Coffee is one of the world's most popular drinks. More than 30 years of research and an extensive database on the health effects of coffee developed during that time provide food and health professionals with excellent opportunities to examine the risks and benefits of this widely consumed beverage. The controversies and health risks of coffee/ caffeine have been the focus of thousands of studies addressing a litany of animal toxicity and human disease outcomes. Many negative health myths about coffee drinking may now be transformed into validated health benefits as a result of more recent mechanistic and epidemiologic research studies (Clemens & Coughlin , 2007). There are many kind of coffee which have health benefit especially green coffee. Every country must have problem with weight like in America. After all, about 75% of the population is either overweight or obese, and for the time being, there seems to be little indication that this trend will reverse itself. These extra pounds do more than just make us appear or feel heavy. They contribute to the development of diabetes and high blood pressure, as well. The good news is that these related conditions can be addressed naturally (Lemerond, 2012). While I believe that the problem has as much to do with the kind of foods we eat as the amount of food we eat, I believe it is also true that aside from a sensible diet and exercise regimen, supplements can help make a difference. In fact, one of the best supplemental ingredients comes from a source that coffee beans. Fortunately, there is a supplemental form that harnesses the full power of coffee for weight loss. It is green coffee bean extract. It won’t make you jittery, because it is naturally decaffeinated. The green coffee bean extract shows impressive results reducing weight and BMI, keeping blood glucose levels low, and even helping those with borderline hypertension (Lemerond, 2012).
1. Weight Loss Benefits
Coffee contains beneficial compounds that help the body process glucose more efficiently, maintain healthy, lean body mass, and can assist you in dropping unwanted pounds. Coffee, and green coffee bean extract, have shown exciting results concerning weight loss. Individual studies and reviews of research have found that coffee consumption corresponds with a lower body mass index (BMI). Caffeine alone can’t really explain the full benefits. In fact, it may not be much of a factor at all. The same positive benefits of coffee were found in decaffeinated varieties as well. After all, if that were the case, every drink with stimulant effects should be able to help people lose weight, provided it didn’t contain too much sugar. Instead, it is primarily due to chlorogenic acids and other polyphenols from the coffee bean. As impressive as some of the findings of coffee have been, in roasted coffee, up to 70% of these compounds are destroyed. So even though you may drink plenty of coffee, whether it is regular or decaf, you’re not getting the full potential of this amazing ingredient. The extract contain 40-50% chlorogenic acid and has clinical support to back it up. It has been shown to support lean body mass so your body can more effectively and efficiently use the calories from your healthy diet. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 50 volunteers used green coffee bean extract for 60 days. Each participant took either the green coffee bean extract or a placebo twice a day with their main meals. At the end of the study, participants using the extract lost 5.7% of their initial weight, corresponding to an average weight loss of 5 kg or 11 lbs. versus a 2.9% weight loss (2.45 kg or 5.4 lbs.) in the placebo group. That’s basically twice the effect in just 2 months using the extract. The BMI in the participants using the green coffee bean extract declined as well-significantly. Those in the coffee group saw their BMI drop by an average of 1.9 kg or 4.9 lbs. versus 0.9 kg or 1.9 lbs. Any weight loss and BMI change can be a good thing, but for many people right on the edge of being overweight or obese, that BMI change makes a big difference. Of course the type of weight a person carries is important, too. In this same study, those using the extract saw their ratio of muscle mass (lean body mass) increase by 4.1% versus the average of 1.6% for the placebo group. So, their overall weight decreased, and even the kind of weight the extract group now carried changed to a much healthier type. The green coffee bean extract was able to help the body burn fat first, while limiting the amount of glucose released into the bloodstream-helping to support lean body mass, while reducing weight. Lean body mass is important. Individuals with lean body mass tend to burn calories more efficiently than those with a higher percentage of body fat (Lemerond, 2012).
