More and more research is concluding that drinking a few cups of coffee every day may not be harmful to health and in fact it may be advantageous. Coffee has caffeine, but it is also full of antioxidants.
Without any added cream or sugar, coffee has only a few calories. Therefore, drinking black coffee will not add a lot calories, but coffee drinks can have as much sugar as a soft drink.
Here is more information on consuming coffee and it drinking coffee on a diet is healthy.
Weight loss
Caffeine’s effect on weight loss has been applied for many years. Caffeine is a stimulant meaning it can modestly boost metabolism and may increase fat burn, especially during exercise. Many diet supplements that claim they can help with weight loss make these claims because they contain caffeine.
Does this mean if you drink coffee it will boost your metabolism and melt fat off your body?
That is definitely a stretch, but some research suggests there is an inverse relationship between drinking coffee and weight gain. Just remember, this doesn’t give you free reign to eat whatever you want and not exercise just because you drink coffee.
Type 2 diabetes
A concern with being overweight is that it increases your risk for many chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes. Weight loss can drastically help lower risk for type 2 diabetes.
Does coffee intake have an effect on type 2 diabetes risk? Some research studies have shown that yes coffee intake may be helpful for lowering risk for type 2 diabetes.
Coffee intake was associated with inversed risk for type 2 diabetes in people of European descent and in Asian population. Black tea also seems to have the same effect of lowering risk for type 2 diabetes similar to coffee.
Some research studies have concluded that people who drink 4 cups of coffee per day have a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The exact reason for why coffee could help is being studied. Some researchers have shown that coffee contains compounds that interfere with a polypeptide that causes type 2 diabetes in people.
Keep in mind if you add sugar to your coffee or drink heavily sweetened coffee drinks, you are not helping to lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. Read our recommendations on how to make your coffee healthier without breaking the calorie bank.
Heart health
Coffee is very high in antioxidants. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help lower inflammation in the body and lower oxidative stress. This important because many chronic diseases are associated with inflammation and oxidative stress.
By drinking coffee, you are getting a serving of antioxidants that the body seems to absorb really well. Drinking coffee could help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease because of lowering inflammation.
However, drinking coffee may be contraindicated for certain health conditions including high blood pressure. Therefore, if you have any heart issues, you should speak with your medical team before changing your caffeine intake.
Protect your liver
Another health benefit related to drinking coffee is that it may protect the liver from damage. Liver cirrhosis is a serious medical condition when your liver develops damage most commonly from drinking too much alcohol or from hepatitis C. Someone can get liver damage not related to alcohol called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
A research study looking at data from more than 125,000 people concluded that for every cup of coffee drunken per day, the risk for developing liver cirrhosis was lowered 22%. The reason for how coffee may offer protection for the liver is not clearly understood.
Scientists warn that drinking coffee should not be a justification for alcohol abuse and coffee should not be used to prevent alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver.
When coffee will hurt weight loss
Some people have a sensitivity to caffeine, and not all people may experience a positive benefit from drinking coffee. Of course, if you don’t drink coffee, you can still lose weight without drinking coffee.
Many people justify drinking a coffee beverage because the health benefits of coffee are growing in popularity. However, a sugar laden milk based drink with a splash of espresso has a different in the body compared to a cup of pure coffee. Limit added sugar in any beverages for the greatest health benefit.
Conclusion
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide. There are many research studies that have shown that coffee can have positive health effects in the body, and yes it can be healthy during weight loss.
Even though coffee is full of antioxidants and may offer protection against type 2 diabetes, liver damage and promote heart health, coffee is not a “magic bullet” or wonder cure. For the best over health, a healthy, balanced diet and exercise are still important.
For the greatest benefit from coffee, minimize added sugars and heavy creams in coffee. Also, if you have history of heart problems, speak with your medical team about changing your caffeine intake.
References used in this article
