For many, waking up with a warm cup of joe is a morning ritual they can’t live without. Whether you enjoy it black, with a splash of coconut milk, or mixed with cinnamon and honey, coffee really perks up your day and puts you in the right kind of mojo. (Heck—you may even take a cue from Starbucks’ brand new line of coffee drinks, “Oleato,” which is infused with olive oil!) And if you’re looking to drop extra pounds off your waistline, your daily coffee habit can come in especially clutch. We chatted with an expert and are here to share how drinking coffee can help you lose weight.
Laura Burak MS, RD, founder of GetNaked® Nutrition and author of Slim Down with Smoothies, breaks down the benefits of adding coffee to your weight loss regimen. However, she stresses that coffee shouldn’t replace meals or snacks.
“I often find clients that struggle with a history of dieting to still use a 3 p.m. cup of coffee as a substitute for food, as a way to skip a meal and save calories as it does temporarily suppress your appetite. So when you are hungry, please eat,” Burak tells us.
That being said, coffee can be a stellar addition to the current steps you’re taking to get into shape. So keep reading to learn more about the best ways drinking coffee can help you lose weight. And next, don’t miss Do These 5 Things Every Morning To Lose Weight Faster, Dietitian Says.
Coffee can help you feel full.
Your daily coffee-drinking habit can promote feelings of satiety or fullness. This can help you avoid overeating or unhealthy snacking.
“It is also liquid which, like water, helps to keep your tank, or stomach, feeling full and can therefore assist you with eating a more appropriate amount of food if you’re looking to lose weight,” Burak explains.
It can give you an energy boost and kickstart your metabolism.
Coffee has caffeine that can boost your energy and your metabolism.
“That hit of caffeine when you wake up may be the difference between making it your workout or not that day,” Burak explains. “Especially as a mom, it certainly gives me energy and motivates me and is part of a calming morning ritual, so I owe coffee a lot of love. Of course, however, make sure to focus on quality sleep as well and don’t use coffee chronically for artificial energy.”
Black coffee is an extremely low-calorie beverage.
If you prefer drinking your coffee black, Burak says one cup contains less than five calories. So a plain-old mug of piping hot coffee without additives has zero sugar and basically no calories, making it an ideal beverage to drink if you’re trying to lose weight.
Beware of the “extras” you’re adding to your cup of joe.
Sure, you may really, really love seasonal lattes and flavored coffees, but they can seriously hurt your weight loss progress. Many individuals develop the bad habit of dressing up their coffee with creamers, syrups, and whipped cream, and turn them into total “sugar bombs,” Burak says. Even the nut, seed, and oat milks nowadays sound like healthier choices but are packed with added sugar.
“Whether your health goals include weight loss or not, beware of the extras you may be adding to your coffee which can contribute a significant amount of unnecessary calories and added sugar and saturated fat to your diet,” Burak explains. “Keep coffee to a few cups or less a day so it doesn’t make you jittery, contribute to increased anxiety, or affect your sleep at night. Also, remember that coffee is not water and doesn’t contribute to keeping you properly hydrated, so make sure to drink enough water as well.”
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Alexa Mellardo