Does Caffeine Help Weight Loss – Caffeine is found in many food items and drinks. It plays an important role in stimulating the CNS, and heart, and controlling blood pressure. Not only that, caffeine helps in weight management. In this blog, we are covering the topic “Does Caffeine Help Weight Loss”. Here you find all the information regarding caffeine and its effects on weight loss.
The moderation amount of caffeine has a positive effect on weight loss, cognitive function, and alertness. Also, caffeine has analgesic properties which help in relieving pain and headaches faster. But one should understand the pros and cons of having caffeine on daily basis. That’s why we will start by discussing what is caffeine and its major sources.
What exactly are caffeine and its sources?
Caffeine is a type of psychoactive substance and the most commonly consumed in the world. Also, caffeine is most commercially represented as the “fat-burning supplement”. It helps in increasing the metabolism and mobilizing the fat tissues. Coffee is one of the most common caffeine sources in the world. However, coffee not only contains caffeine but also has other biologically active substances such as Theobromine, and Theophylline.
The major sources of caffeine-
- Coffee
- Decaf coffee
- Cocoa beans and chocolates
- Kola nut
- Green tea
- Guarana
- Paraguay tea or yerba mate
- Chewing gum
- Energy drinks
- Coffee-containing foods
What exactly does Caffeine Our Body Do?
Basically, caffeine blocks or inhibits the neurotransmitter named adenosine. It eventually causes releasing of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine by the firing of neurons. It helps in making me feel more energetic and awake. As per some studies, caffeine intake has positive effects on exercise performance and can increase up to 12%.
Particularly regarding the weight loss effect of caffeine in the longer run, people tend to become tolerant of the effects caused by the caffeine in our bodies. But one study showed that this appetite-reducing effect in men and women is different effects. So, maybe caffeinated drinks are not a lifetime solution for losing weight.
Does Caffeine Help Weight Loss?
There is a term called resting metabolic rate (RMR) which means the rate at which one burns calories at rest. For effective weight loss, the metabolic rate should be high. The studies conducted on the effect of caffeine on metabolic rate, clearly show that a high dosage of caffeine in one’s diet can cause an increase in Resting metabolic rate (RMR) by up to 11%. But here is the catch, the effect of caffeine has different effects on lean and obese people. For lean people, fat burning can increase by 29% due to caffeine but for obese people, this rate is only about 10%.
Apart from it, Coffee sends direct signals to the fat tissues and breaks them down. This occurs due to the rising levels of epinephrine hormone in the blood. This epinephrine hormone is also referred to as adrenaline. But one should understand that for actual weight loss, only drinking coffee or any other caffeine source will not have any positive effect but there should be more calories burned than consumed. This is also known as a negative energy balance.
How Much Caffeine Enough for Weight Loss?
For weight loss, the type of coffee plays a vital role as calorie intake is also a major factor while on a weight loss diet. A simple cup of brewed coffee has 5 calories and if you are adding sugar and milk, the total calories will be around 100 calories per cup. So, for effective weight loss start having coffee without sugar. Also, one should consume only 4 cups per day. This will help in balancing between fat burning and feeling awake without much effect on the sleep cycle and hunger. As there can be some cons to having too much caffeine in your daily routine-
- Having coffee with sugar and milk can increase calorie intake and cause hindrance in maintaining a calorie deficit diet.
- It can give your sleepless nights. This can ultimately cause the intake of high-calorie foods.
- Irritation, fatigue, anxiety, etc are some common drawbacks of having too much caffeine.
The most common caffeine drink available is black coffee but if you want to try some alternative then, there are fruit-based sweeteners such as monk fruit, and erythritol. Some plant-based sweeteners such as yacon syrup. Of course, pure chocolate made from cocoa without sugar and milk is a good alternative to coffee.
Conclusion
At last, we hope you find all the information regarding “Does Caffeine Help Weight Loss”. There is no doubt in the fact that caffeine is an energy-boosting substance offering other promising health benefits. But there are some things should keep in mind before taking caffeine in any form. For the best and most effective way of adding caffeine to your weight loss diet plans, reach out to a dietitian of your choice.