Shawdesh Deks;

Green coffee refers to unroasted coffee beans that have mild aroma. They are very different from roasted coffee beverages in terms of fragrance. Green coffee is, at best, among the many novel foods which have special health properties and can be useful only as part of an overall healthy diet and exercise plan, reports The Indian Express.

Consumption of green coffee has also been shown to produce changes in several glycemic markers in older adults. Similarly, other research has indicated that the consumption of caffeinated coffee can lead to some reductions in long-term weight gain, an effect which is likely to be due to the known thermogenic effects of caffeine intake as well as effects of Green Coffee Extract (GCE) and other pharmacologically active substances present in coffee.

GCE has also been postulated to modify hormone secretion and glucose tolerance in humans. There is also evidence that certain dietary phenols, including GCE, may modify intestinal glucose uptake in a number of ways. This activity might provide a basis for explaining its effects on body weight.

“Green Coffee Extract (GCE) has been introduced as the richest sources of chlorogenic acid and most of the weight loss effects of GCE has proposed to be related to its chlorogenic acid content. It does work on weight loss, but let it be part of the day’s meal plan, restricting it to 2 cups in a day. It may benefit in weight loss, however other lifestyle modifications cannot be ignored. Prefer mornings or day time, as the caffeine content may keep you awake by acting on your alertness. Unless you are looking particularly at it”, says Dr Tejal Lathia, Consultant Endocrinologist, Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi.

Whereas Dr Pradeep Shah Consultant Physician, Fortis Hospital, Mulund says it’s just a new fad, but may have some effect on weight loss. “It is partially true”, he says. “It has antioxidant properties and some chemicals which are antiobesity. It also lowers blood sugar to some extent”, adds Dr Shah.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of randomized Clinical Trials on the Use of Green Coffee Extract (GCE) as a Weight Loss Supplement was published in the journal of Gerontology research and practice concluded that Green tea extract can promote weight loss. However, several caveats exist. The size of the effect is small, and the clinical relevance of this effect is uncertain. Most human researches have been inconclusive about the use of green coffee as a weight loss aid. More rigorous trials with longer duration are needed to assess the efficacy and safety of GCE as a weight loss supplement.

“No clear dosing recommendation has been established for green coffee extract. You could simply use green bean coffee to get your morning fix and get the benefits. The bottom line and well-established fact for achieving healthy weight and body remains to be a healthy balanced diet with the right proportion of various food groups like whole cereals, grains, millets, pulses and legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetable, fruits, lean meat, fish etc., coupled with regular exercise”, says Sandhya Pandey, Chief Clinical Nutritionist, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram.

Chlorogenic Acid, found in Green Coffee is a known antioxidant; it may also slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream after a meal. “Since it’s a Polyphenol, among various other factors such as protein content, fat content, fibre, processing etc. Polyphenols also have an effect on the Glycemic Index of the food consumed”, adds Dr Lathia.