A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking unsweetened coffee was associated with a small amount of weight loss, while adding sugar to coffee was linked to some weight gain. The research used data from three major health studies, including the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, and included over 155,000 participants.
The findings suggest that drinking 1 cup of coffee daily, whether decaffeinated or regular, was associated with a loss of 0.12 kilograms (kg) of body weight over 4 years. However, adding one teaspoon of sugar daily was associated with 0.09 kg of weight gain over 4 years.
The study emphasizes that adding sugar to coffee may counteract any potential weight loss benefits of drinking coffee. While the weight changes observed were modest, the results raise questions about the impact of added sugar on weight gain, especially among individuals with higher body mass index (BMI) and younger age.
It’s important to note that the study has some limitations, including the reliance on self-reported data and the need for replication in other studies. Additionally, the study focused on the effects of adding sugar to coffee and did not explore the impact of other coffee additives like cream or artificial sweeteners.
Overall, the study suggests that drinking unsweetened coffee may have a small positive effect on weight management, but more research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the full implications of coffee consumption on weight and health.
