There’s a lot to love about coffee: the ritual of drinking it each morning, the rich flavor, and, of course, the energy boost it offers to help you get through the day. And as it turns out, you can add health benefits to that list—especially if you’re trying to lose weight. That’s right: coffee may actually help you burn more fat in order to reach your goal weight faster.
To get the low-down on exactly how drinking coffee every day can help you lose weight, we spoke to registered dietitian and nutritionist Krutika Nanavati. She told us that this beverage can increase your metabolism, suppress appetite, and more. Find all of her expert insight below!
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Fat-burning benefits of coffee
Nanavati says that drinking coffee regularly can help you lose weight in several different ways. For starters, she notes that this caffeinated beverage may help increase your metabolism. "Caffeine, the main active ingredient in coffee, has been found to have several beneficial effects on metabolism and weight control," she explains. "Caffeine is known to boost thermogenesis, which is the body's process of burning calories for energy." Essentially, thermogenesis produces heat in order to increase the amount of energy your body uses, which helps you burn more fat.
"Caffeine can increase fat oxidation, which is the process of burning fat for energy," Nanavati goes on. "This means that drinking coffee can help you burn more calories throughout the day, leading to effective weight loss."
Then there's the fact that caffeine can also help suppress your appetite, which Nanavati points out as a major plus for anyone trying to lose weight. "It can also decrease appetite, making it easier to stick to a healthy diet and avoid overeating," she says. Nice!
Coffee mistakes to avoid for weight loss
However, while all of these benefits are great if you're trying to shed a few pounds, it's important to note that putting the wrong ingredients in your coffee could negate all of these weight loss-friendly properties.
"One mistake is adding a lot of cream and sugar to your coffee," Nanavati warns. "Adding
these ingredients not only adds empty calories, but they also reduce the amount of caffeine you consume, which reduces the metabolism-boosting benefits of the coffee." That means you should also stay away from those sugary coffee beverages at cafes, like frappes and mochas.
Whenever possible, drinking your coffee black is always the best way to go if you want to lose weight. However, opting for natural sweeteners and a bit of plant-based milk is another good choice for anyone who needs a little something extra in their cup of joe. All in all, if you make healthy decisions and stay away from too much sugar, coffee can be a great addition to your diet.
