Can a single cup of black coffee a day help you shape up?
Well, you may like a cup of black coffee in the morning to wake you up and get you ready for the day, but how much do you know about how it affects you?
Do you know what happens to your body and mind when you drink black coffee? Are you aware of the advantages and disadvantages of black coffee?
In essence, black coffee is just plain coffee prepared without any additions, such as sugar, milk, cream, or flavoring.
While it has a little harsh taste when compared to flavored coffee, many people enjoy a strong cup every day. In fact, for some, it is a regular element of their diet.
One of the common questions we receive from our readers include: is drinking black coffee good for weight loss?
Well, we’ll go over the advantages of drinking black coffee, the connection between black coffee and weight loss, and how to prepare the ideal cup yourself.
So, is black coffee good for weight loss or is black coffee bad for you?
Black Coffee and Weight Loss
If you’re searching for a low-calorie, low-fat, and low-carbohydrate beverage, black coffee is the drink for you.
As a matter of fact, drinking coffee frequently with milk, sugar, cream, or any other additives often becomes a matter of worry.
Calories in black coffee with milk are as high as calories in an extra-large slice of cake.
In other words, black coffee calories with sugar and milk increase up to 700, which is 400 times more than without them.
A typical 8-ounce cup of black coffee comprises the following:
- Fat – 0%
- Cholesterol – 0%
- Sodium – 0%
- Carbohydrates – 0%
- Sugar – 0%
- Potassium – 4%
So, in a nutshell, black coffee calories have a very low count, making it perfect for people searching for a regular drink that won’t affect their health.
Moreover, many people also ask, is black coffee with honey good for weight loss. The answer to this is even if sometimes you put honey in your black coffee, most of the time, you should avoid it.
As clearly stated above, black coffee does not include any calories, fats, or cholesterol, as you can see. This does not, however, imply that it is “healthy” or “nutritional.” The overall nutrition essentially depends on how you prepare it.
If you want to get more nutrition out of your coffee, try several varieties including latte, mocha, and cappuccino.
Many people, including those who consume black coffee on a regular basis, are unaware that the beverage can help them lose weight. They don’t know that it can actually help them burn belly fat rapidly.
How Can Black Coffee Burn Belly Fat?
Doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to reduce weight for a cosmetic cause, health reasons, or just because you don’t feel comfortable in your own skin, black coffee is one of the beverages that will assist you in achieving all those objectives.
Here are the ways through which black coffee can burn fat and reduce weight:
#1. Chlorogenic acid, found in black coffee, aids in the slowing down of glucose synthesis in the body. This indicates that drinking black coffee after a meal reduces the amount of glucose and fat cells produced by your body.
#2. Black coffee is also high in antioxidants, which aids in weight loss.
#3. Because black coffee is high in caffeine, it aids in metabolic activity stimulation and boosts energy levels, therefore reducing appetite.
#4. As previously stated, black coffee is a low-calorie beverage that’s also free of fats and cholesterol. This means that drinking black coffee every day will not cause you to gain weight.
#5. Many individuals like a few minutes of black coffee before going to the gym. This is because it may significantly increase metabolism, allowing you to get more out of your workout.
#6. The reduction of water content in the body is another advantage of black coffee for weight loss. You will lose weight caused due to water retention by reducing extra water in your body through frequent urination.
Hence, it’s clear that black coffee will be a significant weight loss support for you.
How Much Weight Can You Lose by Drinking Black Coffee?
A studio from King’s Collège in London reported that 1 to three cups of black coffee might raise your metabolism to 150 calories per day without affecting the rest of your diet.
According to one study, a caffeine dose of 4.5 mg per pound of body weight (10 mg per kg) increases metabolism by up to 13%.
This equates to 680 mg of caffeine – a whopping 7 cups (1,660 ml) of coffee for a 150-pound person.
Another study associated a rise in the intake of caffeine for 12 years with reduced weight gain.
Regular caffeine users were, however, only 1 pound (0.4 to 0.5 kg) lightweight compared with individuals who had lower caffeine consumption.
A different study looked at persons who had reduced weight successfully. Those who drank more coffee and caffeine, in general, managed their weight loss more successfully over time.
Overall, what matters is how much caffeine you take throughout the day and how your body reacts to it.
Rest, you’ll definitely lose weight by drinking black coffee in the right proportion at the right time.
Therefore, we need to know how and when to take black coffee for improved results.
What is the Best Time to Drink Black Coffee for Weight Loss?
A black coffee diet consists of two to three cups of coffee per day, as a part of a 1,350-calorie daily food plan.
According to research, it’s ideal to consume coffee after a meal rather than before it to maximize fat-burning ability.
So, it’s not a good idea to have black coffee on an empty stomach for weight loss.
Have your first coffee after breakfast and your second coffee in the middle of the morning.
If you’re aiming for three cups, have the third just after lunch as sleep can be disrupted by having it later in the day.
Because it takes about an hour to feel the full effects of caffeine, drinking more than one cup at a time won’t help you.
