Is Coffee a Good Appetite Suppressant?

Is coffee a good appetite suppressant? We all love to wake up with the smell of a coffee in the morning. Coffee is one of the most loving beverages of people around the globe, and billions of people drink it daily.  Usually, people drink coffee to keep themselves alert and active.

However, new research shows that the presence of caffeine in coffee acts as an appetite suppressant. As a result, people are gaining interest in finding the role of coffee as an appetite suppressant. Therefore, here we will answer whether coffee is a good appetite suppressant or not.

Is Coffee a Good Appetite Suppressant?

We all love coffee, and it is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. A high concentration of caffeine is famous for its numerous fantastic health benefits. Numerous studies have shown the fact that coffee is an excellent drink to increase the weight loss process. Moreover, coffee also aids in the weight loss process by acting as an appetite suppressant. So, yes, coffee is an excellent appetite suppressant.

• Appetite Suppressant Compound in Coffee:

Coffee contains a compound known as chlorogenic acid, which is the most abundant naturally occurring photochemical substance present in green and roasted beans. This acidic substance belongs to the biologically active and antioxidant dietary phenols. Therefore, these substances come with a natural ability to control hunger by suppressing appetite.

As a result of numerous obesity researchers, dietary supplement manufacturers have paid special interest to the role of coffee as an appetite suppressant. Apart from coffee, these chlorogenic substances are also found in pears, apples, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, artichokes, and sunflowers.

• Decaf Coffee:

Coffee can keep you active and concentrated, but it comes with several other incredible health benefits. Mainly these health benefits of coffee are due to the presence of antioxidants and nutrients. However, here is good news for decaf or decaffeinated coffee lovers.

Unlike many of you, I believe decaffeinated coffee is actually great for reducing hunger by acting as an appetite suppressant. When you drink decaf coffee, it stimulates the release of a protein called 'PYY' (peptide tyrosine tyrosine) from your large intestine. PPY can turn off your desire to eat by giving you a feeling of fullness. As a result of which numerous studies and researches are going on on this protein to understand how a deeper understanding of the microbiome can aid in the fight against obesity.  

The surprising fact about decaf coffee is that it even beats regular coffee when it comes to acting as an appetite suppressant. According to research, coffee has no impact on the secretion of PYY. Thus, regular coffee is less effective than decaf coffee for losing weight. Therefore, if you want to lose weight, try to consume decaf coffee instead of regular coffee. However, avoid flavored milkshakes served at Starbucks as they contain too much sugar for a healthy diet.

Moreover, several studies have found that sugar has no measurable effect on hunger. Therefore, even if you add it in your coffee, it won't make you less hungry. So, in light of all these facts, the best form of coffee as an appetite suppressant is the unsweetened black coffee.

• Consumption of Coffee:

It is always better to keep everything in moderation. Therefore studies prove that drinking coffee in moderation can boost your metabolism and reduces the desire to eat. However, keep in mind that coffee can increase the level of cortisol. As a result of which increased levels of cortisol can reduce immunity, increases muscle breakdown linking to abdominal fat. Thus, to get your desired body, it is better to drink coffee in moderation.

Actually, the presence of caffeine in the coffee can suppress your appetite for a short time and slightly increases metabolism. Coffee contains a high amount of caffeine like there is almost 100 mg caffeine in an 8-ounce cup. Another study shows that drinking coffee at least 0.5-4 hours before a meal can influence stomach emptying, appetite hormones, and feeling of hunger.

Therefore, after drinking coffee, people eat less during the following meal throughout the day. However, the exciting thing is that these effects vary in men and women. According to the result of one study, drinking 300 mg of caffeine can decrease the consumption of calories by almost 22 percent for men. On the other hand, it doesn't have much impact on women.

Moreover, there are also studies that show no positive impact of caffeine on appetite reduction. Besides, caffeine boosts metabolic activity by 11 percent and the fat burning process by 29 percent in lean people. However, keep in mind that 250 mg or more caffeine intake may result in high blood pressure.

