What is Green Coffee?
Green Coffee
Unroasted coffee beans are green in colour and have a greater amount of chlorogenic acid than roasted coffee beans.
Function: Green coffee is known to be beneficial for diabetes, heart disease and weight loss.
Usage in Supplement: Dietary supplements like fat burners, PhenGold, Trimtone, etc.
Similar fat-burning ingredients:
Green tea, guarana, yerba mate, etc.
Coffee beans are roasted before they are sold to consumers. The process of roasting these beans, gives the naturally green beans a brown colour. Because of the green colour of unroasted beans, raw coffee is commonly known as green coffee.
Coffee beans are packed with antioxidants and caffeine which acts as a stimulant. But there is another compound present in coffee beans known as chlorogenic acid, which reduces in value when the beans are roasted. In green coffee beans, this acid is the main active ingredient which helps in weight loss.
Benefits of Green Coffee for Weight Loss
Because of the larger amount of cholorogenic acid in green coffee, it promotes weight loss more than regular coffee. Green coffee helps in weight loss through the following effects:
- Boosts metabolism
- Reduced carbohydrate absorption
- Reduced blood sugar
- Reduced fat absorption
- Improves functioning of the adinopectin hormone (helps in burning fat)
- Controls blood cholesterol
How Does It Work?
Chlorogenic acid, the active compound in green coffee, balances the blood sugar of your body. It inhibits the release of glucose and increases the metabolic activity of the liver. This reduces fat absorption from food intake and prevents weight gain.
Other Benefits
Green coffee has the following health benefits:
- Reduces high blood pressure
- Improves cognitive performance
- Helps in detoxifying your body
- Improves your mood
- May be useful in preventing cancer
- Provides resistance to fatigue
Clinical Studies
A study (source) was performed on 30 overweight yet healthy individuals for 12 weeks. The participants were divided into two groups that followed a proper diet and exercise routine. Both groups had regular instant coffee but one group had theirs enriched with 200mg of green coffee extract. The group that was given green coffee extract lost 11.9 pounds, while the other group only lost 3.7 pounds.
Another study (source) went over a duration of 22 weeks and was comprised of 16 overweight participants. The subjects either received a low dose (700mg), a high dose (1050mg) of green coffee extract or a placebo throughout the study. The study concluded that the group that was given green coffee extract was successful in losing more weight than the placebo group.
Side Effects
Green coffee is safe to use by adults according to the research which has been done so far. No serious side effects have been reported in the research conducted. However, as green coffee contains caffeine, certain caffeine-related side effects can occur (when taken in high doses) such as:
- Increased heart rate
- Insomnia
- Increased breathing rate
- Headaches
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Anxiety
- Nervousness
- Ringing in the ears
- Irregular heart beat
- Stomach upset
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Glaucoma
A word of caution
In addition to the above side effects, people suffering from the following conditions should be very cautious when taking green coffee as it can worsen their condition:
- Bleeding and anxiety disorders
- Diarrhoea
- Osteoporosis
- Hypertension
- Heart disease
- High cholesterol
For pregnant and breast-feeding women, it is best advised to avoid drinking green coffee because of lack of evidence for its effects and side effects in such conditions.
Conclusion
Green coffee extract is available as an ingredient used by many manufacturers in their top weight loss supplements. The clinical trials have supported the weight losing effect of green coffee. But you have to remember to follow a proper diet and maintain regular exercise if you want to lose weight and see a leaner you! All these ingredients are just supplements – they help you in losing weight better and quicker when you supplement your diet and workout routine. There is no magic ingredient out there which will make you lose weight without having to restrict you to a proper diet and exercise. If you are ready to cut down on your junk and comfort food, take out your running shoes and supplement your daily coffee with the green coffee extract. Only then you will be successful in losing that stubborn fat!
Sohail has been searching diets and belly fat solutions for over a decade, and manage a pool of trained authors to write articles, which have helped thousands of readers to this date. He has CPD accredited Certificate in Nutrition for Weight Loss besides his MBA degree. He also owns this website, which he founded in 2013 to share his ideas and knowledge. Not to mention he has tried numerous supplements over the years and has an extensive and thorough knowledge on supplements. Besides spending time on his study, research and literature, Sohail loves swimming, gardening and travelling.
