Black Coffee – Benefits, Nutrition and Side Effects

You may love your black coffee in the morning to help you feel energized and get ready for the day, but how much do you know about it?

Do you know how drinking black coffee affects your body and your mind? Are you aware of the benefits of black coffee and its side effects?

Black coffee is simply coffee that is normally brewed without the addition of additives such as sugar, milk, cream, or added flavors. While it has a slightly bitter taste compared to when it is flavored with additives, many people love a strong cup of black coffee. In fact, for some, it is part of their everyday diet.

In this article, we talk about the benefits of drinking black coffee, how it can help you in losing weight, potential side effects, as well as how to make the perfect cup of black coffee.

Nutrition Value of Black Coffee

If you are looking for a drink that is low in calories, fats, and carbohydrates, then black coffee is the perfect drink for you.

Simply put, drinking coffee only becomes a cause for concern when you drink it regularly with milk, sugar, cream, etc. With these additives, even a single cup of coffee can contain as many calories as an extra-large slice of cake.

Typically, an 8-ounce cup of black coffee contains:

• Fat – 0%
• Cholesterol – 0%
• Sodium – 0%
• Carbohydrates – 0%
• Sugar – 0%
• Potassium – 4%

As you can see for yourself, black coffee does not provide calories, fats, or cholesterol. However, this does not mean that it is “healthy” or “nutritional”.

In fact, black coffee has very low nutritional value besides giving you low amounts of potassium. It’s just that it doesn’t add too many calories.

So, in simple terms, black coffee calories content is very low, which makes it an ideal drink for those who are looking for a regular drink that won’t harm their health.

If you want to derive more nutrition from your coffee, then you can do so by choosing to go with different types of coffee drinks such as latte, mocha, cappuccino, and others.

Black Coffee for Weight Loss

Many people, even those who drink black coffee regularly, are unaware that the beverage is a great catalyst for losing weight.

If you want to lose weight because of aesthetic or health reasons, or you just don’t feel good in your own body, it is no secret that diet is an important part of any weight loss journey. You must consume foods and beverages that will help you achieve your goal, and black coffee is one of them.

Read more: Is Coffee Good for Weight Loss? Find out.

Below, we discuss black coffee benefits for weight loss

1. Black coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which helps to slow down glucose production in your body. This means that if you drink black coffee after a meal, then your body will produce less glucose and fat cells.
2. Black coffee also contains antioxidants, which help in the weight loss process.
3. Since black coffee is rich in caffeine, it helps in the stimulation of metabolic activity and increases your energy level, thereby suppressing hunger.
4. As mentioned before, black coffee is a low-calorie drink, and also does not contain fats or cholesterol. This means that you do not put on any weight by drinking black coffee daily.
5. Many people love to take black coffee a few minutes before they hit the gym. This is because it can boost metabolism greatly, allowing you to reap more benefits from your workout session.
6. Other black coffee benefits for weight loss include the reduction of water content in the body. As a result of frequent urination, you will reduce excess water in your body, which helps in temporary weight loss.
7. If you are taking black coffee for weight loss, it is important to note that you should drink it without any additives. This means no sugar, cream, milk, or any other added flavor. With such additives, then all these benefits discussed above are nullified because then your drink will contain calories, fats, and cholesterol. That said, it is a must to follow a proper diet routine to lose weight.

10 Proven Health Benefits of Black Coffee

If you love black coffee, you will be happy to learn that the beverage offers plenty of benefits, both for your body and your mind. Let’s discuss the benefits of black coffee.

1. It helps elevate mood and productivity

Black coffee stimulates the nervous system, boosting the release of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine called ‘happy chemicals’ that make you feel joyful and positive. 

Caffeine in black coffee increases excitability in the brain, improves mood and facilitates a more productive environment by enhancing cognitive skills.

2. May work as an anti-depressant

The antidepressant effect of coffee stems from its ability to increase the amount of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, thus counteracting depression symptoms such as sadness, grief and loneliness. Additionally, coffee contains chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid.

These acids help reduce the inflammation of nerve cells that takes place in the brains of people with depression and soothes the associated discomfort and distress.

3. It improves cardiovascular health

Regular intake of black coffee may lead to an increase in your blood pressure initially, but this effect diminishes with time.

Studies have shown that drinking one to two cups of black coffee every day can reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, including stroke.

4. It improves your memory 

Black coffee is known to be great for improving memory. As we grow older, our cognitive skills get affected, and we are more likely to develop memory-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Parkinson’s diseases.

Drinking black coffee regularly can help combat these by keeping your nerves active, thus enhancing brain function.

5. It is good for your liver

Your liver is a vital organ endowed with many functions of your body. Studies have shown that regular intake of black coffee lowers the level of harmful liver enzymes found in the blood. It prevents several liver problems like cancer, fatty liver, hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis.

