Got extra flab you’d like to lose? Here’s a tip: Brew a cup of coffee. Researchers from the University of Nottingham have discovered that coffee may help activate your body’s stores of brown fat, helping boost your ability to burn calories.
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White and brown fat cells, both found in your body, play different roles in your metabolism. White fat cells mainly store energy for daily use, while brown fat, when exposed to cold temperatures, can create heat by burning sugar and fats.
The researchers first tested the beverage on stem cells. After determining an ideal dose, they then examined coffee’s effects on five women and four men to see if the results would be similar. With the help of thermal imaging techniques, they identified the brown fat reserves and observed how they generated heat.
According to Michael Symonds, Ph.D., the study’s co-director and a professor at the University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine:
"The results were positive and we now need to ascertain that caffeine as one of the ingredients in the coffee is acting as the stimulus or if there's another component helping with the activation of brown fat.
Once we have confirmed which component is responsible for this, it could potentially be used as part of a weight-management regime or as part of glucose regulation program to help prevent diabetes.”
But if you’re not a coffee fan, or if you’re caffeine-sensitive, worry not — Here are three other ways to activate or create more brown fat to help burn calories:
- Cryotherapy — Scientists have repeatedly found that they can activate brown fat in adults by exposing them to cold temperatures.
- Exercise — In animal studies, increased exercise enabled white fat to be converted into brown fat.
- Optimize your melatonin levels — Melatonin may stimulate the appearance of "beige" fat that may help you control body weight, burn calories and produce heat.
Just one reminder when brewing a cup of joe: Make sure it’s made from organic, shade-grown coffee beans, and skip the milk, sugars and creamer. For a keto-friendly option, try making bulletproof coffee by adding coconut or medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil or a pat of raw grass fed butter to your brew. This can further boost your fat-burning abilities and even promote mitochondrial function.
If this is your first time having bulletproof coffee, only add a small amount of fat — about 1 teaspoon — to avoid gastrointestinal side effects. Once your body has gotten used to it, work your way up to 1 to 2 tablespoons.