Coffee before exercising increases fat-burning and weight-loss

A strong coffee first thing in the morning followed by a workout session or a half an hour run is a great way to kick-start the day. According to research, a cup of coffee accelerates fat-burning consequently increasing weight-loss.

Drinking a strong coffee — which contains about 3 mg/kg of caffeine — half an hour before aerobic exercise promises that it would significantly increase the rate of fat-burning, according to a study by the Department of Physiology of the University of Granada (UGR).

According to the study, the researchers have also found that if the exercise is performed in the afternoon, the effects of the caffeine are more marked than in the morning.

Through the study, the researchers aimed to determine whether caffeine does increase oxidation — known as burning of fat — during exercise. The study was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports and Nutrition.

If you are interesting in trying it yourself I can recommend to give it a go. I have, indeed, noticed some difference. I have also changed to a roast level 2, which is coffee with more caffeine despite being slightly less strong than a roast 3, but it’s fine with me since I like my coffee black.

In the sports world caffeine is usually consumed in the form of supplements in order to improve sports performance. However, the scientific evidence for its beneficial claims has been scarce.

Professor Francisco José Amaro-Gahete of the UGR’s Department of Physiology and lead author of this research explains that the recommendation to exercise on an empty stomach in the morning to increase fat oxidation is commonplace.

Caffeine and exercise for maximum fat oxidation

According to Francisco J. Amaro, the research team observed that the results of the study showed that acute caffeine ingestion 30 minutes before performing an aerobic exercise test increased maximum fat oxidation during exercise regardless of the time of day.

The existence of a diurnal variation in fat oxidation during exercise was confirmed, the values being higher in the afternoon than in the morning for equal hours of fasting.

The results of the study also show that caffeine increases fat oxidation during morning exercise in a similar way to that observed without caffeine intake in the afternoon.

The conclusion, according to the findings of this study, suggests that the combination of acute caffeine intake and aerobic exercise performed at moderate intensity in the afternoon provides the optimal scenario for people seeking to increase fat-burning during physical exercise.

The challenge: Try it yourself for four weeks

Since summer is approaching, this is the perfect opportunity to put the findings of this research to a personal test. If you are up to the challenge, brew your favourite coffee, get your preferred aerobic/cardio exercise routine done, and share your results. For maximum results, follow a healthy diet and four weeks of intermittent fasting. When doing intermittent fasting, I usually skip breakfast, have lunch, and an early supper.

Health benefits of coffee

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, there are nine reasons why the right amount of coffee is good for your health.

1. You could live longer

2. Your body may process glucose better

3. You are less likely to develop heart failure

4. You are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease

5. Your liver will thank you

6. Your DNA will be stronger

7. Your odds of getting colon cancer will go down

8. You may decrease your risk of getting Alzheimer's disease

9. You are not as likely to suffer a stroke

Excess intake of caffeinated coffee can make you jittery and cause the following:

The secret is to consume coffee in moderation. Otherwise, drinking an excessive amount of coffee can trigger serious health problems including the following:

1. Increased heart rate

2. Raised blood pressure

3. Anxiety

Trouble falling asleep

Healthy coffee recipe: Iced pumpkin spice "latte" smoothie

This easy recipe suggested by Johns Hopkins Medicine can use real pumpkin when in season to add some beneficial fibre. Just blend all the ingredients and enjoy!

- 1 cup of coffee

- 1/2 cup milk of your choice (such as unsweetened vanilla flavoured almond milk, skim or 1% milk)

- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice)

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1/2 cup canned plain pumpkin

- 4 ice cubes

You can add pure maple syrup (1 teaspoon), or honey if you want it a little sweeter.

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- Susan Fourtane is a science and technology journalist