How caffeine can help you lose weight without harming your health
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks on our planet. There is an opinion that coffee and sports are incompatible. And many, starting to play sports, limit the use of their favorite drink, as they have some concerns about it - will coffee harm the body? On the other hand, there is an opinion that the drink, beloved by many, on the contrary, helps to lose weight and achieve better sports results. So is it possible to combine coffee and sports?
Features of the effect of caffeine on the body
Each of us needs caffeine from time to time - a natural and safe, in the right doses, stimulant.
The annual world consumption of caffeine is about 12,000 tons.
The distribution of consumption looks like this:
54% - coffee
43% - tea
3% - food and stuff.
Those who constantly monitor their weight know that there are zero calories in a cup of black coffee without sugar. At the same time, one cup of coffee is 300 antioxidants.
Coffee lovers are much less likely to visit the dentist. The elements contained in this drink prevent bacteria from settling on tooth enamel.
If you drink 4 cups of coffee daily, it can minimize the risk of gallstones and cirrhosis of the liver. What's more, coffee drinkers are 60% less likely to develop Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease.
Caffeine begins to act 20-30 minutes after consumption. Studies conducted in England и Japan showed that after morning cups of coffee need to take a nap 20-30 minutes. The fact is that when we are awake, our cells use up energy, after which adenosine (the fatigue molecule) suppresses brain activity. To free up space on the receptors of the brain, you need to sleep after a cup of coffee. During this time, adenosine will leave the receptors, and the caffeine drunk in advance will take them. When you wake up, you will feel refreshed. So coffee in bed is a double benefit.
Caffeine stimulates brain activity, temporarily improving memory, perception, reflexes and thinking. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that there is a causal relationship between a 75mg serving of caffeine and increased alertness and alertness.
Caffeine affects the same areas of the brain as amphetamines, heroin, and cocaine. Just not as much. However, an individual's response to caffeine can vary from person to person depending on genetics. Caffeine increases dopamine levels, which makes you happier and blocks adenosine receptors, keeping you awake.
Caffeine addiction, as a separate disease, is considered when consuming more than 500 mg of caffeine per day, although the risk of its occurrence still exists.
But it is also known that caffeine causes not only psychological, but also physical dependence. Withdrawal begins 12-24 hours after caffeine withdrawal and can last from 2 to 9 days.
In order not to harm your health, you should remember the average caffeine content in different types of coffee:
Filtered coffee - 125 ml of product - 85 mg of caffeine
Espresso - 30 ml of product - 60 mg of caffeine
Instant coffee - 125 ml of product - 65 mg of caffeine
Decaffeinated coffee - 125 ml product - 3 mg caffeine
Tea - leaves or bags - 150 ml of product - 32 mg of caffeine.
Hot chocolate - 150 ml of product - 4 mg of caffeine.
Energy drinks - 330 ml of product - 80 mg of caffeine
Milk chocolate - 30 g of the product - 6 mg of caffeine.
Dark chocolate - 30 g of product - 60 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine is added to many popular drinks. It is also an ingredient in pharmaceuticals and some over-the-counter medicines, including pain relievers, dietary supplements, and cold and flu medicines.
But be careful, because everything needs a healthy measure. An overdose of caffeine can lead to death. The lethal dose of caffeine for a person is 150-200 mg per kilogram of weight, that is, for a 76 kg person, the lethal dose is 76 cups (1 cup = 200 mg of caffeine) of strong ground coffee.
Caffeine and sports
If you drink a cup of coffee before training, then the activity of nerve cells in the human body increases, which contributes to the release of adrenaline during training. Thanks to this, you can increase the duration of your workout and, as a result, burn more fat with less effort.
A group of researchers led by Ramirez Maurizio-Maldonaldo claims that a serving of strong coffee half an hour before an intense workout helps burn fat. The results of the study were published in the prestigious medical journal Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Scientists have set themselves the task of finding out whether it is true that caffeine enhances oxidative processes in the body and helps burn fat. The researchers asked a group of 15 men to drink coffee (or a placebo, which they were unaware of) the night before a workout. Moreover, a schedule was developed for them from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in order to track the effectiveness also by the time of day.
The results of the study showed that a dose of caffeine half an hour before training promotes fat burning. At the same time, the effect was enhanced for patients who were engaged in fitness in the afternoon. Another important clarification is that all patients were engaged in aerobic exercise.
According to Francisco Amaro, one of the authors of the study, caffeine is better at burning fat if a person exercises on an empty stomach. Therefore, the study provides direct evidence that the combination of metered caffeine intake and afternoon aerobic exercise is the best option for people who want to increase fat burning and lose weight.
But do not forget about the adverse effects of drinking coffee. If a person suffers from cardiovascular diseases, then drinking coffee before training is strictly prohibited. In this case, it is better to switch to black or green tea, you can also drink cocoa with milk. Even with caution, coffee should be consumed by those who suffer from gastritis or ulcers.
Before training, it is very important that the body does not lose fluid, and coffee is a strong diuretic. If you don’t care what kind of coffee you drink, the main thing is the coffee aroma, then it’s better to pay attention to decaffeinated coffee.
The human body is the most advanced engine in the world and, like any other mechanism, runs on fuel - for example, glucose provides it with the necessary energy. However, there is practically no “free” glucose in the cells of our body, which is why we get tired so quickly during physical exertion. If you consume 5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight, it will allow your body to use fat as fuel instead of glucose, which will lead to an increase in endurance and strength.
The stimulating effect of caffeine helps athletes set records, so the International Olympic Committee forbade competitors to take caffeine and, if suddenly more than 12 micrograms (5 cups of coffee) of this substance is found in the body of an athlete, he will be immediately disqualified.
Since the content of caffeine in drinks and foods is very diverse, the amount of such products should be adjusted in accordance with the effect of caffeine on our body.
As they say - everything should be in moderation, and a hot cup of coffee or fragrant chocolate should bring pleasure, joy and health benefits.