Does the Coffee Diet Work for Weight Loss?
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Jul 31, 2019
- 2 min read
Does the Coffee Diet Work for Weight Loss?
Healthline diet score: 3.25 out of 5
The coffee diet is a relatively new diet plan that’s rapidly gaining popularity.
It involves drinking several cups of coffee per day while restricting your calorie intake.
Some people have reported short-term weight loss success with the diet. However, it has some significant downsides.
This article reviews the coffee diet, including its potential benefits, downsides, and whether it’s healthy.
RATING SCORE BREAKDOWN
The coffee diet emphasizes coffee alongside whole foods while restricting processed foods and calories. Though it may aid weight loss, you’ll have a high risk of weight regain. Plus, its high amounts of caffeine may have side effects.
How it works
The coffee diet was developed by Dr. Bob Arnot, who claims that coffee can help you lose weight. On this plan, you drink at least 3 cups (720 ml) of coffee per day, replace one meal with a green smoothie, and focus on low-fat, high-fiber meals and snacks.
Potential benefits
Coffee is rich in caffeine and antioxidants called polyphenols, which have several health benefits, including decreased inflammation and free radical damage.
When it comes to boosting weight loss, coffee appears to have two potential benefits — decreasing appetite and increasing metabolism.
May decrease appetite
Research indicates coffee may aid weight loss by decreasing your appetite and calorie intake, all while increasing the number of calories you burn. However, more research is needed to fully understand how coffee affects weight control.
Downsides
Coffee contains healthy antioxidants and may help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite and increasing your metabolism. However, the coffee diet has several downsides.
Excessive caffeine
The coffee diet comes with significant downsides. It could lead to excessive caffeine intake. Furthermore, weight regain is likely on restrictive diets like this one. Currently, no research exists on the diet’s long-term safety or effectiveness.
Is it healthy?
The coffee diet is not the best choice for healthy weight loss. Diet plans that are sustainable are more likely to result in success over the long term.
The bottom line
The coffee diet encourages you to drink at least 3 cups (720 ml) of coffee per day while restricting calorie intake.
Though it may result in short-term weight loss, it’s not a healthy diet in the long run.
It can lead to weight regain and adverse effects from excessive caffeine intake.
You may still enjoy the health benefits of coffee but stick to the safe limit of 4 cups (960 ml) per day or less.
For safe and healthy weight loss, you should avoid restrictive programs, such as the coffee diet, in favor of more sustainable plans.
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