Diet & Fitness

Green Coffee Extract for Weight Control

Also indexed as: Green Coffee Extract, Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora, Green Coffee

Botanical names:

Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora

Common names:

Green coffee bean extract

Coffee

Parts Used & Where Grown

Coffee is grown extensively throughout the world for its seeds (or beans), especially in the warm regions of the Central and South America, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Islands.

How It Works

Green coffee beans contain a variety of potentially healthful components, including chlorogenic acids and related compounds,¹^,2 which have antioxidant and other protective effects on cell functions.³^,4 Some of these compounds may be converted by intestinal bacteria into different compounds with similar effects.⁵ Chlorogenic acids and related compounds found in green coffee extract also have stabilizing effects on blood vessel function,⁶^,7 and regulating effects on body fat metabolism.⁸ However, the typical roasting of coffee beans may change these compounds in a way that makes some of these effects less potent.⁹

Why Do Dieters Use It?*

Some dieters say that green coffee extract helps weight loss and body fat loss.

What Do the Advocates Say?*

Some limited human studies show that green coffee extract improves weight loss results and reduces body fat during short-term dieting of up to 12 weeks. Whether green coffee extract helps long-term weight control results is unknown. Also, at least one human study supporting green coffee extract's effect on weight loss has been retracted due to methodological problems, raising suspicion about research relating to green coffee extract and weight loss.

How Much Is Usually Taken by Dieters?

In some limited human research, dieters have seen improved results while taking green coffee extracts providing from 180 to 480 mg of chlorogenic acids per day.

Nutritional Supplement