When it comes to weight loss, there are so many factors that need to be considered that it can get quite confusing – especially if you’re new to it all. Years before, it used to be all about a ‘good’ diet and exercise, even if there was a debate over what that ‘good’ diet consisted of. Now it seems there’s just so much more to it.
Diets have changed over the years too, but I’m guessing they’ve only done that thanks to advances in science and research into how our bodies respond to different foods and movements. The types of fats that we should and shouldn’t eat were raised first, then to be followed by the alert that carbohydrates aren’t all that great for you after all – regardless of how good they taste.
As you can tell, I was never all that pleased about this one, but Dr. Atkins was right!
Now, it seems that health, diet and weight loss has been taken to the very next level – supplements. They’re everywhere. You only have to walk down your local High Street, search for health and fitness topics online or even turn on the TV or pick up and magazine and they’re being talked about.
This latest buzz has also caused a bit of controversy. Where it was once intensive exercise and radical diets that would turn heads and cause whispers, now it’s supplements. There have been so many to hit the market in recent years, most coming from natural resources that all claim to speed up the process of fat burning and weight loss overall.
There may be many, but for me, I’m intrigued by Green Coffee Bean Extract. I’ve come to hear a lot about it, so I began a bit of research to see what exactly this wonder supplement is all about!
Table of Contents
So What Exactly is Green Coffee Bean Extract?
In essence, it’s simply that. An extract that has been taken from Green Coffee Beans. Now, this may seem all magical and mysterious, but it’s really not. Green Coffee Beans are just those that have not been roasted yet. You see, you and I may know coffee as little brown beans, but they do start out as green before they’ve been roasted ready for our consumption.
Within Green Coffee Beans, there are lots of antioxidants, two of which are caffeine and chlorogenic acid which are both part of the extract used. However, drinking coffee doesn’t seem to have the same effect, as the roasting process means that most of the chlorogenic acid is lost.
And Why is it the New Wonder Supplement?
Dr. Oz, the US TV Doctor, first brought it to light in 2012. The chlorogenic acid is the key ingredient here and has been trialed for its uses for weight loss. Dr. Oz suggests that chlorogenic acid burns fat fast, without the need for a diet or exercise change. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? But also a little skeptical, if I’m completely honest.
But that’s not the only benefit. The extract supplement is thought to have a little caffeine in it too. It is said, but don’t quote me on this, that caffeine can boost metabolism by 3-11%, which does seem a lot but also explains all of those jittery, high-energy spikes that come after coffee consumption – our bodies are pretty much going into overdrive!
It seems that there isn’t an awful lot of evidence for how the extract works, but after having a little look around online, there has been a couple of trials. In some cases, groups of overweight people were tested for 12 weeks. Half of the group were given regular coffee to drink, and the other half had the extract on top.
It was found that the half with the extract did lose more weight (about 11lbs in total) than the other half (about 3lbs in total). So perhaps it can actually get to work and burn the fat without the need to change your diet or exercise regime in any way.
Is it Healthy?
Now, this is the part where my instinct kicks in, and I want to say no, of course, any supplements aren’t healthy. But after reading up, I feel the strange urge to say that I haven’t found anything bad about it. It’s quite the opposite.
Green Coffee Bean Extract is like having a lower carb diet, thanks to the way that caffeine alters the absorption of carbohydrates and lowers blood sugar overall, which is not a bad thing. Likewise, the chlorogenic acid has also been linked with improving cholesterol in animal trials, and while I’m not so sure I agree with the nature of that, it’s obviously a good sign for some serious health issues.
So, it would seem that aside from weight loss, Green Coffee Bean Extract could also be beneficial for heart disease and diabetes. I also read somewhere on my journeys that chlorogenic acid is great for high blood pressure too due to the way it works with blood vessels to reduce it. Amazing huh!
I have to say, when I start seeing real health benefits like this – not just fat loss – I do start to get more seriously interested. I’ve heard far too many horror stories about supplements that have negatives effects on the body, not positive ones, so this feels like a step in the right direction when it comes to the wonderful world of supplements for weight loss.
And Overall?
In my personal opinion, I can imagine that using Green Coffee Bean Extract alongside a healthy lifestyle could only be beneficial. I’m no expert, but based on the trials with no diet and exercise changes, those that are adding the extract into their diet can surely only see positive effects – whether it’s to aid with weight loss or even diabetes and heart disease.
