- READ MORE: Wegovy is now linked to another serious health condition, study finds
According to a study, adding an extra cup of coffee to your daily routine can lead to slight weight loss over a period of four years.
An additional cup of unsweetened coffee was associated with a quarter-pound (0.12 kilogram) reduction over four years.
Drinking with “cream or non-dairy creamer” didn’t seem to affect weight, just One teaspoon of sugar caused weight gain.
It is believed that drinking more fluids can generally lead to a feeling of fullness, which can lead to fewer calories consumed during the day.
The changes were more significant in younger people and people who were overweight or obese.
A staggering 42 percent of American adults and 20 percent of children are obese.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that drinking an extra cup of unsweetened coffee per day can lead to weight loss
The graph above shows the researchers’ observed relationship between changes in coffee habits and weight changes within each four-year period. Unsweetened coffee has been linked to weight loss, but adding a teaspoon of sugar negated the benefit
Researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, used data from three previous large-scale studies in which participants answered questionnaires about the food and drinks they consumed during the day and recorded their weight.
The studies took place between 1986 and 2015.
Researchers compared participants’ coffee consumption habits and their weight changes over the course of four years.
They examined caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption and considered whether people added sugar, non-sweeteners or cream to their drinks.
They found that an additional cup of unsweetened coffee per day was associated with a weight loss of 0.26 pounds, or 0.12 kilograms, over four years.
However, when participants increased their daily intake by just one teaspoon of sugar, they gained 0.20 pounds over the same period.
Using “cream or non-dairy coffee creamer” did not appear to have an impact on weight, the study said.
Added sugar can prevent the weight loss associated with coffee because it can be a source of additional calories.
Meanwhile, cream or sweeteners can contribute to satiety because they contain protein or fat.
The study only found a connection between coffee consumption and weight changes, meaning that participants didn’t necessarily lose or gain weight because of the caffeinated beverage.
For example, people who add sugar to their coffee may be more likely to consume more added sugar overall throughout the day, which can lead to weight gain.
And those who drink unsweetened coffee may be more conscious about reducing added sugar in their diet overall.
The study was published last week in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.