Coffee and Weight Loss - Does it Really Play a Role?

Americans and people worldwide are literally drowning themselves in coffee. In fact, a study by the Roast and Post Coffee Company found that coffee is the most popular drink known, with an amazing 400 billion cups consumed annually worldwide. Around 100 million people in the U.S. consume around 350 million cups of coffee daily, and half of the adult population in America starts off their day with a cup of joe. We spend $730 million annually on this beverage, but for the 64% of us who are battling weight problems, we may be paying a much higher price than we know.

You may or may not be aware that coffee is one of the leading inhibitors of weight loss, but many studies confirm that your coffee intake may be preventing you from finding weight loss or success for both psychological and physiological reasons. This is true of both regular and decaffeinated coffee. Perhaps this is why popular weight loss programs, including Jenny Craig™, Physician’s Weight Loss™, Weight Watchers™, and The Zone™ all suggest you should limit your coffee intake. 

Reason 1 – Coffee Gets On your Nerves
Coffee interrupts the activity of the brain chemical adenosine, which is responsible for calming you down. This added stimulation and nervousness that you get from coffee can make you feel edgy. This edgy feeling can often lead to a sense of hunger or cravings, causing you to eat more than you would normally.

Reason 2 – Coffee Is Seldom a Loner
Coffee intake, decaf or not, is often associated with social food intake activities such as breaks, snacks, and fast-food breakfasts. When someone asks you out for a “cup of coffee,” it is usually accompanied by a snack or even a meal that you would not have otherwise eaten. Therefore, for many people, coffee is an excuse to cheat and eat foods in greater quantity and of lesser quality.