The Relationship Between Drinking Coffee And Being Hungry

An excessive intake of coffee could cause serious health problems, especially if you suffer from any pathology related to the central nervous system.

Coffee is one of the most stimulating beverages out there. Many people, in fact, are unable to fully wake up without a good cup of this liquid gold. This is due to its caffeine content, an alkaloid that acts, practically, as a psychoactive drug that clears the central nervous system.

In the same way, there is a theory that claims that coffee could be used to lose weight. But is this possible? Could evidence of such magnitude be real?

Does coffee serve to satisfy hunger?

A half truth

Some people use coffee to control their appetite. It is true that coffee provides a good amount of energy and activates the warning signals, but does it also control hunger? A study carried out by the SUNY Buffalo State College of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics of the United States affirms that yes, but in a very limited and transitory way. 

Caffeine speeds up metabolism

According to previous research , coffee would start the thermogenesis process. This consists of generating  energy or heat by increasing the metabolic rate from normal levels. The simplified consequence? The dissolution of fat. Now, this effect would occur with natural coffee, alone, without milk or sweeteners.

Of course, you shouldn’t compulsively drink coffee because too much caffeine can cause negative effects such as nervousness, tremors or nausea. In the same way, it is totally prohibited for people who suffer from insomnia, hypertension or suffer from anxiety attacks.

Researchers have considered two hypotheses to determine the relationship between coffee and hunger / satiety:

• First hypothesis: coffee (decaffeinated or caffeinated) would decrease hunger, leptin and ghrelin and increase satiety and YY peptide.
• Second hypothesis: The same effects as in the first hypothesis, but with the exception that it would only last for 60 minutes after ingestion, or during the 120 minutes it takes the body to digest.

There are other factors that come into play

In conclusion, it must be remembered that there are other factors that generate hunger. For example, a poor breakfast that does not include fruits, dairy, and cereals. Another important factor arises when the stomach is used to another hour, and boredom or lack of motivation can also play a trick.

On the other hand, anxiety or nervous and hormonal or glandular changes (pregnancy, menstrual period, thyroid problems) can also affect appetite.

Therefore, it cannot be expected, as already mentioned, that coffee is a magic solution for the appetite.  The only way to lose weight in a healthy way is by consulting an endocrinologist, maintaining good hydration and exercising regularly daily.