Black Coffee is held in high regard by many, and maybe rightfully so! It is used by everyone to stay alert and awake. But can it help with weight loss? Read to know how.
Are you a tea person or a coffee person? Even within the coffee camp, you could be an admirer of the milk and sugar-laden coffee, or you could swear by the magic of your black coffee! What makes black coffee so popular? Moreover, is black coffee good for weight loss? Learn more here.
Contents:
Black Coffee: Nutritional Profile
Black coffee is a beverage made by soaking ground roasted coffee beans in water. It can be served hot or cold as per your preference.
The nutritional value of 1 serving or 1 cup (240 ml) of black coffee is as follows:
| Nutrient | Content in each 100 g |
| Caffeine | 96 mg |
| Calories | 2 |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Sodium | 5 mg |
Does black coffee help in weight loss? Let’s find out.
Black Coffee: Benefits for Weight Loss
Black coffee, without sugar or any other additional sweeteners or dairy, may be beneficial for weight loss due to the following reasons:
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Low in calories
Coffee on its own, makes a low-calorie beverage. When roasted coffee beans are mixed with only water to make black coffee, 1 cup (240 ml) of black coffee contains only about 2 calories.
If you do not add any other ingredients such as sugar, milk, or creamers, and drink your coffee black, the beverage keeps your daily calorie intake low, as compared to other beverages such as sugar or milk-laden tea and coffee, sodas, juices etc. Black coffee can be a good addition to your weight loss diet.
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May decrease your appetite
Drinking caffeine-rich black coffee may reduce the levels of your hunger, as caffeine is known to suppress the hunger hormone known as ghrelin.
Thus, drinking black coffee may decrease your appetite, leading to less calorie consumption and weight loss.
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May increase your body’s metabolism
The caffeine present in black coffee is a natural stimulant, which may improve your body’s metabolism. Metabolism refers to a set of processes that take place in your body, to convert the food and drink you intake into energy.
A cup of black coffee contains about 96 mg of caffeine. Caffeine increases your metabolism, and someone with a fast metabolism burns a lot of calories even while at rest, contributing to weight loss.
How to Make Black Coffee for Weight Loss?
A variety of roasted coffee beans are available for purchase. To make black coffee, you can either grind whole roasted coffee beans to make ground coffee, or you can purchase pre-ground coffee. Only ground coffee and water are needed to make black coffee.
There are several different ways to brew black coffee, which include:
- French Press: In this method, hot water and ground coffee are allowed to steep in a pitcher. Then, a plunger or a press is slowly pushed into the pitcher. which forces freshly brewed coffee up and traps the coffee grounds below.
- Pour Over or Drip: In this method, hot water is poured over ground coffee on a filter paper. Brewed coffee drips directly into the pot you have placed below.
- Percolator: Coffee and water are placed in the bottom of a two-chamber pot on the stove. As the water boils, it moves up through the coffee grinds, and brewed coffee collects in the upper chamber.
- Instant Coffee: It is the most commonly available coffee form in the market. Coffee is brewed, dried, and formed into crystals. You can mix the coffee crystals in water and it is ready to drink.
Black coffee can also be served iced, or brewed cold overnight with coffee grinds and cold water.
How Much Black Coffee Can You Consume in a Day to Lose Weight?
1 cup (240 ml) of black coffee contains 96 mg of caffeine. Too much caffeine can cause side effects like anxiety, rapid heart rate, stomach upset, headache, and insomnia.
Healthy adults are advised to limit themselves to 400 mg of caffeine per day. If you do not consume caffeine in any other form, you should restrict yourself to 4 cups (960 ml) of black coffee per day.
What is the Best Time to Drink Black Coffee for Weight Loss?
You can consume black coffee any time throughout the day. Try to avoid drinking black coffee on an empty stomach, and take it with your breakfast instead. Further, the general advice is not to drink black coffee for at least 6 hours before you go to bed, to avoid sleep problems due to the high caffeine content in black coffee.
What are the Risks of Overconsumption of Black Coffee for Weight Loss?
Overconsumption of black coffee might result in displeasing and harmful side effects, which include:
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Anxiety
Black coffee contains a high caffeine content, which is known to release adrenaline to make you feel more alert. However, if consumed in large amounts, black coffee may cause anxiety and nervousness.
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Digestive problems
Caffeine promotes bowel movement by increasing movements in the colon for the food to move through your digestive tract. Given this effect, overconsumption of black coffee may cause stomach upset, nausea, and diarrhoea.
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Insomnia
People drink black coffee to feel more awake. However, too much of black coffee may lead to disturbed sleeping patterns. It is best to avoid any consumption of black coffee late in the evening to avoid insomnia.
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High Blood Pressure
The caffeine in black coffee may raise your blood pressure levels if consumed in large doses. It may be a temporary effect but it is best to monitor your symptoms if you have any such underlying conditions.
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Habit-Formation
Black coffee may be beneficial for various reasons, but there is no denying that it could be habit-forming. If you consume black coffee in large volumes on a daily basis, you may experience psychological or physical withdrawal symptoms when you go for several hours without consuming it.
What are the Other Health Benefits of Black Coffee?
When consumed in moderation, black coffee may have several health benefits, including:
- Drinking black coffee may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease due to the cognition- or brain-enhancing properties of caffeine.
- As per some studies, black coffee may help in preventing some kinds of cancers including liver, endometrial, and colorectal cancer.
- Studies show that drinking black coffee may reduce the risk of developing cirrhosis (a chronic liver disease).
- Some studies suggest that daily consumption of black coffee may help reduce the risk of depression.
- Regular consumption of black coffee may decrease the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
- Black coffee is a beverage made by soaking grounded roasted coffee beans in water. 1 cup (240 ml) of black coffee contains 96 mg of caffeine.
- Black coffee, without sugar or any additional sweeteners or dairy, may help with weight loss. It is low in calories, may decrease your appetite, and may increase your body’s metabolism.
- There are several different ways to brew black coffee, including french press, pour-over or drip, percolator, and instant coffee. Black coffee can also be consumed as iced coffee and cold brew.
- You should not drink more than 4 cups (960 ml) of black coffee per day to avoid the side effects of consuming too much caffeine.
- You can consume black coffee anytime throughout the day. However, avoid drinking black coffee for at least 6 hours before bedtime, to prevent sleep issues due to the high caffeine content.
- Overconsumption of black coffee may result in harmful side-effects which include anxiety, digestive problems, insomnia, high blood pressure, and habit-formation.
- When consumed in moderation, black coffee may help in preventing some types of cancers, and reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cirrhosis, depression, and Type 2 Diabetes.
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Friendly Asked Questions
No, honey or any other sweetener might not be a great choice to add to black coffee for weight loss as it contains sugars and calories, which can lead to weight gain.
Black coffee may be beneficial for weight loss due to various reasons such as being low in calories, suppressing hunger, and boosting metabolism. Adding lemon to your black coffee does not provide any extra benefits for weight loss.
Yes, black coffee may help in reducing your body weight by boosting your metabolism and suppressing your appetite. For best results, you can combine a balanced diet and exercise with drinking black coffee.
Both black coffee and green tea are safe to consume for weight loss. Both of these should be consumed alongside a balanced diet and regular exercise. For people with conditions such as anxiety or insomnia, green tea may be a better choice.
No, it is not advisable to drink black coffee on an empty stomach. Black coffee without food in your stomach could cause acid reflux and heartburn. It could also make you jittery and anxious.
Both black tea and black coffee are high in caffeine and low in calories. Thus, they both may work well for weight loss.