Black Coffee – Benefits, Nutrition and Side Effects

You might like your coffee black in the morning to help you feel energized and set you up for the day, but what do you know about that?

Do you know how drinking black coffee affects your body and mind? Do you know the benefits of black coffee and its side effects?

Black coffee is simply coffee that is normally brewed without the addition of additives such as sugar, milk, cream, or added flavorings. Although it tastes slightly bitter compared to when flavored with additives, many people like a strong cup of black coffee. In fact, for some it is part of their daily diet.

In this article, we talk about the benefits of drinking black coffee, how it can help you lose weight, potential side effects, and how to brew the perfect cup of black coffee.

Below we discuss the benefits of black coffee for weight loss

1. Black coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which helps slow the production of glucose in your body. This means that if you drink black coffee after a meal, your body will produce less glucose and fat cells.
2. Black coffee also contains antioxidants, which aid in the weight loss process.
3. As black coffee is high in caffeine, it helps boost metabolic activity and increases your energy levels, thus suppressing hunger.
4. As mentioned earlier, black coffee is a low-calorie beverage and also contains no fat or cholesterol. This means that you do not gain weight by drinking black coffee daily.
5. Many people like to have black coffee a few minutes before hitting the gym. This is because it can dramatically boost metabolism, allowing you to get more out of your workout.
6. Other benefits of black coffee for weight loss include reducing water content in the body. Due to frequent urination, you reduce excess water in your body, which contributes to temporary weight loss.
7. If you are taking black coffee for weight loss, it is important to note that you should drink it without any additives. This means no added sugar, cream, milk or any other flavor. With such additives, all these benefits discussed above are negated because your drink will then contain calories, fats and cholesterol. That said, following a proper diet is a must for weight loss.

10 Proven Health Benefits of Black Coffee

If you like black coffee, you’ll be happy to know that the drink has many benefits for both your body and your mind. Let’s discuss the benefits of black coffee.

1. It helps improve mood and productivity

Black coffee stimulates the nervous system, stimulate the release of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine called “happy chemicals” that make you feel happy and positive.

The caffeine in black coffee increases brain excitability, improves mood, and facilitates a more productive environment by improving cognitive abilities.

2. May act as an antidepressant

The antidepressant effect of coffee stems from its ability to increase the amount of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, thereby counteracting symptoms of depression such as sadness, grief, and loneliness. Additionally, coffee contains chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid.

These acids help reduce the nerve cell inflammation that occurs in the brains of people with depression and soothe the associated discomfort and distress.

3. It improves cardiovascular health

Regular consumption of black coffee may cause your blood pressure to rise initially, but this effect diminishes over time.

Studies have shown that drinking one to two cups of black coffee each day can reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including stroke.

4. It improves your memory

Black coffee is known to be excellent for improving memory. As we age, our cognitive abilities are affected and we are more susceptible to developing memory-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Drinking black coffee regularly can help fight them off by keeping your nerves active, improving brain function.

5. It’s good for the liver

Your liver is a vital organ with many functions in your body. Studies have shown that regular consumption of black coffee lowers the level of harmful liver enzymes present in the blood. It prevents several liver problems like cancer, fatty liver disease, hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis.

6. It helps you clean your stomach

Coffee is a diuretic drink, which means that the more you drink, the more often you will urinate. Frequent urination flushes out toxins and bacteria from the body and cleans your stomach to keep you healthy.

7. It can help prevent the risk of developing cancer

Coffee is great for reducing inflammation in your body, which helps prevent tumors from developing. Studies have shown that regular consumption of black coffee can reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer such as liver cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and rectal cancer.

8. It is rich in antioxidants

Many of the health benefits of black coffee come from its high antioxidant content. Powerful antioxidants such as potassium, magnesium, vitamins B2, B3 and B5, as well as manganese, are found in black coffee.

Potassium and magnesium maintain fluid levels in our body and support blood pressure. The different vitamins vitalize the body’s immunity and metabolic rate.

9. It reduces cellulite

The caffeine in coffee is said to enlarge blood vessels, smooth out dimples in the skin, and tighten the skin. Bigger blood vessels mean more blood can flow to the area, so more nutrients come in and it’s easier for the skin to get rid of toxins and thrive.

10. Decreased risk of gout

Studies have shown that people who drink black coffee every day have a 57% reduced risk of gout.

Coffee contains beneficial compounds such as caffeine and polyphenols. Caffeine prevents the buildup of uric acid around body tissues. The polyphenol helps reduce the level of insulin in the blood.

Insulin and uric acid are closely related. Increased insulin sensitivity and decreased insulin levels improve elimination of uric acid and sodium. Thus, it indirectly removes uric acid from the body by improving insulin sensitivity. The increase in coffee antioxidants contributes to the decrease in the level of insulin and uric acid in the body, which triggers gout.

How to make black coffee?

While there is no one correct way to brew black coffee, and different people brew their black coffee in their own way, there are steps you can take to ensure your drink tastes amazing every time.

There are two ways to brew black coffee: by grinding it yourself or by using a machine.

If you want clear black coffee with a really delicate taste, grinding it yourself is the best option.

Take about three tablespoons of coffee and grind them until they are as fine as sea salt. Boil about 600 grams of water. Add a filter to your dripper by filling it with ground coffee. Gently pat the surface and pour it into a cup. Your black coffee will be ready in no time.

Another option is to simply use a coffee machine, which most people do because of its convenience.

Side effects of black coffee

We’ve discussed the benefits of black coffee and how it helps with weight loss, but is it all good? Does it have any side effects? Like everything, excessive consumption of black coffee leads to side effects, which are discussed below:

• Too much black coffee releases high levels of stress hormones in your body, which only causes anxiety and stress. It’s easy to get jittery when you’re consuming too much caffeine.
• Excessive coffee consumption can seriously mess up your sleep routine. It is recommended to avoid coffee a few hours before bedtime if you want to get a good night’s sleep.
• Black coffee is high in caffeine and acid, so excessive consumption can lead to acidity in the stomach. You are likely to have abdominal cramps and spasms.
• Too much coffee in your system prevents your body from absorbing minerals from your daily diet, such as iron, calcium and zinc.

Summary

Black coffee has many health benefits and also helps in weight loss. It can help boost memory, increase metabolism, keep your liver and heart healthy, and reduce your risk of developing cancer.

However, it should be drunk in moderation because, like everything, too much of it can lead to unwanted side effects. These include acidity, increased stress and anxiety, low rate of mineral absorption, and disrupted sleep routine.

When consumed in moderation, black coffee is a great drink that contains no calories, fat or cholesterol.

Black Coffee – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)