The exact amount of coffee for appetite reduction is the one cup of regular brewed coffee that contains almost 95 mg of caffeine. To reduce weight and burn fat, the best amount of coffee is two regular cups containing almost 200mg of caffeine. Finally, research suggests that caffeine doses of 1.8-2.7 mg per pound (4-6 mg per kg) of body weight are best to reduce fat.

How Caffeine Help with Weight Loss

Before finding out how coffee can help you lose weight, keep in mind that coffee won't help you get slim. However, it can boost the weight loss process or prevent weight gain to achieve your Hollywood body goals. The main component of the coffee, which plays a vital role, is caffeine. Caffeine is also found in other beverages like tea, energy drinks, colas, and cocoa and chocolate. Besides, it is also present in dietary supplements for weight loss.

Therefore, let’s have a look at how coffee can help to reduce weight:

• Coffee is Low in Calories:

The most crucial fact about coffee, which plays a critical role in the weight loss process is, it contains few calories. It is a common rule for weight loss to consume fewer calories for creating a calorie deficit. This can be achieved by either consuming a few calories or by increasing physical activity.

However, the easy way to reduce calorie intake is by choosing low-calorie beverages. Thus, instead of going with 1 cup of high-calorie sugary and sweetened beverages, you can go with the same amount of water. As a result of which you can lose 4 pounds within six months.

Moreover, coffee is also a great option as it contains few calories. For example, there are only two calories in one cup of brewed coffee. Always prefer to drink unsweetened black coffee as it contains the lowest calories for weight loss.

• Boost Metabolism:

Another way in which coffee can boost the process of weight loss is by increasing metabolism. Coffee contains caffeine which is a natural stimulant. When it comes to the amount of caffeine in coffee, tea, and soda coffee contains the highest percentage of caffeine.

On average, there is 95 mg of caffeine in one cup of coffee. However, the amount varies based on the type of beans, roasting style, and preparation method. Caffeine can improve your metabolism and increase calories burned each day. Thus, consuming caffeine in large amounts can significantly impact metabolism.

Caffeine can increase your metabolism rate by 13 percent on every 4.5 mg per pound of body weight. This means 680 mg of caffeine or 7 cups of coffee for a person with a weight of 150 pounds. Consumption of caffeine helps to improve body weight maintenance and weight loss.

• Reduces Appetite:

We have already discussed this in the above section in detail. Coffee is an excellent appetite suppressant. Thus when you consume coffee, it can give you a feeling of fullness and reduce your calorie intake. Keep in mind that there are numerous factors like nutrient composition of the meal, hormones, and activity level to control appetite.

When you drink coffee, it can reduce the level of hunger hormones called ghrelin. As a result of which you will feel less hungry and consume fewer calories. However, researches are still going on to understand its impact on appetite better.

• Mobilize Fat from Fat Tissues:

We all know that caffeine is a stimulant that can stimulate the nervous system. Therefore, it can send a direct signal to the fat cells giving them a message to breakdown. To send this message, the level of epinephrine hormone increases in the blood.

Commonly known as adrenaline, epinephrine hormone travels through the blood to reach fat tissues giving them a signal to breakdown and release in the blood. Keep in mind that the release of fatty acid in the blood doesn’t help you lose fat. The only way to do so is by burning more calories than you consume through your diet.

This condition is referred to as a negative energy balance. And we have already mentioned that to achieve a negative energy balance, either you have to increase physical activity or reduce calorie intake.

Final Words

The presence of caffeine in the coffee makes it an excellent appetite suppressant. Although it doesn't initiate a weight loss process, it can boost the process by improving the metabolic rate and suppressing appetite.

References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/expert-answers/caffeine/faq-20058459

https://www.deathwishcoffee.com/blogs/news/can-coffee-suppress-my-appetite

https://victorallen.com/blogs/coffee-101/is-coffee-an-appetite-suppressant

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-increase-metabolism