Coffee can jump start your weight loss plan.

Coffee is a nectar of the gods.  It is miraculous what it does to me each morning.  It truly wakes me from my zombielike state each morning.  It starts every day for many around the world.   I can speak for my administrative assistant and she thanks our maker every day that I have 1-4 cups every morning.  It gives you energy and wakefulness, but does coffee help with weight loss and maintenance?  

The main active ingredient in coffee is caffeine and there is very little evidence that caffeine assists with weight loss.  Sure it makes you more alert and wakeful.  I do not feel I need to provide research on this topic.  It is well known that coffee is a common way to self medicate yourself to avoid sleep and promote alertness.  It has been used for decades for this purpose.  It would make sense that caffeine would help with weight loss.

Since the research is mixed, does that mean that coffee does not assist with weight loss?  It is not that simple.  There is some research to show that coffee does decrease appetite.

Research:

1. Caffeine:  One European study of caffeine consumption in weight loss and maintenance showed a correlation between successful maintenance and higher caffeine consumption​[1]​.
   • Appetite suppression:  Caffeine may reduce your desire to eat for a brief time, but there’s not enough evidence from research to suggest that long-term consumption aids weight loss, but one study does show that coffee and not caffeine through peptide YY causes a reduction in appetite​[2]​.  
   • Calorie and fat burning. Caffeine may stimulate thermogenesis (aka fat burning)​[3]​.  This effect is probably small and isn’t enough to produce significant weight loss. One study showed a significant increase in fat burning in women who consume caffeine​[4]​.
   • Exercise Performance:  Caffeine has shown improved exercise performance in multiple studies​[5]​.  
2. Coffee:  I personally find that my own appetite is suppressed, and I eat less when I have coffee, so I was surprised to find conflicting research with mixed results. I honestly believe that more research is needed to compare naive individuals to those with some tolerance to caffeine. This is likely more complicated and depends on the individual.
   • Weight loss: I found several studies that show a modest and short term increase effect on weight loss.  One such study shows a short term increase in weight loss with green coffee extract​[6]​.  A similar effect is expected with roasted coffee.
   • Appetite suppression: One study by Gavrieli showed that subjects had a lower intake of calories in the group with coffee​[7]​.

My personal opinion is that this is more complicated and needs further research.  There is a genetic link to how you regulate the caffeine receptors and this affects how much tolerance and how quickly you develop it.  Coffee is likely less effective in some subjects because of tolerance and genetic differences.  It is hard to find solid evidence on coffee for fat loss, then it may be best to cycle it to prevent a buildup of tolerance. I would like to see more studies that focus on naive versus caffeine tolerant.   

Of course, there are other reasons to drink coffee, including the fact that coffee is one of the best sources of antioxidants in the western diet.  One thing is clear, coffee helps me have more energy and feel full longer.  If I miss a cup of coffee in the morning, I usually find myself reaching for lunch early.  Even without research to support it, I will continue my cup of Joe.

The bottom line: Coffee is a drink that may boost you metabolism and promote satiety. It is not a magic bullet or a magic bean per se, but it can be a part of a weight loss diet and assist with weight loss.