Blog

Can Coffee Help You Lose Weight? Our Weight Loss Expert Shares the Real Deal

Oct 31, 2021

dietitian in Spring Hill

At least 6 in 10 Americans drink coffee every day with the average person drinking 3 cups of coffee a day. These data show that we simply love coffee — and we bet that if you knew it can help you potentially lose weight, you’d probably automatically consider drinking more coffee than you already do!

But wait, before you go and pour yourself your nth cup of coffee for the day, keep on reading to see what our dietitian in Spring Hill has to say if you want to know if coffee can really help you lose weight.

 

Is Coffee Helpful for Weight Loss?

We know you can’t wait to know if drinking coffee — and more coffee — can help with your weight loss goals. So let’s cut straight to the point: YES — coffee can potentially help you achieve your weight loss goals but ONLY if you keep some things in mind.

Pay attention to those last words — before you conclude that you can simply increase your coffee intake to lose weight fast, stop right there. That’s not how it works! You’re lucky because we’ll share with you the right way to make the most of your coffee drinking habit to help you lose some weight. 

 

How Does Coffee Help You Lose Weight?

Contrary to what some people might think, it’s not just the caffeine in coffee that’s responsible for its potential weight loss benefits. Indeed, caffeine may stimulate your metabolism. However, remember that caffeine is also found in other beverages such as colas and energy drinks, which are not advisable for anyone particularly those who need to lose weight. 

Aside from the caffeine in coffee being a metabolic rate stimulant, below are other ways coffee may help in weight loss:

  • Appetite suppression. Studies have shown that coffee may influence one’s ability to suppress their appetite. It is thought that drinking coffee half an hour up to 4 hours before a meal can make you want to eat less.
  • Drinking coffee adds liquid to your diet. Although coffee has a mild diuretic effect, it is not enough to dehydrate you. On the contrary, drinking coffee can even help you achieve your daily water intake goal. After all, coffee is technically just coffee bean water.
  • Coffee is rich in antioxidants. Drinking coffee on a regular basis can help boost your body’s health because it is full of antioxidants such as polyphenols. These are linked with good brain health and digestion. In general, the healthier your body is, the better it is at burning fat.

How to Drink Coffee to Lose Weight

In order to harness the benefit of coffee for weight loss, you need to make sure you’re drinking the right amount, at the right time, and the right way. Our experts in weight loss in Spring Hill offer the following tips:

1. Avoid drinking coffee in the morning.

Yes, you read that right. For many, drinking coffee is the best way to start the day. However, it’s better to eat something first before they drink coffee after waking up. Alternatively, serve coffee as the accompanying drink for your breakfast meal. The reason behind this is since coffee is an appetite-suppressant, you may end up skipping meals. If you remember from our previous blog, not eating enough can keep you from losing weight and fat.

2. Add little to no sweetener.

Limit the amount of sugar or sweetener you add to your coffee. Better yet, skip the sweetener completely! Sugar, sweetened syrups, and sweetened creamers can spike up your coffee’s calories and carbohydrate content.

3. Opt for a lighter creamer.

If you feel like your coffee isn’t complete without creamer, go for the option that has less calories. A tablespoon of standard coffee creamer already contains 30 calories and about 2 grams of saturated fat. Try using half and half, which contains around 20 calories per tablespoon, instead. Whole milk is even better with only 10 calories per tablespoon.

4. Train yourself to drink plain black coffee.

If you’re trying to lose weight and you can’t live without coffee, try ditching the sweetener and creamer altogether and just take it black. Plain black coffee has zero calories! And once you get used to it, you’ll love its taste!

5. Incorporate coffee with your custom diet plan.

The best way to enjoy your coffee while losing weight is to work with a certified dietitian who can customize the ideal diet plan for your overall health condition, preferences, and lifestyle. Remember that even though coffee has been studied to aid in weight loss, there are other factors to consider. For instance, if you have heart or breathing problems, your nutritionist might advise limiting or eliminating coffee intake.

dietitian in Spring Hill

Talk to Batista Weight Loss for Sustainable and Healthy Weight Loss

Whether you drink coffee or not, it’s best to consult registered dietitians who can evaluate your situation and come up with a healthy weight loss plan that you can easily maintain. With the help of our Registered Clinical Dietitian, Susan Batista, and in-house physician Dr. John Batista, you can have an enjoyable weight loss journey!

We are also certified to offer innovative weight loss solutions, such as:

And more!

Book an appointment today to begin losing weight the proper and healthy way! Our online weight loss clinic is always ready to assist you. Call us at (352) 600-3476 for inquiries and appointments. You may also drop by our office at 497 Mariner Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 34609, USA.

 

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.