to find out if green coffee extract for weight loss is a fact or faux. Read on to know if you should consider consuming it or drop the plan.
What Is Green Coffee Extract?
The unroasted coffee bean is the green coffee bean. These beans are soaked and concentrated for creating the extract. On the other hand, the coffee that you generally drink is roasted and processed, which is why it looks dark brown in color and has a different aroma. Green coffee extract also tastes much different than coffee. This is the reason why it is not much appealing to coffee enthusiasts. However, green coffee can aid weight loss. Or, is that just a myth? Let’s find out next.
How Does Green Coffee Extract For Weight Loss Work?
Coffee beans are a great source of two phytochemicals – caffeine and chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid is the one that has weight loss properties. However, roasting the coffee bean can destroy the chlorogenic acid, which is why green coffee extract is suitable for those who want to lose weight. Researchers have found that chlorogenic acid can help improve insulin sensitivity by downregulating the genes responsible for inflammation-induced weight gain and galanin-mediated adipogenesis (2). Chlorogenic acid can also prevent fat absorption and boost fat metabolism in the liver, thereby aiding weight loss (3). Green coffee extract can also help lower blood sugar and keep insulin spikes in check (4). Apart from improving fat metabolism, chlorogenic acid also normalizes the obesity-related hormones (5). Chlorogenic acid has also been found to lower plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels in mice (6). Finally, chlorogenic acid also helps in weight loss by decreasing the absorption of sugar (7).
So, it is clear from all the studies mentioned above that green coffee bean targets the root causes of weight gain and therefore can be a potential weight loss agent. Green coffee is marketed in various forms. Find out which form of green coffee is convenient for you to drink.
Which Form Of Green Coffee Is Best For Weight Loss?
Soluble Green Coffee
Simple and quick to prepare, you can enjoy a cup of soluble green coffee just by adding water to a teaspoon of green coffee powder. There are three types of soluble green coffee that are marketed – powdered, freeze dried, and granulated. The powdered coffee is produced by crushing the green coffee beans in hot water under pressure. Freeze-dried green coffee is the best quality soluble green coffee. It is produced by freezing strong coffee infusions and vacuuming to dehydrate the coffee crystals. Granular coffee is created by accumulating coffee powder and using steam to form pellets. Though soluble coffee can be prepared instantly, it has more caffeine content. So, green coffee extract might be a great alternative to soluble coffee. Read the next section to find out more.
Green Coffee Extract
Green coffee extract has the highest amount of Chlorogenic acid and has more nutrients. It is sold in the form of pills or powdered form. The green coffee beans are processed to extract most of the chlorogenic acid. However, you should check with your doctor before buying a pack of green coffee powder or pills for weight loss. Now, the next big question is, how you can lose weight with green coffee? Let’s find out.
How To Use Green Coffee For Weight Loss?
1. Green Coffee
To prepare green coffee, buy a pack of green coffee beans from the market. Use a coffee grinder to grind the green coffee beans and brew a cup of green coffee. Do not use sugar or artificial sweetener. If you get bored of drinking this, you can add other weight loss ingredients to lose weight quickly.
2. Green Coffee With Mint Leaves
Add mint leaves to your cup of green coffee. Let it steep for 5 minutes, and then drink it. Mint has weight loss properties and will help flush out the toxins.
3. Green Coffee With Cinnamon
Add 1 inch cinnamon stick to a cup of water. Let it steep overnight. Use this water to prepare your green coffee the next morning. Cinnamon helps to regulate blood sugar levels, improves insulin sensitivity, reduces LDL cholesterol, and has anti-inflammatory properties.
4. Green Coffee With Ginger
While you brew your green coffee, add a teaspoon of crushed ginger to it. Do not strain it immediately. Let it steep for 5 minutes and then strain and drink it. Ginger contains gingerol that has a thermic effect on the body. It also helps increase insulin sensitivity.
5. Green Coffee With Turmeric
Though this combination may seem a little odd, it works the best. Add ½ a teaspoon of crushed turmeric root to your coffee and let it steep for 3 minutes. Turmeric aids weight loss by boosting fat metabolism, increasing insulin sensitivity, and reducing inflammation.
As you can see, you do not have to get bored drinking the same old green coffee. But when is the right time to drink it? Find out in the next section.
When Is The Best Time To Drink Green Coffee For Weight Loss?
- In the morning, before or after a workout.
- In the morning, with breakfast.
- In the afternoon, before lunch.
- In the evening, with a healthy evening snack.
Green Coffee Dosage
The recommended dosage of chlorogenic acid for weight loss is 200 – 400 mg/day.
But can you drink unlimited cups of green coffee and lose weight? Explained in the next section.
How Many Cups Of Green Coffee Should You Drink For Weight Loss?
Anything in excess can be dangerous. Therefore, limit your green coffee intake to only 3 cups every day. Drinking excess cups of green coffee will not reap any faster results.
Tip – Avoid drinking green coffee immediately after a meal.
But the big question is, is drinking green coffee safe? Let me explain.
Is Drinking Green Coffee Safe?
The marketed green coffee products by various companies may contain chlorogenic acid and caffeine in different concentrations. Moreover, since supplements do not have to be consistent in terms of composition, low-quality green coffee can be sold in the name of high-quality green coffee. Finally, the caffeine in low-quality green coffee can react with other drugs and supplements that you are currently on. So, before you decide to consume green coffee, do a thorough research and talk to your doctor to find out which is the best brand to opt for. Take a look at the benefits and side effects section before you make up your mind.
Benefits Of Drinking Green Coffee
- Boosts metabolism that helps burn the fat.
- Improves blood circulation.
- Helps in liver detoxification.
- Helps to lower bad cholesterol and regulates blood sugar levels.
- Drinking green coffee can help you feel full for a longer duration, thereby preventing binge eating.
- Helps improve brain activity that will keep you active through the day.
Now, let’s see what are its side effects.
Side Effects Of Green Coffee
- Nausea
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Indigestion
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Increased heart rate
- Fatigue
- Loss of calcium and magnesium
- Ringing ears
- Can interfere with antidepressants, diabetes, and blood pressure drugs
Now, before you come to a quick conclusion, let’s find out all about the controversy that surrounds this possible weight loss miracle.
Green Coffee For Weight Loss – Fact Or Fiction?
Though a few research papers have proved that green coffee extract can help you lose weight, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S Senate Subcommittee on Science, and Transportation Committee don’t seem to agree. They argued that the participant size was too small and the experiments were poorly designed. Therefore, even if green coffee shows some signs of weight loss, it cannot be called as the ultimate weight loss supplement. By doing so, the manufacturers are misleading the consumers. In fact, when Dr. Oz talked about this sensational weight loss supplement on his show in 2012, he was criticized and the guest on his show, Lindsey Duncan, was fined $9 million for misleading the viewers with deceptive information that did not have enough scientific backup.
To conclude, losing weight is difficult, but not impossible. If you want to lose weight, you should eat healthy and workout regularly. And if your doctor gives it a thumbs up, you can use weight loss supplements like green coffee extract. But remember, only using green coffee extract to lose weight will not give you any results. Give it a good thought before you start using it. Take care!
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