Ways Coffee Can Help You Lose Weight, Says Science

It's true—coffee isn't as evil as you think. Even if an online health guru tries to convince you that coffee (or caffeine) is bad for you, research shows that enjoying a morning cup of coffee may help you lose weight in the long run—and even boost your overall health.

On the other hand, it's important to understand what type of coffee could help you lose weight. While enjoying a sugary iced coffee beverage is a delicious treat once in a blue moon, those types of drinks are loaded with added sugars (and thus not contributing to your weight loss in the least). If you truly want your coffee to help you lose weight, the best way to drink it is either black or with a splash of milk—either regular or plant-based. Then, you can still reap the benefits of coffee for weight loss without getting weighed down by all of those extra calories.

Here are all the ways your coffee can help you lose weight, and for even more drinking tips, be sure to check out our list of the 108 Most Popular Sodas Ranked by How Toxic They Are.

Coffee suppresses your appetite.

According to a study published by the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, coffee—specifically the caffeinated kind—has been proven to influence one's appetite control. This study states that ingesting coffee between a half-hour and four hours before a meal can help suppress "acute energy intake," also known as calorie intake.

Another study published by the journal Obesity also proved how a moderate amount of coffee intake during the day can "effectively reduce energy intake in the following meal and in the total day."

So, if you sip on a cup of coffee before you have your healthy breakfast of the day, your appetite will likely decrease. Or, you can even enjoy a late-morning cup of coffee before eating lunch.

Along with coffee, These Are the Expert-Approved Appetite Suppressants That Totally Work.

Coffee increases your metabolism.

Along with helping appetite suppression, coffee has also been proven to help with boosting metabolic rate. In a study published by the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, researchers concluded that caffeine intake "might promote weight, BMI, and body fat reduction."

Nevertheless, this study did point out the effects of caffeine intake on weight loss, which means that you'll have to consume caffeinated coffee over a decaffeinated variety. Plus, it generalizes caffeine—not just coffee. So, if you're also a lover of sipping on an afternoon cup of caffeinated tea, this can also benefit in speeding up your overall metabolism.

Here are The 50 Best Ways to Boost Your Metabolism, Says Science.

Coffee adds more liquid to your diet.

Though some experts claim that coffee is a diuretic that dehydrates you, this particular statement is far from the truth. Researchers have been able to prove that caffeinated beverages, in general, do not increase the risk of dehydration. Even though caffeine does have a "mild diuretic effect," it's still a liquid that can contribute to your daily water intake, according to the Mayo Clinic. After all, coffee is hot bean water.

Not sure how much water you should drink in a day? Here's How to Make Sure You're Drinking Enough Water.

Coffee is full of antioxidants.

Drinking coffee on a regular basis can actually significantly boost your body's health thanks to coffee's antioxidant content. Coffee contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, which are micronutrients found in plants that have been linked to helping with brain health, digestion, and even decreasing one's risk of chronic diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

A 2011 study published in the journal Chemico-Biological Interactions was able to find a link between dietary polyphenol intake and weight loss due to how these antioxidants interact with the bacteria in your intestines.

Foods that are rich in polyphenols are actually some of the foods you may not always consider healthy, such as dark chocolate, wine, and yes, coffee. Coffee was actually identified as the 36th richest dietary source of polyphenols in a list of 100 published by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Coffee is almost similar to raspberries in terms of polyphenol content, and it even ranks above both black and green tea.

Sounds like it's time to brew your favorite java! Here are 11 Tricks for the Best-Ever Cup of Coffee.