Coffee & Diets

A 2007 study titles "What America Drinks" showed that the average American consumes one-fifth of their daily calories in the form of beverages. Juices, sodas, alcohol, and other beverages can be full of calories, all of which hamper our weight loss efforts. Can calorie-free coffee help you reach your weight loss goals?

Coffee for Low Calorie and Low Carbohydrate Diets

If you are on a low calorie diet, black coffee should be your coffee of choice. Black coffee does not contain the calorie-laden cream or sugar of other coffees. You can drink it both iced or hot for variety.

There is some controversy in the low carbohydrate diet community about whether coffee is detrimental to low carbohydrate (low carb) diets. While black coffee has scant carbohydrates, low carb weight loss is dependent, in part, on controlling blood sugar. Some believe that the caffeine in coffee has a detrimental effect on insulin which makes it harder to lose weight. Others claim that they can drink coffee with no problems. Low carb dieters who drink a lot of coffee and have hit a diet stall should test

Coffee for Cravings

Because lightly flavored coffees (without heavy syrups, cream or sugar) contain few or no calories, they can help curb cravings, particularly around the holidays, when flavored coffees such as pumpkin spice and eggnog are available. If your diet permits it, add a measured teaspoon of cream or milk to your coffee, plus some no-calorie sweetener, for a special treat.

Coffee and Exercise

Research has suggested that the caffeine in coffee can help increase mental focus and lessen pain during exercise. If exercise is an important part of your weight loss regimen, coffee may help you to increase the intensity, length, and effectiveness of your workouts.