Select the best quality coffee, ideally fresh for the optimum outcome, although instant coffee still benefits metabolism.
How to Make Black Coffee for Weight Loss?
Instant black coffee is not a bad way to start with at your home as it’s quite easy to make. These are the steps to make your cup:
- Add 2 cups of water to a saucepan.
- Add 1 tablespoon of espresso or instant coffee powder and stir well.
- Boil it. Simmer the coffee for 10 minutes and brew it well.
- For a stronger flavor, brew it more or boil more. Switch off the flame.
- Pour and serve.
If you want to make it a bit sweeter, add honey into it at times.
The recipe for black coffee with honey is as follows:
- Add 1 tablespoon coffee powder to a cup.
- Add 2 tsp of hot water into it.
- Stir well without lumps.
- Add 1 cup of hot water and stir well.
- Add half/1 tsp of honey as per taste.
- Stir it well and serve.
Here are some strategies to limit the intake of sugar and yet add taste to your coffee:
- Sprinkle a little cinnamon.
- Use unsweetened almond or coconut milk.
- Use a little natural, non-calorie sweetener, such as stevia.
- Add a couple of gouts of vanilla.
- Melt in a little dark chocolate square.
Although the sugar content in half of the coconut milk is minimal, it is higher in calories.
So, whatever you add, note that the overall calorie count doesn’t get too high as a result of additions. In fact, the easiest way to avoid high-calorie intake is to use small amounts of these items in your coffee.
Try these recipes not just for weight loss but also for these other benefits that black coffee brings along.
Black Coffee Benefits and Side Effects
In summary, black coffee benefits include:
#1. Beneficial to One’s Cardiovascular Health
Drinking one to two cups of black coffee each day has been shown in studies to lessen your chance of getting different cardiovascular illnesses, including stroke.
This suggests that drinking black coffee over time strengthens your heart. Furthermore, it reduces inflammation in the body.
#2. Boost Your Memory
Black coffee is well-known for its memory-enhancing properties. As we age, our cognitive abilities deteriorate, and we are more likely to develop memory-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Parkinson’s.
#3. Benefits for Your Liver
One of the most significant advantages of black coffee is that it improves liver function. Your liver is a critical organ in your body that performs a variety of activities.
So, you must maintain a healthy lifestyle, and black coffee is ideal for this.
The consumption of black coffee on a regular basis has been associated with the prevention of liver cancer, fatty liver disease, hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis.
According to studies, people who drink four cups of black coffee every day have a considerably decreased risk of having any type of liver illness.
This is due to the fact that the components of black coffee can aid in lowering the level of toxic liver enzymes detected in the blood.
#4. Black Coffee Aids in the Proper Digestion of Food
Coffee is a diuretic, which means that the more you drink, the more you have to urinate.
This means that every time you urinate, toxins and bacteria are pushed out of your stomach. This helps to cleanse your stomach and keep you healthy in general.
#5. It Has the Potential to Reduce the Risk of Cancer
Regular drinking of black coffee has been related to a lower risk of acquiring cancers, such as liver cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer, according to studies.
Coffee can assist to reduce inflammation in the body, which can help to prevent tumor growth.
#6. It is High in Antioxidants
Black coffee’s high antioxidant content is responsible for many of its health advantages.
Black coffee contains strong antioxidants including potassium, magnesium, vitamin B2, B3, and B5, as well as manganese.
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, coffee has been shown to increase muscle glycogen (the stored sugar in the body that feeds activity) by 66 percent in athletes, allowing them to swiftly restore energy stores consumed during exercise.
However, in spite of these pros, black coffee has some side effects too which you should take care of as well.
Too much black coffee causes your body to produce excessive quantities of stress chemicals, which just adds to your anxiety and tension. When you take in too much caffeine, it’s easy to become jittery.
Additionally, excessive use of coffee might drastically disrupt your sleeping pattern. If you want to get a decent night’s sleep, it’s best to avoid coffee a few hours before bedtime.
Because black coffee is high in caffeine and acid, excessive drinking can cause stomach acidity. And you’ll most likely have cramps and abdominal spasms.
Too much coffee in your system makes it difficult for your body to absorb nutrients like iron, calcium, and zinc from your daily diet.
Now, with this thought, here’s a final summary.
The Verdict
We started with the question: is black coffee good for weight loss, and through our research, we’ve found that black coffee indeed helps in weight loss.
Plus, black coffee has numerous other health benefits too apart from just reducing weight.
It can help improve your memory, raise your metabolism, keep your liver and heart healthy, and lessen your risk of developing cancer.
Regardless, it should be consumed in moderation because, like anything else, too much intake might have unfavorable side effects. These may include acidity, increased stress and anxiety, a reduced rate of mineral absorption, and a disrupted sleep schedule.
Now, you can make instant black coffee at your home without adding any additives. Remember, you should drink black coffee after lunch and not on an empty stomach.
All in all, black coffee is an excellent beverage that contains no calories, fats, or cholesterol when consumed in moderation.