Health Benefits of Green Coffee Bean Extract: Does Research Support the Hype?

"Green coffee beans are the same coffee beans we have come to know and love.

The difference is that green coffee beans are left un-roasted, not only giving them a smoother taste than roasted beans, but also giving them a distinct array of health-promoting plant chemicals.

The concept of green coffee applies to green tea as well.

Green, white, oolong, and black teas actually come from the same Camellia 

sinensis  plant, but green tea is the least  processed.

The change in how long the teas are roasted determines why green tea has different health properties than black tea.

This is also how green coffee beans harbor unique health benefits when compared to roasted coffee beans.

We know that drinking regular black coffee can be associated with a lower incidence of diabetes, certain types of cancer, as well as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and liver disease (1; 2), but what is so exciting about green coffee bean extract?

Emerging research shows that green coffee bean extract, may be a low-cost way to reduce weight naturally.

Early research suggests the extract may help normal weight adults prevent weight gain, and overweight adults from becoming obese (3).

According to animal studies, green coffee bean extract may support weight loss and inhibit weight gain by three interesting ways:

1. Block absorption of fats

2. Boost fat-burning

3. Support healthy sugar and insulin levels

Together, these three mechanisms may create a unique & natural synergy that may support natural weight loss in a way that would be very difficult to mimic with a drug.
(4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11)

Green coffee beans contain unique plant chemicals that are otherwise lost with typical coffee roasting.

Coffee Antioxidants: Chlorogenic Acid

The “breakthrough” compounds believed to be responsible for the health benefits of green coffee beans are chlorogenic acids.

When you consume green coffee bean extract, a portion of the chlorogenic acids are believed to be absorbed directly in the small intestine. The leftover compounds that make it to the large intestine and colon then do something interesting.

Further down the intestinal tract, chlorogenic acids may interact with healthy bacteria in the colon to produce additional sub-chemicals. Researchers associate these chemicals with even more anti-inflammatory benefits (12).

Chlorogenic acids found in coffee may also:

• Improve brain performance and mental health (13)
• Reduce oxidative stress, body fat, and energy uptake, while also boosting glutathione, your body’s primary antioxidant and toxin-scavenger.
  • Ultimately, the extract may reduce DNA damage and yield anti-aging properties (14; 15)
• Reduce blood pressure, although the research evidence is still inconclusive (16; 17; 18).
  • The proposed blood pressure-lowering effect may be a result of 5-quinoyl quinic acid as well as other chlorogenic acids found in green coffee bean. Scientists also have shown that the higher the dose of green coffee bean extract given, the more profoundly that blood pressure may be lowered. (19; 20; 21).
• Offer anti-cancer properties, and like similar plant chemicals, may keep cancer cells from metastasizing into new areas of the body (22).

Green Coffee Bean Extract has become extremely popular in just a short time. Dr. Oz recently featured it on his popular television show, and Starbucks now features green coffee bean extract in their new Refresher drinks.

So while the research is still young and predominated by animal studies, it supports the claims that green coffee beans can boost energy and potentially help you burn fat and lose weight. Just beware of unnecessary added sugars.

I’m usually one of the first to question a new trend, but I do believe that green coffee beans can be a useful piece of your nutrition and lifestyle strategy to support healthy blood sugar, improve fat metabolism, and ultimately maintain a healthy weight."

Its' the new year and everyone wants to burn fat. 2013 saw the introduction to many new and natural fat burners. One particularly interesting one has been green coffee bean extract.

Dr. Alexander Rinehart, MS, DC, CCN give us his run down on everyone favorite little bean!

Stop by and try a sample of some of the great product we have in store with green coffee bean today!
Til next time,
Mikie