In a world where weight loss trends and fad diets come and go, one well-proven beverage has stood the test of time: coffee.
Whether consumed during your morning ritual, before a workout, or when you need a PM pick-me-up, leveraging coffee for weight loss may be the best-kept secret to shedding extra pounds.
Let’s explore the science behind why your cup of Joe is a wake-up for your metabolism and the boost your slimdown strategy needs.
The Science Behind Coffee For Weight Loss (+ Why It Works)
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, and drinking it delivers a ton of health benefits.[*] Studies connect regular coffee consumption with lower body fat and body weight, better appetite control and satiation responses, and a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.[*]
Coffee contains over a thousand bioactive compounds that contribute to these weight loss benefits, such as:[*]
So when you combine these potent antioxidants, science says coffee helps:
Lower Inflammation & Improve Metabolic Health
Chronic low-grade inflammation in fat tissue may be an underlying driver of metabolic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.[*] Metabolic syndrome makes it much more difficult to lose weight.[*]
On the bright side, the antioxidants in coffee scavenge destructive free radicals and play a critical role in the battle against oxidative stress, which causes inflammation. That’s why regular coffee consumption helps reduce the risks of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, improving overall wellness and metabolic health.[*][*]
Once you tackle inflammation, you may finally start moving the weight loss needle.
Regulate Blood Sugar Levels To Lose Weight & Prevent Weight Gain
High blood sugar levels increase insulin levels and eventually cause insulin resistance.[*] This situation prevents weight loss and encourages weight gain.[*]
Good news? Studies show that chlorogenic acids may slow your body’s absorption of carbohydrates during digestion, which can help reduce blood sugar spikes and improve insulin sensitivity.[*] Take this a step further with intermittent fasting, and you may finally overcome this internal barrier to weight loss.
Turn Up the Fat-Burning
During fat oxidation (fat burning), your body breaks down fat molecules for energy. Lipolysis is the first step of this process, and it’s often triggered by the release of hormones like adrenaline during exercise. But since caffeine stimulates adrenaline, it may also turn on lipolysis and hack fatty acid liberation.[*]
Studies demonstrate that caffeine increases the release of fatty acids from fat tissues, making them more available for oxidation.[*] So if your fat cells are like locked treasure chests, caffeine’s the master key to put that stored belly fat to work as energy.
Consider this: a meta-analysis of trials with over 600 participants revealed that for every doubling in caffeine intake, there was a twofold reduction in weight, BMI, and body fat mass.[*] Sounds like a super fat-burner to us.
Enhance Thermogenesis To Boost Metabolism
Caffeine and chlorogenic acids stimulate thermogenesis, the process by which your body generates heat (usually by burning calories).[*] Bump up thermogenesis, and your metabolism will torch more calories.
According to studies, that’s exactly what the caffeine in coffee does. It increases your metabolic rate to incinerate more calories while you’re at rest.[*][*] And it’s a major reason so many weight loss supplements contain caffeine.
Researchers in one study learned that a 100-milligram caffeine supplement raised the resting metabolic rate of volunteers by up to 4% over 150 minutes. Taking that supplement every two hours over 12 hours resulted in 11% more calorie-burning. Average net effect? Up to 150 extra burned calories for the day.[*]
Since a cup of coffee may contain anywhere from 70 to 140 milligrams of caffeine, increasing your caffeine/coffee intake may be a major win for your weight management or weight loss aims. The FDA considers 400 milligrams of caffeine per day safe for most people.[*]
Suppress Your Appetite
You’ll naturally eat fewer calories when you’re in ketosis. But before you get there, the side effects of cutting carbs and battling the keto flu may skyrocket sugar cravings. Luckily, coffee can help tame the hunger beast.
