While coffee has been shown to have a number of health benefits, it’s safe to say the majority of us drink it for that sweet, sweet caffeine.
And while there has always been chatter that drinking coffee can help you lose weight, the truth has finally been confirmed in a study.
Researchers have found having coffee every day can lead to a smaller amount of weight gain over time.
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While all of us put on a small amount of weight naturally as we age, the act of drinking coffee led to study participants gaining less weight than the average, according to a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
The study looked at data collected during three different time periods, comparing the weight loss results of people who drank coffee, both sweetened and unsweetened.
People who drank an extra cup of coffee a day gained 0.12 kg less weight than expected over four years. Adding sugar resulted in a fraction more (0.09 kg) weight gain than expected over four years.
Milk and non-dairy alternatives didn’t have any difference to weight gain numbers.
So while long black drinkers might be celebrating, those of us who add sugar to our morning java might have something to worry about.
“The findings raise questions of a potentially even more detrimental impact on weight by commercial coffee drinks with higher amounts of added sugar,” the study authors write.
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While the weight loss differences noted might not make a huge difference, the proof is there. But how does it work?
“Caffeine is a natural stimulant which has been shown to temporarily reduce appetite and increase alertness. This may help to feel less hungry for a short period, potentially leading to reduced energy intake,” Lauren Ball writes for The Conversation.
Caffeine has also been shown to speed up our metabolism, causing more energy to be burned while resting. It also has a diuretic effect – making us use the bathroom more frequently and therefore lead to the loss of temporary water weight.
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So is it worth trying to drink more coffee as a weight-loss technique?
”Losing weight can be influenced by various factors, so don’t get too enthusiastic about the coffee-weight link highlighted in this new study, or increase your coffee intake to unreasonable levels,” writes Ball.
“You’d have to drink three cups a day to lose just one pound [half a kilo] over four years!” Beata Rydyger, a registered nutritionist not directly involved in the study, told Medical News Today.
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As with any other diet-related topic, it all just comes down to moderation. If you really love sugar in your coffee, don’t feel like you have to give it up. Similarly, don’t drink ten cups of coffee a day in the hopes that it’ll help you slim down.
In Australia, three-quarters of adults drink coffee daily, with 27 per cent claiming it’s a necessity to get through the day.
Most adults can safely consume around 400mg of caffeine a day – the equivalent of two espressos, four cups of instant coffee, or eight cups of tea.
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It’s been a big month for coffee drinkers – last week we shared a story about a viral TikTok linking coffee consumption to better orgasms.
A doctor weighed in, confirming that the science does suggest that having coffee – or another caffeine source – before sex could lead to stronger orgasms.