Weight loss: new evidence of the efficacy of green coffee extract

Green coffee beans (unroasted) lack aroma and flavour but have very high levels of chlorogenic acid which can reduce post-prandial glycaemia and help achieve fast, significant weight loss.

Scientists have reported new evidence that shows consuming green coffee beans (untorrefied) can produce substantial weight loss in a relatively short period.

Presenting their findings at the 243rd national conference of the American Civil Society (ACS), researchers from the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania described how a group of overweight or obese volunteers lost 16% of their body fat mass by consuming different doses of green coffee extract for short periods.

Sixteen overweight or obese men and women aged between 22 and 26 were monitored over three, 6-week phases, each phase separated by a two-week ‘break’ period. Participants were divided into three groups: one received a low dose of green coffee extract (700mg a day), the second a higher dose (1050mg a day) and the third an inert placebo in powder form. Over the study period, all subjects in turn received the two different green coffee doses and placebo, each person acting as their own ‘control’, thus enabling the researchers to obtain accurate results.
Their intake of calories, protein, fats and carbohydrates, and their levels of physical activity remained the same over the 22 weeks and their weight was regularly measured.
At the end of the study, an average weight loss of 7.7 kilos was observed - that’s a reduction of around 10.5% in total body weight, and significantly, a decrease of 16% in body fat mass, with no side effects reported.
The researchers believe that the green coffee extracts’ effects are due to chlorogenic acid which is only present in unroasted or untorrefied coffee beans. This substance breaks down during the process of torrefaction.

Earlier research had already pointed to the efficacy of green coffee extracts standardised in chlorogenic acid in aiding weight loss, but this is the first study to use higher dose extracts and to measure the response to different doses. According to study author Joe Vinson, “Based on our results, taking several capsules – 4 to 6 - of green coffee extract a day — while eating a low-fat, healthy diet and taking regular exercise — appears to be a safe, effective and inexpensive way to lose weight”.