A new study from Spain showed that only a cup of coffee could be just the fat-burning boost in workout.
According to Medical Xpress, the study from the University of Granada in Spain showed that at 30 minutes before the workout, consuming 3 mg per kilogram of body weight of caffeine, which is the equivalent of a strong coffee will increases the amount of fat you’re burning. Besides, if you do this during afternoon workout, the effects of caffeine will be more pronounced than in the morning.
Coffee has a surprise effect on exercise – Illustration from the Internet
Published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, a group of male volunteers with an average age of 32 were tested four times over a one-week period. They were given the choice to take a pill containing 3 mg per kilogram of body weight of caffeine, at 8AM and 17PM, and then doing the workout. A relationship between coffee-workout and fat burning rate have been acknowledged.
Dr. Francisco J. Amaro, the study’s lead author, added that the recommendation to exercise on an empty stomach in the morning to increase fat oxidation is commonplace. However, this recommendation may be lacking a scientific basis, as it is unknown whether this increase is due to exercising in the morning or due to going without food for a longer period of time. This new study shows that drinking a cup of coffee before exercise, although providing a certain amount of energy, makes fat burning happen even more effectively.
Previously, a large study led by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that many compounds in coffee are the ‘arch enemy’ fo excess fat. A survey of 190,000 people showed that 22-40 year old women who drank 2-3 cups of coffee a day had 3.4% lower body fat than those who did not drink; at the age of 45-69, 4 or more cups reduces fat by 4.1%; regardless of whether they live a healthy life and have a chronic disease or not.
Coffee is also proven to be a healthy drink in many ways: it helps prevent cardiovascular diseases, liver and kidney diseases, supports sexual ability… However, not everyone should drink coffee. A study just published in JAMA Open by a team of authors from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (USA) said that only about half a cup of coffee per day is enough to make pregnant women giving birth to smaller children, according to comparisons of newborn babies’ head circumference and maternal dietary data. These authors advise pregnant women to stay away from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, etc.
