Drinking Coffee Might Help You Manage Your Weight—As Long As You Skip the Sugar

How you drink your coffee might impact your ability to lose weight, a new study finds.

Many people can’t imagine starting their day without a satisfying cup of coffee, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Adding coffee to a well-balanced diet has been linked to a potential risk reduction of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Some experts believe that these positive effects are due to the way the caffeine found in coffee may increase metabolism, ultimately helping people maintain a healthy weight.

In both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, natural compounds called chlorogenic acids are considered to support weight loss and other aspects of health.

One study showed that coffee drinkers were 17% less likely to die early from any cause, 19% less likely to die of heart disease, and 18% less likely to develop cancer vs. non-coffee drinkers.

Another study showed that drinking one or more daily cups of black coffee was associated with a reduced risk of heart failure.

Most studies evaluating the effects of coffee intake are based on participants drinking their coffee black—without any added sweeteners or creamers.

It’s when these additional ingredients are added that the health benefits of coffee might be interrupted.

New research, published last month in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that while general coffee intake is associated with weight loss, adding sugar to coffee is associated with weight gain.

Here’s how your preferred coffee order may impact weight management, and substitutions you can make to still meet certain flavor preferences while prioritizing health goals.

Coffee Intake, Coffee Additions, and Weight Loss

The new study examined the association between changes in coffee consumption, caffeine intake, and weight changes by considering the addition of sugar, cream, or a non-dairy coffee whitener (like Coffee-Mate) by evaluating data from three prospective cohorts: the Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Health Professional Follow-up Study (HPFS).

To help researchers understand eating tendencies, participants filled out a food frequency questionnaire over the study period (which spanned from 23 to 24 years, depending on the cohort).

Body weight was also recorded during the data collection period to track any significant changes. 

Researchers analyzed the relationship between coffee intake, cream, coffee whitener, and added sugar and concurrent weight change in each 4-year period that spanned within the study time. 

Results showed that increasing consumption of coffee (caffeinated and decaf) was associated with less weight gain over 4-year cycles for both males and females.

However, this association was different when sugar was added to beverages. Adding a teaspoon of sugar to coffee was linked to weight gain, not weight loss.

Using coffee whitener or cream showed no statistically significant impact on weight changes. And opting for a caffeinated coffee over a decaf version didn’t impact weight outcomes either. 

The researchers note that adding milk to coffee was not evaluated in the study. However, other research has “found an inconclusive relation between dairy products and weight change.”

It is important to note that the study did not represent the general population; participants were primarily white U.S. healthcare professionals. And, since coffee was the main source of caffeine in the cohorts, they could not study the role of caffeine in other caffeinated beverages such as energy drinks.

Lastly, the study did not have information on adding artificial sweeteners to coffee as an alternative to sugar. 

“Weight and food are complex and multifactorial,” Kerry Hackworth, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and Director of Nutrition Affairs for the National Dairy Council told Health. “Even with the biggest studies, drawing conclusions about one particular food or drink can be really challenging.”

How to Enjoy Coffee And Support Weight Management

Coffee can be a fantastic addition to a weight management-supporting diet. But it is important to remember that adding sugar to your cup may not be doing you any favors.

“Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, which means it is quickly digested, absorbed, and converted to energy (calories) by our bodies,” Hackworth said. “Simple sugars don’t help us feel full, which could lead to overeating and potentially weight gain.”

Instead of adding sweeteners to your coffee, Hackworth recommends adding spices like cinnamon, some of your favorite non-dairy creamer, or even just traditional milk.

“Some research shows that the proteins found in milk may enhance coffee’s anti-inflammatory effects,” she said.

When it comes to using artificial sweeteners, there are still a lot of unknowns.

“More research is needed into the relationship between sugar-free sweeteners and weight, but it can be an appropriate substitute in moderation,” Melissa Mitri, MS, RD, registered dietitian and nutrition content writer told Health.

Mitri explained that even though artificial sugar may help lower your caloric intake, it’s still important to be aware of how much you’re consuming.

“It’s important not to overdo it,” she said.