If you're having trouble losing weight, you'll need to examine your diet more closely. It's easy to blame soda, juice or other drinks for your lack of weight loss. Few people, however, stop to think about the effect coffee can have on their waistline. If you're a regular coffee drinker, take the time to research what you're drinking and how many calories are in the cup.
Coffee Alone
Coffee itself has just a couple of calories. For example, an 8-oz. cup of instant coffee contains four calories, while a 1-oz. cup of espresso contains just one calorie. If you start your day with a cup of espresso or black coffee, then you have nothing to worry about. If you like your coffee sweet, you can use a calorie-free sweetener to keep your calorie content at zero. If you want to use sugar, remember that each teaspoon contains 15 calories.
Extras
The main reason coffee can be fattening is because of all the extras in it. Syrups, creams and milk add up to significant calories. For example, a McDonald's Cappuccino contains 130 calories, while a Dunkin Donuts Mocha Swirl Latte contains 230 calories. Starbucks has several coffee drinks that are very high in calories. The Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha contains 560 calories. If your recommended calorie intake is 1500 calories per day, drinking those 560 calories will eat up a third of your daily total. Because coffee is not very filling, you're likely to eat normally whether you drink a coffee that's zero calories or one that's 500. Do this every day, and you'll end up gaining 1 lb. by the end of the week. This is because 1 lb. equals 3500 calories.
Cortisol
Cortisol is also known as "the stress hormone." When your body is under stress, your body releases cortisol to help you deal with increased physical demands. For example, cortisol can help with the "flight-or-fight response" that helps you react quickly to escape danger. Drinking coffee significantly increases the production of cortisol in your body, according to a 2006 study published in the "Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior" journal. The problem with this is that this extra cortisol is never used by your body, since you're not in real danger. As a result, your body stores the cortisol excess as fat. This could mean that even drinking black coffee could cause weight gain because of the cortisol effect. No studies have confirmed this, however. Until the theory is proved or disproved, it might be worth it to control the amount of coffee you drink.
Lack of Sleep
According to a 2004 study done at the University of Chicago, lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. This is because your body tends to crave more food when you're tired. Your body might also push you to focus on sweets and other simple carbs, since these are processed fast and provide a quick burst of energy. Some people don't have a problem with drinking coffee and can sleep normally. Others might have their sleep patterns interrupted by drinking coffee, especially if they drink coffee in the evening. While it wouldn't be the coffee itself causing the weight gain, you might still see the effects on the scale.
References
- Association of Women for the Advancement of Research and Education; Cortisol and Weight; Tiffany Spudich; January 2007
- "Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior"; Cortisol Responses to Mental Stress, Exercise, and Meals Following Caffeine Intake in Men and Women; W.R. Lovallo, et al.; March 2006
- "USA Today"; Sleep Loss May Equal Weight Gain; Nanci Hellmich; December 2004
- What's Cooking America: Sugar: The Natural Sweetener
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