To be on this diet, you will have to drink a minimum of three cups of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee every day.

There are many interesting diet fads out there that interest people from time to time. After all, almost all of them promise to help lose extra weight — the ultimate aspiration of every dieter. While some actually help, there are others that are believed to have a more negative than positive impact on health. Take the coffee diet, for example. Can a person sustain on caffeine all day? What are the benefits and health risks? Find out.

What is this diet?

The diet involves drinking several cups of coffee every day to restrict the intake of calories. It is believed to have been made popular by the book The Coffee Lover’s Diet by Dr Bob Arnot, wherein the author has purportedly claimed that drinking coffee several times every day can boost the metabolism, burn more fat, restrict calorie absorption; all by decreasing the appetite.

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How it works

To be on this diet, you will have to drink a minimum of three cups of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee, which must not have sugar or cream. For the rest of the day, your other meals and snacks can include ones that are low in calories and fat, and rich in fiber — like leafy vegetables, fruits and grains.

The benefits

If the sole agenda is to lose weight, then this diet can help in two ways. One, it can suppress your appetite, and two, it can increase the metabolism. When your appetite is suppressed, your calorie intake will also be low. Many experts believe this to be true. They say drinking coffee just before a meal can make you eat less of it. More research on this, however, is to be done. When it comes to metabolism, several studies have been conducted in the past to figure out the association. In one such study that involved 600 people, researchers found that caffeine intake was linked to decreased weight, body mass index, and fat mass.

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The risks

The primary downside is the excessive caffeine in the body. Caffeine is associated with many health problems like high blood pressure, insomnia and headaches. Goes without saying that this diet is not safe long term, and, therefore, not ideal for weight loss. But, should you choose to try this diet, it is advisable to check with your doctor/nutritionist first. They can better assess your situation based on your medical history.

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