Caffeine is something that many of us depend on daily, especially through the form of coffee. Caffeine affects your nervous system by increasing the rate at which neurons fire. The pituitary gland receives this burst of firings as an emergency, and thus signals an increased production of the hormone adrenaline. Adrenaline is what causes you to “wake up.” While caffeine can be quite useful for staying productive or staying alert throughout the day, it can also have some negative effects on your body and weight-loss.
The adrenaline produced from ingesting caffeine directly affects how sleepy you feel. Drinking coffee later in the day can leave you awake way past an ideal bed time and leads you to not get restful sleep. Poor sleep is directly related to weight gain, increased appetite, and heightened food cravings.
Many coffee variations can be high in calories and sugar. Choosing such options can easily lead to you ingesting a lot more carbs than you meant to. Regular intake of high sugar products has been linked with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, which is in turn linked to Obesity. Caffeine also impairs your sense of sweetness, which can lead to increased cravings for sugary foods.
Some people may have a negative reaction to caffeine in the form of anxiety. Increased anxiety has been strongly linked to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as binge eating. The anxiety caused by caffeine can then directly lead to eventual weight gain from overeating.
While people argue that caffeine can be beneficial in some ways for weight-loss, it’s important to be educated on the possible negative side effects. Whether you’re starting your own weight-loss journey, continuing on your path, or just looking to get healthier, consider lessening caffeine from your diet. It may be difficult to do so at first, but it can have a huge improvement on your overall health.
Sources:
Zamarripa, M. (2019, April 5). How Does Coffee Affect Weight? Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-and-weight-gain#bottom-line
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