Scientists noticed that drinking caffeine 30 minutes to four hours before a meal may decrease how much you eat.[*] Another study revealed that a moderate amount of coffee effectively reduces calorie intake during the next meal and the rest of the day.[*]
However, we can’t give caffeine all the credit here. In one small randomized trial, researchers observed that decaf coffee decreased hunger and increased the satiety hormone peptide YY.[*]
Optimize Workouts
Weight gain can largely be explained by eating too many calories and logging too little physical activity.[*] Since caffeine enhances physical performance, endurance, and stamina, it may be an easy addition to help you shed LBs and get the most out of your sweat sesh.[*][*]
After all, caffeine may increase fat-burning by ~44%, but caffeinated exercise causes a nearly 80% turnover in fatty acids.[*]
Combining exercise and caffeine not only burns more calories than exercise alone, but even helped participants in one study perceive working out as less difficult and more enjoyable.[*] This is a win since the more active minutes you log, the higher your chances of body goal success.
How Drinking Coffee May Sabotage Weight Loss
About 85% of adults in the United States consume caffeine daily, with coffee as the predominant source.[*] So why does America’s obesity rate sit around 40%?[*]
In a multi-year meta-analysis, scientists learned that increasing black caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee was associated with a reduction in weight gain over four years. However, adding sugar, artificial sweetener, or creamer counteracted these effects and was largely associated with additional weight gain.[*]
Black coffee not your jam? You don’t have to give up the tasty lattes and fancy Starbucks drinks you love. The best sugar-free coffee tips can help you kick your sugar habit and ditch the extra calories without skimping on flavor. Plus, it doesn’t take much to swap sugary syrups with natural, low-calorie, sugar-free alternatives to reach your weight loss goals.
So, What’s the Best Coffee for Weight Loss?
Research comparing instant, brewed coffee, espresso, and coffee substitutes revealed that instant coffee packs the most antioxidants, which means more weight-loss-supporting polyphenols and chlorogenic acids.[*][*]
When instant coffee was consumed daily for four weeks, visceral fat (the fat between your organs), total abdominal fat, body weight, and waist circumference dropped significantly.[*]
Instant coffee is a clear winner (and literally the easiest brew method). So let’s talk about taking that powerful cup of coffee to the next level.
Each travel-ready packet of our keto IQJOE instant coffee contains:
- 200 mg Organic Caffeine from Green Coffee and Brazilian Coffee. You’ll score long-lasting, crash-proof, jitter-free energy from more sustainably grown coffee beans. It’s a win-win.
- 750 mg Magtein®️ (Magnesium L-Threonate). Did you know that people who are overweight tend to be deficient in magnesium?[*] Adding more to your diet or drinking magnesium coffee may significantly reduce blood pressure, high blood sugar, BMI, and other weight loss markers.[*][*]
- 250 mg 8X-Concentrated Lion’s Mane Extract, an adaptogen that lowers stress and obesity-associated inflammation.[*] Studies show weight gain increases the risks of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. But supplementing with Lion’s Mane can help reduce all three conditions.[*]
IQJOE is vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-, dairy-, sugar- and soy-free — it’s bursting with everything you need to thrive and none of the junk that derails progress.
☕ The IQJOE Variety Pack is the weight loss buddy of your dreams! Our Original Black, Vanilla Spice, Toasted Hazelnut, and Caffè Mocha flavors will make you forget about sugary coffee drinks and ignite your fat-burning potential in less than two minutes.
Coffee’s Not a Weight Loss Wonder, But It Comes SO Close
There’s no magic potion for weight loss. Even though science suggests that drinking coffee may lower inflammation, spark fat loss, and make your workouts more enjoyable, you still need to strive for a healthy, active lifestyle to achieve your targets.
At least now you have the inspiration and motivation to invest in a morning cup or pre-workout coffee smoothie that works just as hard as you do. You got this! 🙌
Are you powering your weight loss strategy with the right fuel? The IQBAR Ultimate Sampler delivers every highly-rated IQBAR, IQMIX, and IQJOE flavor to your door so you can meet your protein, hydration, and energy goals in one go.
Written by Lauren Ciccarelli, a writer and research geek passionate about low-carb nutrition, mental health, and meditation. Her 2,500+ articles empower doers with science-backed tips for leveled-up living.