6. It helps you cleanse your stomach

Coffee is a diuretic beverage, which means that the more you consume, the more often you will urinate. Frequent urination flushes out toxins and bacteria from the body and cleans your stomach keeping you healthy.

7. It may help prevent the risk of developing cancer

Coffee is excellent for reducing inflammation in your body, which helps prevent tumour development. Studies have shown that regular consumption of black coffee may lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer such as liver cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer.

8. It is rich in antioxidants

Many health benefits of the black coffee stem from its high content of antioxidants. Strong antioxidants such as Potassium, magnesium, Vitamin B2, B3, and B5, as well as manganese, are found in black coffee.

Potassium and magnesium maintain the fluid levels in our bodies and support blood pressure. The various vitamins vitalise the body’s immunity and metabolic rate.

9. It reduces cellulite

The caffeine in coffee is said to enlarge blood vessels, smoothing out dimples in the skin and making the skin tighter. Larger blood vessels mean more blood can flow through the area, so more nutrients arrive and it’s easier for the skin to get rid of toxins and thrive.

10. Decreased risk of gout

Studies have found that people who drink black coffee each day have a lower risk of gout by 57%.

Coffee contains beneficial compounds such as caffeine and polyphenols. Caffeine prevents the build-up of uric acid around body tissues. Polyphenol helps reduce the level of insulin in the blood.

Insulin and uric acid are closely related. Increased insulin sensitivity and decreased insulin levels improve the elimination of uric acid and sodium. Thus, it indirectly removes uric acid from the body by improving insulin sensitivity. The increase in antioxidants from coffee contributes to the decreased level of insulin and uric acid in the body, which trigger gout.

How to Make Black Coffee?

While there is no one correct way of making black coffee and different people make their black coffee in their own ways, there are steps you can take to ensure that your beverage tastes amazing every time.

There are two ways you can make black coffee – by grinding it on your own, or by using a machine.

If you want a clear black coffee with a truly delicate taste, then grinding it on your own is the best option.

Take about three tablespoons of coffee and grind them till they are as fine as sea salt. Boil about 600 grams of water. Add a filter to your dripper, filling it with the ground coffee. Gently tap the surface and pour it over in a cup. Your black coffee will be ready in no time.

Another option is to simply use a coffee machine, which most people do because of how convenient it is.

Side Effects of Black Coffee

We have discussed the advantages of black coffee and how it helps in weight loss, but is all that good? Does it not have any side effects? Like everything, excessive intake of black coffee does result in side effects, which are discussed below:

• Too much black coffee releases high levels of stress hormones in your body, which only leads to anxiety and stress. It’s easy to feel jittery when you consume too much caffeine.
• Excessive coffee intake can seriously mess up your sleeping routine. It is recommended that you avoid coffee a few hours before bedtime if you want to get a good night’s sleep.
• Black coffee is rich in caffeine and acid, so excess consumption can lead to acidity in your stomach. You are likely to have cramps and abdominal spasms.
• Too much coffee in your system makes it difficult for your body to absorb minerals from your daily diet, such as iron, calcium, and zinc.

The HealthifyMe Note

Black coffee is a staple and much-loved beverage all over the world. Consuming it without any sugar, milk or cream has the maximum benefits. There are many benefits both to the mind and body on regular consumption.

To avoid side effects, drink coffee in moderation. Black coffee should be part of a healthy balanced diet for maximum benefits.

Conclusion

Black coffee has plenty of health benefits and also aids in weight loss. It can help boost memory, increase metabolism, keep your liver and heart-healthy, and helps in lowering your risk of developing cancer.

However, one should drink it in moderation because, like anything, too much of it can lead to unwanted side effects. These include acidity, increased stress and anxiety, low rate of mineral absorption, and disturbed sleeping routine.

When consumed in moderation, black coffee is a great beverage that does not contain calories, fats, or cholesterol.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is just to disperse knowledge and raise awareness. It does not intend to replace medical advice from professionals. For further information please contact our certified nutritionists.

Black Coffee – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

1. Assessment of the antidepressant effect of caffeine using rat model of depression induced by reserpine
   https://bnrc.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s42269-018-0034-1
2. Coffee may help reduce risk for heart failure
   https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/02/09/coffee-may-help-reduce-risk-for-heart-failure
3. All coffee types decrease the risk of adverse clinical outcomes in chronic liver disease: a UK Biobank study
   https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10991-7
4. A Decade of Research on Coffee as an Anticarcinogenic Beverage
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8460369/#sec6title
5. Nonpharmacological Management of Gout and Hyperuricemia: Hints for Better Lifestyle
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6125106/

By: Nahida, PG in Dietetics and Applied Nutrition
Last Reviewed By: Sumta Thomas