The number of British people classified as obese has trebled in the last 25 years – according to the NHS some 68% of men and 58% of women are now either overweight or obese. And it’s not only our physical appearance and self-esteem that are impacted by unwelcome weight gain. Indeed, obesity puts us at an increased risk of several modern illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer.
The good news is that a healthy weight is both achievable and maintainable over the long term. Making a few simple changes to your current lifestyle will help you to lose weight at a sensible pace. The NHS suggests steering clear of drastic fad diets and recommends adopting lifelong good eating habits and getting more active instead. In addition there are a number of organic superfoods, which are known for their impressive ability to fight weight gain when added to a healthy, balanced diet. Below we examine one such powerful aid to weight loss in more detail – green coffee bean extract.
Green coffee bean extract – the superfood extract with attitude!
Green coffee bean extract tastes slightly different to regular coffee – it boasts a faintly bitter, more pungent flavour, yet thanks to its high caffeic acid content, still delivers that familiar energy boost associated with standard coffee. Green coffee bean extract is made from unroasted coffee beans that are free from cafestol; a diterpene attributed to the unhealthy side effects of normal coffee, such as hyperactivity and elevated LDL cholesterol levels. Instead, it is loaded with valuable nutrients such as vegetable antioxidants (including chlorogenic and caffeic acid) and other polyphenols that are extremely beneficial to skin and hair and can help to combat free radicals in the body – studies have indicated that green coffee bean extract is two times more proficient at absorbing oxygen radicals than either green tea or grape seed extract – boost the immune system, lower blood pressure and delay the aging process.
However, it is its extraordinary proficiency at encouraging gentle weight loss that has put the versatile superfood extract firmly in the spotlight of late.
Green coffee bean extract and the weight loss connection
The popularity of green coffee bean extract has risen dramatically since U.S. researcher Dr. Joe Vinson presented his results of a scientific study, which showed a demonstrable link between the consumption of green coffee bean extract and weight loss, in March 2012. It is thought that these results were mainly due to the chlorogenic acid or CGA present in green coffee bean extract. CGA helps to lower glucose (or sugar) absorption into the bloodstream, forcing the body to burn fat cells for energy. It does this by inhibiting the effect of glucose-6-phosphatase, an enzyme involved in the release of glucose into the blood. CGA also encourages the liver to process fats more efficiently, which further stimulates the metabolism and ultimately contributes to weight loss. Whilst regular coffee contains very little chlorogenic acid (as much of it is destroyed during roasting), a report by the University of California indicated that green coffee beans provide between 34.4 to 41.6 milligrams of CGA per gram. An earlier study in 2007, published in the ‘Journal of International Medical Research’ revealed that those patients who were given green coffee bean extract lost an average of 5.4 pounds and 3.6 percent of body fat, compared to only 1.7 pounds and 0.7 percent body fat in those given standard black coffee. In yet another study in 2006, scientists linked green coffee bean extract to reduced visceral fat and body weight in mice.
Go green!
Incorporating green coffee bean extract into your existing diet plan is incredibly easy. Green coffee bean extract makes a delightful addition to smoothies, shakes and juices and can be used to enhanced raw breakfast dishes and desserts. Green coffee bean extract may also be used as an ingredient in enemas (in place of regular coffee).
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