2. Reducing Blood sugar Keeps Weight (and Diabetes) Away
Coffee and coffee bean extracts have been noted for a lot more than just the potential for weight reduction. As Type 2 diabetes has become more and more prevalent in many industrialized countries, researchers have taken special note of those pockets of population that don’t seem to be following the trend. One of the things they’ve noticed is that coffee drinkers seem less susceptible to developing the disease. The Finns, for instance, are heavy coffee drinkers. So naturally, studies comparing Finnish coffee drinkers and diabetes statistics seemed like an obvious choice. One 12-year study, carried out on over 14,000 Finnish participants, showed that coffee consumption of over 10 cups per day reduced the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 61% versus those consuming only 2 cups per day. For women, the effect was even more dramatic, reducing the risk by 79%. Studies in Japan and the United States have shown similar results, so ethnicity and coffee drinking really isn’t a deciding factor. All told, 8 studies involving over 200,000 people have reached the same conclusion: coffee really does reduce the risk of diabetes, by an average of 40% for those drinking 5 or more cups per day. Most of the researchers agreed that chlorogenic acid was the primary reason for these results. But, that is a lot of coffee-even for a dedicated coffee drinker. Plus, since the most readily available (and arguably better tasting) coffee is caffeinated, people need to balance their weight loss and blood sugar goals against their tendency to feel too high-strung. Decaffeinated coffee also has some benefits, but again, because so much of the chlorogenic acid is destroyed during the roasting process, getting a standardized, decaffeinated extract is much more practical. Clinical research showed that green coffee bean extract, which is high in chlorogenic acids, is able to modulate the action of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphatase. In the liver, this enzyme helps release glucose into the bloodstream, which the body then uses for energy. However, for anyone interested in maintaining a healthy weight, glucose release can lead to dramatic “ups and downs” that can actually increase the desire for simple sugars and refined carbohydrates, two food sources implicated in weight gain. Additionally, any sugars not burned by the body tend to add to overall weight. So, beyond directly supporting weight reduction, green coffee bean extract can help individuals keep a more “even keel” in their daily hunger levels, and prevent the unused sugars from creating a bigger challenge to healthy weight maintenance. Aside from preventing the sugar from metabolizing into stored fat or causing food cravings for more carbs, reducing the output of sugar in the bloodstream helps the body’s insulin sensitivity stay on track. This becomes all the more important as we see people literally addicted to sugar and refined carbs, and their bodies simply can’t keep up with the amount of simple sugars being constantly supplied by their diets. Nationwide, this habit is what is contributing to the epidemic level of Type 2 diabetes we’re seeing-usually in combination with being overweight or obese. Though there may be many contributing factors that Type 2 diabetes is basically a disease of nutrition and too many calories in the diet. Extra pounds don’t automatically mean that you’re going to develop Type 2 diabetes, but they certainly add to the possibility. So an effective, clinically-tested green coffee bean extract that addresses both issues is a perfect choice (Lemerond, 2012).
3. Blood Pressure Benefits
Weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure health concerns are often related. So aside from green coffee bean extract’s weight reducing and blood sugar balancing abilities, there is more good news for anyone concerned about shedding extra pounds and getting their blood pressure numbers in better shape, too. In a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, chlorogenic acid from green coffee bean extract lowered both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels in those taking the extract, making it a safe and effective way to get those numbers where they should be. In another similar clinical trial, a large multicenter parallel group study, participants took green coffee bean extract at varying doses for 28 days. At the end of the study period, every dosage level of the extract lowered blood pressure. And, there were no adverse effects. One of the ways the key compound, chlorogenic acid, has been shown to help reduce blood pressure is through its ability to positively act on nitric oxide, a molecule that works in the blood vessels, relaxing the vessel walls, and lowering blood pressure. The overall benefit of chlorogenic acid for this aspect of the cardiovascular system known as “vasoreactivity” was noticed as early as one month into the 4 month study. Better blood vessel reaction being better able to cope with the slight increases or decreases in blood pressure throughout the day is extremely important for anyone with weight and blood pressure concerns. So green coffee bean extract also has the potential to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, by keeping blood vessels open. Another trait noticed by researchers in this same study was that green coffee bean extract lowered homocysteine levels, too. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is associated with damage to blood vessel walls, increased cholesterol oxidation (making LDL-cholesterol “stickier” and more likely to clog arteries), increased risk of stroke, and inflammation throughout the cardiovascular system (Lemerond, 2012).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Clemens, R., & Coughlin , J. (2007). Coffee and Health : Surprisingly ‘Good News’. Institute of Food Technologists, 17.
Lemerond, T. (2012). Green Coffee Bean Extract for Weight Loss and More. Health Article : Terry Talks Nutrition, 1-2.
Kopi
Asik. (2016). Kopi hijau, olahan kopi kaya manfaat. Accessed on 29th November 2016, from: http://kopiasik.com/kopi-hijau-olahan-kopi-kaya-manfaat/
Arranged by: Astarika Ciputri, Verawati, Tiffani Erlita, Deviana Nartatik
