A 16-ounce cup of brewed coffee can have up to 320
milligrams caffeine -- slightly more than what's considered a moderate
dose, according to MedlinePlus.com. The caffeine in coffee and other
beverages that contain caffeine, such as tea and diet cola, is said to
help you lose weight. However, medical experts say that the benefits of
coffee for weight loss are very modest.
Coffee and Caffeine
Caffeine is a natural substance in coffee and
cocoa beans, tea leaves and kola nuts; it's also added to certain drugs
and weight loss supplements. Caffeine is a stimulant that affects your
central nervous system, making you feel awake, mentally alert and
energetic. Caffeine in food and beverages is measured in milligrams. An
8-ounce cup of brewed black coffee has between 102 to 200 mg caffeine
and only 2 calories.
Caffeine's Effects
Coffee may actually contribute to weight gain.
According to an article in The Huffington Post, if you add milk, cream
or sugar to your coffee, you rack up the calories. If a cup of warm
coffee begs you to have a donut or biscotti with it, then you are doing
your body more harm than good. Caffeine may slightly boost
thermogenesis, the process by which your body burns calories it gets
from food and beverages. However, the Center for Science in the Public
Interest, or CSPI, notes that caffeine's effect on your weight is both
negligible and temporary. Heavy coffee drinkers may experience
caffeine's undesirable side effects, such as insomnia, anxiety,
shakiness and an upset stomach.
Weight Loss Results
According to CSPI, consuming 100 mg of caffeine
may increase your metabolism slightly so that you burn an extra 75 to
100 calories a day. However, people who drink a lot of coffee or who use
caffeine in other forms don't see long-term weight loss results. CSPI
goes on to note that one possibility is that people who use caffeine
consume extra calories to make up for the extra calories burned. Yet
another theory is that people develop a tolerance to caffeine; over
time, it loses its ability to stimulate your metabolism. Coffee may not
help you lose weight at all -- in fact, it might have the opposite
effect. Gourmet coffee drinks are laden with added sugar and saturated
fat and contain a surprising number of calories.
Source: Livestrong.com
