If you rely on your daily cup of joe to wake you up and start your day, you might have heard that it can also help you lose weight. This is true to a certain extent, but you’ll have better results if you use weight reduction coffee as part of a holistic weight loss plan that includes healthy eating and regular exercise.

The key ingredient in most coffee that can facilitate weight loss is caffeine, which acts as an appetite suppressant and can increase energy levels, thereby helping you burn more calories during exercise. In addition, research has found that drinking coffee before exercising can help boost endurance and improve fat utilization, saving glycogen reserves for longer-distance exercise.

From Bean to Lean: Understanding the Ingredients in Weight Loss Coffee

Another way coffee can support weight loss is by lowering insulin levels, which can inhibit fat storage and increase your body’s ability to burn stored fat for fuel. This effect is largely due to the high phenol content in coffee, which reduces insulin production and carbohydrate absorption.

Finally, the caffeine in coffee can increase thermogenesis, which is the process of your body producing heat for energy. By increasing your metabolism by 11-13%, caffeine can also help you burn more calories, thereby facilitating weight loss.

However, coffee is only a good weight loss beverage if you drink it black, without sugar or milk. One study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that people who consumed unsweetened coffee were more likely to experience some weight loss, but adding a teaspoon of sugar significantly reduced the benefits of coffee for weight management.