A recently released study proposes that coffee and obesity hardly go hand in hand; rather, there is a compound in the tasty drink best suited for mornings that could potentially help prevent obesity and the many illnesses often associated with that condition.
In the midst of an epidemic of weight gain across the world, news that an item that's used as often as coffee can help battle this illness obviously gets a lot of attention. And it seems that coffee's obesity help could really make a difference!
According to Science Daily, experts from the University of Georgia have released a new investigation paper called "Chlorogenic Acid Improves High Fat Diet-Induced Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Resistance in Mice," which was published for the first time in Pharmaceutical Research.
In their investigation, the researchers put forward the notion that coffee's obesity-fighting properties are a force to be reckoned with at the time of taking the beverage.
Coffee's obesity-fighting properties are due to the fact that the beverage contains an antioxidant chemical compound, chlorogenic acid (CGA), which reduces resistance to insulin, as well as lowers the possibility of accumulating fat in the liver - a very interesting development when it comes to fighting the obesity epidemic.
While the tests were done on mice rather than on humans (these mice were fed high-fat diets plus this specific compound, according to the Daily Mail), it's a very interesting first step towards the creation of new treatments and measures to fight obesity and the illnesses most often associated with it.
While CGA is most often found in coffee (or at least, there's a lot of chlorogenic acid in this beverage), it is also presented in other places of nature, like several fruits: blueberries, tomatoes, pears and apples, for example.
"Previous studies have shown that coffee consumption may lower the risk for chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease," said lead author Yongjie Ma according to Medical Daily. "Our study expands on this research by looking at the benefits associated with this specific compound."
Interestingly enough, coffee's obesity-fighting properties can also be found in decaf, for all of those who favor this style better.