Green coffee – fad or diet miracle?
Spilled over to us from the USA on the health and superfood wave as “green coffee”, it is said to have true “superpowers”: green coffee . When consumed regularly, it is said to help with weight loss, lower blood pressure and regulate blood sugar levels. But what is really in the green bean and does eating it have a positive effect on our health?
What is green coffee?
Green coffee is understood to be coffee beans in their raw, unroasted state. After being picked, the coffee fruit, which looks like a ripe cherry , is simply dried and peeled. The green coffee bean remains.
Green coffee is not drunk, but often offered as an extract . This is available as a dietary supplement in different forms:
- as capsules
- as powder
- as tablets
How healthy is green coffee?
Green coffee is said to have numerous positive properties. For example, it is said to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels and help with weight loss.
Chlorogenic acid plays an important role here . Compared to other foods , green coffee contains a high proportion of this. The average value in food is seven percent, green coffee, on the other hand, contains around 15 percent and green coffee extract even contains 45 to 70 percent chlorogenic acid. In regular coffee, the chlorogenic acid content decreases as the beans are roasted.
Other important ingredients of green coffee are:
- Trigonellin
- amino acids
- LIPID
- Caffeine
What does green coffee do?
The various ingredients in green coffee have different positive effects on health. In the following we present the most important ingredients:
chlorogenic acid
As an antioxidant, chlorogenic acid slows the absorption of sugar (glucose) into the blood after meals. Green coffee can therefore lower blood sugar levels in the long term.
Chlorogenic acid also has a positive effect on blood pressure: it inhibits the production of the hormone cortisol, which has been shown to contribute to an increase in blood pressure. Similar to other antioxidants , chlorogenic acid is also said to have a positive effect on skin aging. Free radicals, i.e. oxygen compounds in the body that can cause cell damage, are neutralized by antioxidants.
Trigonellin
Like caffeine, it is a so-called alkaloid. This is what nitrogen compounds are called, which are formed as metabolic products of plants. Trigonelline is said to contribute to the formation of vitamin B3 . They are also said to have a stimulating effect. However, since they are part of caffeine, the concentration of trigonelline in green coffee is rather low.
amino acids
18 different amino acids can be found in green coffee. They have a positive effect on the metabolism and the storage of nutrients.
LIPID
The highest proportion (about 79 percent) of lipids in green coffee are so-called tryglycerides. They serve as fat storage and energy supplier.
Caffeine
Green coffee can only serve as a pick-me-up to a limited extent: it does contain caffeine, but in contrast to roasted coffee it contains significantly less. There is around 100 milligrams of caffeine in a serving of coffee, and only around 20 milligrams in a serving of green coffee.
Can you lose weight with green coffee?
Experiments on mice found that chlorogenic acid can inhibit the absorption of glucose into the blood. 1 This prevents blood sugar levels from rising. When the blood sugar level is high, the body produces more insulin . This hormone causes glucose to be taken up by cells. This in turn leads to the formation of new fat reserves. High insulin levels can also make you feel hungry. For this reason, a low blood sugar level is aimed for when losing weight.
Because of this, a connection between green coffee and weight loss is also suspected in humans. However, anyone who relies on a diet with green coffee extract to lose weight should be told: this connection has not yet been scientifically proven.
Although there are some US studies on the subject, these are considered unrepresentative due to formal errors or an insufficient number of test subjects. For example, in 2012, a study at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania found a link between weight loss and the intake of green coffee extract. Only 16 subjects took part in the study. 2 In addition, the study was later withdrawn due to data manipulation.
Does Green Coffee Have Side Effects?
The chlorogenic acid contained in green coffee, like caffeine, can increase homocysteine levels. This increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. If the homocysteine level is already known to be elevated or if this is suspected, the consumption of green coffee should be discussed with a doctor.
The amount used should not exceed the manufacturer’s recommended dosage. Despite the comparatively low caffeine content – just like with conventional coffee – excessive consumption can lead to side effects such as nausea , an irritated stomach or nervousness.
If there are no previous health problems and green coffee is consumed in small quantities, no harmful effects are to be expected. The recommended maximum daily amount for green coffee is three cups and three capsules for green coffee extract.
Where can you buy green coffee?
For some time now, green coffee has been available as classic beans or ground for brewing. Green coffee is available in the form of capsules, powder or tablets in pharmacies or online mail order companies. You can buy it as beans or ground both online and in specialty food stores.
How do you make green coffee?
Whole coffee beans should be soaked in water overnight. The next morning they are briefly boiled in a pot on the stove. The beans must then soak in the water for a further 15 minutes at moderate heat and with regular stirring. Then allow the water to cool slightly and pour through a sieve.
If that is too complicated for you, you should use ground green coffee : The preparation is done by filling the powder into a tea bag. Then just pour boiling water over it and let it steep for a few minutes. Alternatively, the powder can also be poured directly into the cup and filtered through a fine sieve after drawing.
Because the beans are not roasted, green coffee tastes more like herbal tea or green tea than coffee.
In capsule, tablet or powder form, the green coffee extract is taken according to the package instructions with or just before meals.
Conclusion: A healthy supplement, but not a “silver bullet”
Green coffee can certainly be counted among the healthy foods with valuable ingredients. Comprehensive studies on the connection between green coffee and weight loss are not yet available.
If you want to lose weight, you should not rely solely on enjoying green coffee – according to the current state of knowledge, this can at most have a supportive effect. Green coffee cannot replace a balanced diet and exercise as part of a healthy weight loss program.
