Yes Coffee or no Coffee???

I am new to calorie count and wanting to develop a healthy eating habit. I need to lose around 70lbs. I am basing my eating around the 10 superfoods. I have weened myself off coffee. But it was about the only vice I had. I am hearing conflicting stories about coffee. Some say it is good. High in anti oxidents, caffines good for weight loss. Others say its best not to drink it. I am very happy to start drinking it again if its good for me

Your comments would be appreciated!!!

Many thanks

Helen

Thank you everyone for your comments. I don't have sugar in coffee but I love it creamy. (Lots of milk, not cream). Im gonna go and make one now. Will be sure to add the calories into my daily count. Im  not using enough so it wont hurt.

Helen

 Caffeine isn't more of a diuretic than water is, actually.  Seriously. It has no more effect on you than drinking water does.

Supporting Armstrong?s findings is an American Journal of Physiology August 2002 review of the literature on hydration by Dr. Heinz Valtin that cites a University of Nebraska study, which found that caffeinated beverages may be counted toward the daily fluid total.

Armstrong?s analysis of the scientific literature that was focused on moderate amounts of caffeine (equivalent to one to four cups of coffee a day) indicates:

• When consuming a caffeinated beverage, the body retains some of the fluid.
• Moderate caffeine consumption causes a mild diuresis very similar to that of water (water, when consumed in large volume, increases urine output).
• A person who regularly consumes caffeine has a higher tolerance to the diuretic effect.

• There is no evidence that consumption of caffeinated beverages causes a fluid-electrolyte imbalance that is detrimental to health or exercise performance.

The caffeine in coffee promotes lipolysis in your body (well,  paraxanthine, one of the metabolites of caffeine does most of that). Which means that your body has an easier time burning fat while you're caffeinated - it's why most diet pills on the market have caffeine as their main active ingredient.

 So having a couple cups of black coffee about an hour before your workout should be helpful... since it can increase endurance by 7%-55% according to which study you read :)

I can't live without coffee (preferably with splenda & a splash of almond milk).
Or sugar-free red bull.

If I drink too much though, my blood sugar gets messed up and I can get REALLY hungry and shaky. Then I need to eat immediately or I will pass out. So I have to be careful.

You should also take in to account what type of coffee you drink. Filtered coffee is better then non-filtered. There is a compond that is removed by the paper filter that makes filtering better for you.

Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Ostra, Göteborg, Sweden. Earlier studies and trials have shown a serum cholesterol raising effect of unfiltered coffee, which is reduced by about 80% in filtered coffee.  The filtered coffee kept to the baselines of the study but the unflitered rasied serum cholesterol. This was a short study and some find it in conclusive but it is interesting in the least.

So a Mr coffee type machine for brewing coffee is better then espresso, french press or perked coffee.

"Both serious athletes and weekend athletes consume a number of beverages that, when taken in large volume, have a diuretic effect. It is interesting to note that researchers have shown that fluid-electrolyte replacement beverages have diuretic activity, and that even water is a diuretic. At less than 300 mg a day, the diuretic activity of caffeine is similar to that of water."

The full article can be found at:  http://www.coffeescience.org/media/athletic

I ain't givin' it up!!  :)

I don't think you should give up coffee - but then I am biased LOL

I drink one cup per day, with a small amount of coffee creamer - and it's not that many calories.

If you are drinking more than a couple cups a day, that's probably not good, but I don't see how coffee in moderation can be a bad thing :)

I've never drunk a cup of coffee in my life as I hate the smell of coffee and don't like coffee flavoured food........but on the basis that I'm never going to give up chocolate I say carry on drinking coffee in moderation :-)

I've lost 178 pounds in the last 23 months.

I drink a Giant cup of coffee (18 ounces) with 1/2 cup of skim milk and 2 sweet n' lows Every single morning.  I also drink a minimum of 128 ounces of water.

I've managed my caffeine habit just fine :-)

have your coffee..just dont add too much sugar or cream ...use splenda and maybe a sugar free creamer....it helps me with weight loss

A quick cup of coffee first thing in the morning will get your fat burning kick started after its bedtime lull.

Go for it!

Original Post by yoyo88:

have your coffee..just dont add too much sugar or cream ...use splenda and maybe a sugar free creamer....it helps me with weight loss

I don't even see the need for splenda ..I gave up sugar and adjusted to the taste within a couple of week

Original Post by bonny08:

I do enjoy some bitter drinks I guess though. Love those IPA's :)

 Totally agree on the black coffee and IPA's!  ;)

I just joined and completely gave up soda (I drank that all day!). I refuse to give up my coffee :)  I have 1-2 cups in the am with some flavored creamer (a tablespoon/cup) and just account for the calories. Someone mentioned coconut sugar...what is that?! Coconut creamer is my favorite so I just had to ask.

 I think what everyone said about everything in moderation is the key.

Coffee is an appetite suppressant so it'll help with hunger... and a cup or two is okay. I would recommend drinking it black, as it's 5 calories vs. 80 calories with cream/sugar.

Give up coffee? Why?! No way!

I make my coffee with a special mixture that I blend in a small pitcher. It's composed of Silk soy creamer, light soy milk, and a bit of International Delight. Sometimes I'll add a dash of cinnamon and a touch of alcohol-free vanilla extract. I shake it up, and I have a week's worth (for 2 cups a day). It's flavorful enough so that it makes my coffee creamy, but much lower in fat and calories than using half-and-half (which is what I used to use).

Because I can't use Splenda or Nutrasweet, I add a Sweet-n-Low and it keeps me happy.

As for caffeine, I think problems with it can vary with the individual. People with anxiety disorders (meaning me) are supposed to keep their caffeine down. So, I grind up caffeine-laden beans for the a.m. and caffeine-free beans the rest of the day.

Yes ground coffee, twice a day, half a teaspoon of real sugar (I don't like "fake" sweeteners) in the hot coffee before adding Semi-Skimmed milk means it disolves more, less sugar, same sweetness   It's about 20-30 calories per mug onto the daily total that I can make room for in my allowance.

I have read recently that a few cups in the morning will help you maintain mental clarity as you age and stave off Alzheimer's.  That is pretty good in my book.  I like my coffee from the gourmet coffee part of the grocery store, flavored with Hazelnut or something similar, and a splash of Chocolate soy milk!  Yummy!

google  "coffee + alzheimer's"  for a number of articles!

I love having my morning coffee  -- it's part of my morning ritual!  I used to drink it with nonfat milk and a bit of sugar, but starting the day with sugar is not my idea of a good thing.  No artificial sweetners for me, so I decided to drink it black.  At first it was difficult, but now I prefer it.  

Interesting about filtered vs. non-filtered coffee.  I use a little coffee maker that makes it right into the mug, with a Melitta filter.  Sometimes I buy flavoured coffees, but lately I've been going with an organic blend.  At this point I don't have my own grinder.  It might be nice but slightly more work each morning.  I use the grinder at the store :)

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and coffee is an essential part of it.  

Here's a link to a New York Times article from last summer that addresses a number of commonly accepted ideas about the effects of coffee: Sorting Out Coffee's Contradictions.

And for the record, I'm not giving it up, either!

Caffeine is found in a lot of diet pills, so it could help, but I had read somewhere that longer-term effects may in fact increase your appetite by increasing cortisol levels.  My doctor had told me to lower my intake to about two cups aday.  Hope this helps.