Coffee is well recognised as having a positive impact on long-term health. Drinking the equivalent of three to 4 cups of easy coffee a day reduces the chance of many health conditions including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and a few cancers.
Most people gain small amounts of weight annually as they age. But can coffee help prevent this gradual weight gain?
A bunch of researchers examined whether drinking an additional cup of coffee a day – or adding sugar, cream or a non-dairy alternative – resulted in kind of weight gain than those that didn’t adjust their intake.
Their research (currently a pre-proof, which implies it has been peer reviewed but is yet to undergo the ultimate formatting and copyediting) found a modest link between coffee and gaining less weight than expected.
People who drank an additional cup of coffee a day gained 0.12 kg less weight than expected over 4 years. Adding sugar resulted in a fraction more (0.09 kg) weight gain than expected over 4 years.
How was the study conducted? What did it find?
Researchers combined data from three large studies from the United States: two Nurses’ Health Studies from 1986 to 2010, and from 1991 to 2015, and a Health Professional Follow-up study from 1991 to 2014.
The Nurses’ Health Studies are two of the most important cohort studies, with more 230,000 participants, and investigates chronic disease risks for girls. The Health Professional Follow-up study involves greater than 50,000 male health professionals and investigates the connection between eating regimen and health outcomes.
Participants in all three studies accomplished a baseline questionnaire, and one other questionnaire every 4 years to evaluate their food and drinks intake. Using the combined datasets, researchers analysed changes in coffee intake and changes within the participants’ self-reported weight at four-year intervals.
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The average 4 yr weight-gains for the nurses’ studies were 1.2kg and 1.7kg, while participants within the health professionals study gained a median of 0.8kg.
The researchers found that increasing unsweetened caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee intake by one cup a day was related to a weight gain that was 0.12 kg lower than expected over 4 years.
Adding creamer (milk) or a non-dairy alternative didn’t significantly affect this weight change.
However, adding sugar (one teaspoon) to coffee was related to a weight gain that was 0.09 kg greater than expected over 4 years.
These associations were stronger in participants who were younger and had the next body mass index initially of the studies.
What are the professionals and cons of the study?
This study is exclusive in two ways. It had a really large sample size and followed participants for a few years. This adds confidence that the associations were real and might likely be applied to other populations.
However, there are three reasons to be cautious.
First, the findings represent an , not . This means the study doesn’t prove that coffee intake is the true reason for the burden change. Rather, it shows the 2 changes were observed together over time.
Second, the findings around weight were very modest. The average four-year weight gain averted, based on one cup of coffee, was 0.12 kilograms, which is about 30 grams per yr. This amount might not be a meaningful change for most individuals trying to manage weight.
Finally, this evaluation didn’t consider the variability in the quantity of caffeine in coffee (which we know will be high), it just assumed a normal amount of caffeine per cup.
How could coffee help with weight management?
Caffeine is a natural stimulant which has been shown to temporarily reduce appetite and increase alertness. This may help to feel less hungry for a brief period, potentially resulting in reduced energy intake.
Some people eat coffee before exercise as a stimulant to improve their workout performance – if a workout is simpler, more energy could also be expended. However, the profit is essentially regarded as short-lived, reasonably than long-term.
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Caffeine has also been shown to speed up our metabolism, causing more energy to be burned while resting. However, this effect is comparatively small and just isn’t an appropriate substitute for normal physical activity and a healthy eating regimen.
Finally, coffee has a mild diuretic effectwhich might result in temporary water weight reduction. This is water loss, not fat loss, and the burden is quickly regained if you re-hydrate.
Is it value trying coffee for weight reduction?
Losing weight will be influenced by various aspects, so don’t get too passionate about the coffee-weight link highlighted on this latest study, or increase your coffee intake to unreasonable levels.
Most adults can safely eat around 400mg of caffeine a day. That’s the equivalent of two espressos or 4 cups of easy coffee or eight cups of tea.
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it can be crucial to check with your doctor before increasing your caffeine intake, because caffeine will be passed through to your growing baby.
If you wish individualised weight guidance, check with your GP or visit an accredited practising dietitian.