Can your favourite morning drink also help you fight excess weight? Fitness experts have been singing the praise of coffee for its health benefits for many years now.
The perks of coffee naps have been much talked-about and the reputation of coffee as a pre-workout drink has been widely accepted. But a diet where a steaming cup of joe plays the lead role?
Yes, it exists.
If that sounds interesting to you, in this article, we’ll tell you all about the coffee diet and how it works.
What is the coffee diet?
While coffee’s health benefits are well-known, it wasn’t until Dr. Bob Arnot published his book “The Coffee Lover’s Diet” that the idea of sipping cups of coffee to lose weight became popular.
The book claims that downing several cups of coffee daily can burn fat, boost your metabolism, reduce calorie absorption, and curb your appetite.
Popularly known as the “coffee cleanse”, this method of weight loss has apparently helped some people lose as much as 50 pounds in 50 days. But that’s not all. The coffee diet has been helpful for a wide range of health conditions — from type-2 diabetes to eczema and even certain types of cancers.
Not just Dr. Arnot, but many scientific studies have linked coffee with several remarkable health benefits due to its high content of antioxidants (also known as phenols).
How to follow it?
The coffee diet plan is appears relatively simple. You have to drink at least 3 cups (720 ml) of coffee every day. The diet shows best results with light-roast coffee as it tends to have a higher concentration of polyphenol antioxidants than dark roasts.
However, for the diet to work, you must avoid putting cream or sugar in your coffee. While on the diet, you can drink as much coffee as you want. Just remember to hit the daily goal of 3 cups.
The coffee diet works best when supplemented with a daily calorie intake of 1,500, which should include meals and snacks rich in fibre and healthy fats. As such, whole grains, fruits, lean proteins, and vegetables should be incorporated in your daily meals, while be sure to cut down on highly processed, refined, or deep fried foods.
Dr. Arnot also recommends substituting one meal per day with a nutritious, high-fibre, green smoothie. You could whip it up for your breakfast or enjoy it as a light lunch.
What the coffee diet does
What are the main mechanisms of action for coffee as it relates to your diet and actually losing weight?
Let’s take a look at the basics!
Reduces appetite
Coffee can suppress your appetite, which can help you control your daily calorie intake.
Boosts metabolism
The caffeine in coffee speeds up your metabolism and helps you burn fat by lowering your insulin levels.
Blocks dietary fat
A phenol in coffee called melanoidin has been shown to decrease our absorption of dietary fat.
Give it a try
If you’re interested to give the coffee diet a try, choosing a high-quality light roast coffee from a reputed coffee maker like Grand Cru Coffee can give you the results you’re looking for. Of course, remember to switch to a healthy diet and embrace an active lifestyle to watch those pounds really melt away.
