If you can’t start your morning until you’ve guzzled down a cup of coffee, then we have some good news.
In addition to a much needed shot of energy to get you moving, it turns out the beverage may also help you lose weight.
It sounds too good to be true, but according to nutritionist Sarah Flowers, drinking a cup of Joe in the morning provides an added bonus besides perking you up.
Flowers told The Express that coffee lovers should be drinking coffee first thing in the morning to “boost both concentration and energy levels” but also to aid weight loss.
According to Flowers, coffee can help you slim down because it is capable of boosting your metabolism.
She said: “Your daily cup of coffee can help boost your metabolic rate, by stimulating thermogenesis, helping you in turn to burn more fat.”
In addition to giving your metabolism a kick, the beverage also contains the helpful weight loss aid Chlorogenic acid – capable of slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates and breaking down fat.
But don’t start guzzling numerous cups of coffee just yet – as it turns out our bodies can become immune to the fat burning benefits if we drink too much coffee.
Instead, Flowers recommends drinking just one to two cups a day to see the full metabolism-boosting results – and drinking it in the morning.
Beloved coffee can also reduce appetite. While it is not a meal replacement, coffee can “stimulate thermogenesis (heat and energy)” which means a reduced appetite and a temporarily lessened need for food, according to Flowers.
And, according to one study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, which studied the dietary habits of more than 93,000 people, those who drank more coffee had a lower risk of obesity and a decreased risk of type two diabetes.
However, it is important to note that weight loss is linked to black coffee – and not sugary frappuccinos.
While a dash of milk is okay, overly-milky or sugar-filled coffees can actually have the opposite effect on weight – as hidden calories in coffee-based beverages can lead to weight gain and increased insulin levels.
