Many of us simply cannot resist that highly caffeinated, steaming hot mug of coffee goodness. That comes as no surprise given that coffee is the second most popular beverage after water!
Caffeine is the most widely consumed natural stimulant in the world, quickening the transmission of signals from our brains to our bodies.
Few theories suggest that coffee especially decaffeinated coffee tends to have the ability to suppress the appetite for a small time.
Now let’s dive into the nitty-gritty details of coffee and how is it a suppressant.
Ingredients List Of Coffee
First, let’s look at the ingredients that go into making regular coffee:
- Coffee beans/Powder
- Milk
- Sugar
Coffee has plenty of varieties, you can have a regular brewed coffee without milk, a cappuccino with whole lots of milk, or a tiny shot of espresso if you’re full but you need that boost.
Coffee is generally calorie-free, so if you go for brewed coffee you won’t be taking up any calories, but if you like to have a cappuccino you might be gaining some calories there due to steamed milk, sugar, and sometimes the addition of syrup.
The caffeine and sugar would give you enough boost to regulate your metabolic system properly. However, the caffeine and sugar content may vary depending on personal preferences.
Caffeine Content Of Coffee
You can refer to the following table to find the caffeine content of different types of coffee drinks:
| Coffee Drinks | Size in oz. | Caffeine (mg) |
| Black Coffee | 8 | 96 |
| Espresso | 1 | 64 |
| Instant Coffee | 8 | 62 |
| Cappuccino (one shot of espresso) | 8 | 63 |
| Flat White (one shot of espresso) | 6 | 63 |
| Latte | 8 | 62.8 |
| Macchiato | 2 | 85 |
Having a variety of coffee beverages means that you can choose how much caffeine is suitable for you.
A single cup of coffee can be enough for someone with caffeine sensitivity but if you’re addicted to caffeine, well that might be dangerous because if you overdose to feel its maximum effects it might lead to certain side effects such as:
- Insomnia
- Lack of concentration
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Abnormal heart rhythm
You can avoid these side effects by staying within the limit advised by FDA, that a healthy individual should have no more than 400mg of caffeine per day.
It is due to this limit that you can consume about 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day to avoid the side effects.
Does Coffee Decrease Appetite?
Few theories suggest that coffee especially decaffeinated coffee tends to have the ability to suppress the appetite for a small time.
Coffee contains phytochemical compounds known as chlorogenic acids, which are the most abundant of the many naturally occurring acids in both green and roasted coffee beans. These acids are a vital source of biologically active and antioxidant dietary phenols.
The ability of these acids to control hunger and suppress appetite has piqued the interest of many obesity researchers and dietary supplement manufacturers.
Caffeine, when consumed, increases the body’s metabolism, reducing hunger for a short time. Caffeine causes thermogenesis, which is the body’s production of heat and energy from digestive processes. However, decaffeinated coffee works better in suppressing one’s appetite.
You can watch the following video to learn more:
Does Coffee Make You Feel Full?
Yes, and No! All of this depends on an individual’s metabolism. If you have a fast metabolism the chances are you might feel hungry after drinking coffee.
Another reason for this is that coffee is a stimulating agent which stimulates the metabolism of the body and induces thermogenesis, this makes digestion faster than usual.
However, one can feel full after having a cup of coffee due to how much milk, water, and proteins go into making it.
It can make you feel full due to the calories(found in milk and sugar), which will give you energy, reduce your fatigue and help you perform better and feel good about yourself.
Can Coffee Help You Lose Weight?
Coffee can help you lose weight if you don’t add milk or sugar to it
This is because coffee alone has very few calories and the caffeine in coffee can boost the metabolism rate of your body which then helps to increase the fat burn.
The rate at which you burn calories while at rest is referred to as your resting metabolic rate (RMR).
The higher your metabolic rate, the easier it will be to lose weight, and the more you will be able to eat without gaining weight.
Caffeine has been shown in studies to increase RMR by 3–11 percent, with higher doses having a greater effect.
Surprisingly, the majority of the increase in metabolism is due to an increase in fat burning. However, the effect is less pronounced in obese individuals.
Caffeine increased fat burning by up to 29 percent in lean people, but only about 10 percent in obese people, according to one study.
To summarize, because coffee stimulates your body’s metabolic response, you will burn more calories for a short time, which will make you lose weight.
Why Am I Starving After I Drink Coffee?
You’re probably starving after drinking coffee because caffeine acts as a diuretic. Yes, caffeine is a diuretic hence, consuming caffeine can make you rush to the washroom on and off.
Another reason is that caffeine is a stimulating agent, which stimulates the metabolism and makes it work at a faster rate than usual.
You might be feeling hungry because caffeine suppresses the appetite for about 60 to 100 minutes only, after this you start to feel a crash, most likely because of the sugar in coffee.
This sugar crash can make you lethargic hence, it tricks your brain into thinking that you might be hungry and that you need more calories and energy to function.
Benefits Of Coffee
Around 64% of the population of America relies on coffee in the morning. While there are many options you can choose from in coffee there are many benefits that coffee gives you such as:
- Coffee boosts energy levels due to caffeine which stimulates the brain and central nervous system, this fights off fatigue and increases the boy’s energy levels
- Some researchers suggest that consuming coffee on daily basis can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes
- It can also help protect against neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s’ disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
- It can also promote weight management if you go for black coffee
- It has also been linked to lowering the risk of depression by 8%
- It can also protect against liver disease
- One review says that consuming 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day reduces the risk of heart disease by 15%
- One review of 40 studies, concluded that drinking two to four cups of coffee per day was associated with a lower risk of death, regardless of age, weight status, or alcohol consumption.
- It is also used as a performance enhancer, athletes who want to improve their performance and energy levels frequently use coffee as an ergogenic aid.
- A meta-analysis of studies found that drinking coffee before exercise increased endurance and decreased perceived exertion when compared to a control group.
What Is The Best Time To Drink Coffee?
In my opinion, the best time to drink coffee is whenever you’re feeling low and looking for that boost of energy to get yourself going.
Many people also prefer going for coffee right in the morning, which is also not bad as it can help you get your day started with a good kick making you feel great.
On other hand, coffee is a mood enhancer, so if you’re not feeling your best, why not walk to your favorite coffee house and order yourself a soothing coffee to relax.
Can You Drink Coffee Every Day?
Yes, you can consume coffee every day in moderation.
It is safe to consume coffee every day until you consume it under the limit stated by FDA.
However, if you’re diabetic, you might want to look out if your body is adjusting well to caffeine or not, in this condition it might be best to consult your physician.
Also, whenever you consume something that contains caffeine do keep a tab on your intake so that you don’t overdose and experience any side effects.
Summary
Coffee can suppress your appetite.
Caffeine can boost your metabolism in the short term, but this effect fades with time in long-term coffee drinkers due to tolerance.
If you’re primarily interested in coffee for fat loss, it may be best to cycle your coffee consumption to avoid tolerance buildup. Perhaps two-week on, two-week off cycles are best.
Of course, there are numerous other compelling reasons to drink coffee, including the fact that it is one of the most abundant sources of antioxidants in the Western diet.