It seems that every week there is a new study that tells dieters what to eat and what not to eat. Then the next week a new study says the opposite. In the latest weight loss study, researchers determined that coffee may sabotage efforts to lose weight because it triggers cravings for sweets. Caffeine has long been considered to increase metabolism, so this may be a disappointment for those who enjoy that morning cup. Dieters may want to consider the latest weight loss trends instead to get better results in terms of losing weight.
Caffeine may trigger cravings
Psych Central reported that new research explains why a jelly donut tastes so good with a Cup Of Coffee. Senior author Robin Dando, assistant professor of food science, said that drinking caffeinated coffee changes the way those who drink coffee perceive taste. Food will taste differently after drinking a cup of coffee too. Coffee represses the adenosine receptors, which promote relaxation and sleepiness. When these receptors are suppressed by caffeine, it makes the coffee drinker feel more energized. Researchers conducted a blind study to investigate taste modulation in the real world. One group drank caffeinated coffee that contained 200 mg of caffeine, which is equal to a strong cup of coffee.
The second group only drank decaf. Both groups had sugar added to their drinks, and those who drank the caffeinated version reported that the drink did not taste as sweet.
The Economic Times said that drinking coffee triggers a taste for sweet treats. According to researchers, caffeine boosts alertness, but it also reduces the perception of sweetness.
Senior author and professor Robin Dando from the Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, said that eating food directly after drinking caffeinated drinks changes how taste is perceived. The study was based on 107 participants split into two groups.
May reduce the ability to taste sugar
WGN TV said that coffee could affect the ability to taste sugar.
The new study was published in the Journal of Food Science. The research suggested that after giving one group the caffeinated version and the other group decaf, participants who drank the caffeinated version said sugar tasted less sweet. Researchers concluded that it was the caffeine that made the difference. One way the researchers found no difference between drinking caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee for the participants was that our minds are conditioned to expect a certain outcome after drinking a cup of coffee. They believe that it tricked the mind into thinking it is more awake after consuming the beverage. Other weight loss tips may provide better results for dieters who want to lose weight, including changes in diet combined with exercise.