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One of the most popular drinks in the world is definitely coffee. Lately, it has been under the microscope in different studies which actually concluded that coffee has numerous health benefits. It can prevent diabetes, protect cardiovascular health, and even fight off cancer, but just as everything else, it has to be consumed in moderation.
We’ve all experienced plateau effect when it comes to weight loss, but did you know that caffeine might be one of the culprits? Even if you consume coffee moderately, consuming it at the wrong time might result in the same effect. This happens due to the increased insulin levels in the blood which cause lower activity of fat burning enzyme called lipase.
Even though caffeine can be found in many weight loss products, it doesn’t really do much when it comes to shedding weight. It can even have a negative effect and increase the fat altogether. You might think that it’s helping you lose weight because the number on the scale is lower, but that might be only the weight of water you expel due to the diuretic effect of caffeine.
To prevent the plateau effect caused by this aromatic beverage, you have to drink it 15 minutes after breakfast or lunch. This way your insulin levels won’t increase at the time you want to lose those excess pounds.
Did you know?
If your caffeine consumption exceeds normal limits, you might experience nausea, hypertension, heart arrhythmia, insomnia, anxiety, and other, so it’s best to be careful. Coffee, tea, and sodas, however, are not the only things that contain caffeine.
It is also an ingredient in certain medications, as well as different products based on cocoa. So, you can expect to find 50mg of caffeine in 50g of black chocolate, while milk chocolate contains about 10mg. Here are few beverages and amount of caffeine they contain:
Homemade black coffee contains anywhere from 75 to 100mg of caffeine in 190ml.
Espresso contains anywhere from 40 to 70mg of caffeine in one cup.
Black tea contains about 40mg in one cup, while green tea contains half that.
Decaf surprisingly contains as much caffeine as green tea, about 20mg per cup, even though pretty much everyone thinks it’s caffeine-free.
Although this amazing beverage benefits us in many ways, it might not be the best choice if you are trying to lose weight. If you add sugar and different toppings to it, you’ll be consuming extra calories as well.
