Can coffee make you gain weight? (3 Factors)

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, can coffee make you gain weight? We will discuss the reasons associated with coffee which can make you gain weight. We will also discuss ways to enjoy coffee in ways that prevent weight gain.

Can coffee make you gain weight?

No, coffee does not make you gain weight.

Coffee consumption has been linked to a decreased risk of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes, possibly due to the effects of coffee and its bioactive components on lipid metabolism.

Coffee contains substances like caffeine, which acts as an adenosine receptor antagonist and functions as a neuromodulator. It also contains chlorogenic acids, trigonelline, cafestol, and kahweol. (1)

 However, the addition of milk, sugar, or other ingredients can significantly alter the effects. When considering café au lait, it is crucial to take into account the type of milk used, as its fat content can vary.

 Adding whole milk to coffee increases its nutritional composition by 40 calories, and each teaspoon of sugar adds an extra 25 calories. Opting for skimmed milk reduces the calorie content from 40 to 21 calories.

Therefore, a cup of coffee without added sugar or milk contains minimal calories and fat. When consumed in moderation, typically 2 to 3 cups a day, it can not only benefit health but also serve as an important ally in maintaining weight and achieving physical and mental balance.(2, 3)

What is the effect of coffee on weight? 

Caffeine and other constituents of coffee, such as chlorogenic acid and quinides, are involved in causing weight loss. Caffeine may induce significant weight loss because caffeine has been shown to cause greater thermogenesis, lipolysis, and fat oxidation and insulin secretion.

It has been estimated that a habitual consumption of 6 cups of coffee causes thermogenesis, an increase in energy expenditure, which could indeed lead to significant weight loss.

Coffee may increase thermogenesis in part by increasing fat oxidation. Caffeine ingestion reduces adipose-pad size and the number of adipocytes. This suggests that caffeine and coffee consumption could help individuals lose weight by reducing body fat, possibly by increasing lipid metabolism.

Lipolysis is another indicator of lipid metabolism, and greater lipolysis has frequently been observed after caffeine or coffee intake (4)

Can coffee increase your hunger and make you gain weight?

No, conceivably, caffeine or other compounds in coffee may enhance satiety, and hence long-term consumption of caffeine or coffee may help persons lose weight.

Indeed, individuals who regularly consume caffeine-based beverages and have a higher daily caffeine intake reported experiencing increased satiety and lower concentrations of leptin.(4)

What is coffee calories content?

Coffee brews do not contain excessive amounts of absorbable carbohydrates, proteins and lipids and calories,  100 mL of filtered coffee contains approximately 2 kcal. (7)

Can blended coffee beverages make you gain weight?

Blended coffee beverages have many more calories than does a brewed cup of coffee or tea, to which calories are introduced mainly from added milk or sugar.

One high-calorie blended coffee beverage sold at Starbucks is the Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino Blended Crème; the largest size (“venti,” 24 oz) with whipped cream contains 750 kcal, or approximately 38% of the 2,000-kcal diet often used as a benchmark for total daily calorie intake. 

A large Dunkin’ Donuts Vanilla Bean Coolatta (32 oz) contains 860 kcal.In conclusion, blended coffee beverages served in popular coffee chains are high in calories and most likely contribute to weight gain. (6)

Does coffee consumption have any adverse effects?

It should be considered that coffee does have modest cardiovascular effects such as tachycardia, high blood pressure,and occasional arrhythmia. The acute effects of coffee on the cardiovascular system might arise in the time immediate to coffee intake or in more susceptible individuals. 

Any contribution of coffee ingestion to the development of hypertension is likely to be small, but it is considerable particularly in infrequent coffee drinkers. 

Caffeine leads to a slight decrease in the efficiency of calcium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D and a limitation of coffee intake to 2–3 cups/day may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis and its related fracture particularly in elderly adults. (5)

Other FAQs about Coffee which you may be interested in.

Can coffee get you high?

Can coffee help a sore throat?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question, can coffee make you gain weight? We discussed the reasons associated with coffee which can make you gain weight. We also discussed ways to enjoy coffee in ways that would prevent weight gain.

Citations

  1. Farias-Pereira R, Park CS, Park Y. Mechanisms of action of coffee bioactive components on lipid metabolism. Food Sci Biotechnol. 2019
  2. Lopez-Garcia, E., van Dam, R. M., Rajpathak, S., Willett, W. C., Manson, J. E., & Hu, F. B.  Changes in caffeine intake and long-term weight change in men and women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83(3), 674–680. 2006.
  3. Pereira, P. C., & Vicente, F.  Milk Nutritive Role and Potential Benefits in Human Health. Nutrients in Dairy and Their Implications on Health and Disease, 161–176. 2017.
  4. Greenberg, J. A., Boozer, C. N., & Geliebter, A. Coffee, diabetes, and weight control. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84(4), 682–693. 2006.
  5. Bae, J.-H., Park, J.-H., Im, S.-S., & Song, D.-K.  Coffee and health. Integrative Medicine Research, 3(4), 189–191. 2014.
  6. Huang C, Dumanovsky T, Silver LD, Nonas C, Bassett MT. Calories from beverages purchased at 2 major coffee chains in New York City, 2007.
  7. Farah, Adriana.  Nutritional and health effects of coffee. 10.19103/AS.2017.0022.14. 2018.

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