The scent of freshly brewing coffee is honestly one of my favorites. While I’m more of a British tea drinker, I do enjoy a nice light roast. Some like a warming cup of joe, while others pour their coffee over ice. However, you like it, researchers have found that drinking the right amount of coffee does provide several health benefits, including a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and gallstones. Other studies have associated coffee drinking with an improved mood and a lower risk of depression in some people.
What do your daily cups of coffee do for your metabolism? Does coffee boost your metabolism pre-workout? Let’s check out the research.
Coffee and metabolism
The caffeine content of coffee can temporarily boost your metabolism, aiding in calorie and fat burning, while also helping to keep your appetite at bay. Many people find drinking coffee pre-workout gives them a slight edge.
Increasing your metabolic rate
Your metabolic rate refers to how quickly you burn calories. Research indicates that coffee can increase the metabolic rate by 5-20% for approximately three hours. Another study found that consuming 100mg of caffeine every two hours for 12 hours led to a notable increase in energy expenditure: 150 calories in individuals with a healthy body weight and 79 calories in those with obesity.
Curbing your appetite
Some studies concluded that consuming coffee before a meal could lower the total amount of calories consumed. One study revealed that the pre-meal cup of joe lowered energy intake by around 20% for men, but there was no effect for women.
Increasing fat breakdown
The caffeine in coffee could temporarily enhance your body’s ability to break down fats. This effect has been much more pronounced in those with leaner body weight compared to those with obesity.
Daily coffee drinking
Up to 400 mg per day, or about three to five cups of coffee, has been generally regarded as a safe amount. Excessive coffee consumption could worsen insomnia or reduce calcium absorption.
More than just the caffeine
It’s not just the caffeine that puts that pep in your step; coffee also contains beneficial antioxidants and phenolic compounds.
One cup of brewed breakfast blend coffee (about 248 grams) provides the following:
- 4.96 calories
- 91.8 mg of caffeine
- 0.05 mg of vitamin B1 (thiamin)
- 1.98 mg of vitamin B3 (niacin)
- 124 mg of potassium
- 9.92 mg of magnesium
- 4.96 mg of calcium
- 7.44 mg of phosphorus
Note that this doesn’t include any added milk, cream, sweeteners, or sugar.
