Green coffee is the new fat buster!

For those who are high on green tea but are also willing to give something new a try, here's good news. There is an additional fat buster on the scene. It's called green coffee. 

It's touted to be a hot fix in the world of the fitness-savvy. The drink became a hit after it was mentioned on The Dr. Oz Show, and singer Katy Perry and actress Demi Moore said that they used green coffee bean extract for weight loss. The extract is also being sold in pill form for those who can't take the bitter taste of coffee. Enriched with 5-caffeoylquinic acid, it is said to help metabolise body fat and claims to be the solution to do away with exercise. A study by the television host reportedly found that dieters could lose roughly two pounds a week when taking green coffee bean extract and those who dieted sans it, lost around a pound a week. Is this the brew du jour we've been waiting for?

What it is

While coffee beans usually get their dark hue after being roasted, green coffee beans are actually coffee beans that haven't been roasted yet. Said to taste different from the regular cuppa Joe, green coffee bean has caffeine that is linked to weight loss. It also has an antioxidant that might induce weight loss by lessening the absorption of fat and glucose in the gut and lowering insulin levels. A site quotes Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at an American university, saying that the chlorogenic acid content in green coffee beans could have an effect on fat loss.

Expert speak

Just resorting to green coffee on its own may not work. Says dietician Sheela Tanna, "It is said that green coffee bean extract may improve glucose metabolism and reduce blood pressure. This may have benefits for people who are at high risk of diabetes and heart disease. However, this is just a minuscule trick. It would be foolish to follow only 'green coffee' and avoid other important aspects to lower blood pressure, diabetes and weight." She has some additional advice, "What works better is to follow an excellent diet. The market is flooded with green coffee, green tea whey powder, medicines, gels and limitless herbs, but one needs to understand that these things would be an add-on or part of your meal and they cannot be your meal, so they must be used wisely and within limits. There is no harm having it as the in-between filler, but skipping meals and filling up with green coffee would not be advisable."

Evidence of effect

Balances blood sugar

Reduces blood pressure

Boosts metabolism

Increases vascular function

Source : Times of India