Green Coffee Beans

Many people across the world start their day with a cup of coffee. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee is sufficient to raise the spirits of some people after a long working day. A good proportion of the coffee is brewed from ground coffee beans (the other alternative being instant coffee powder). The coffee powder that reaches our kitchen mainly comes from two commercially cultivated species of plants - Coffea canephora and C. Arabica.

The normal coffee powder that most of us know and cherish is prepared by washing, drying and then roasting the green coffee beans. So the green coffee beans are simply the unroasted forms of coffee berries. Green coffee beans gained popularity in 2012, when iconic Dr. Mehmet Oz, an American TV doctor, suggested that these beans can be used as weight loss supplements.

However, these beans are not palatable in the raw form; so they are processed to derive green coffee extract (GCE) that is commonly marketed as a nutritional supplement. These coffee beans are one of the nature’s most wonderful gifts as they benefit human race in several ways.

How do Green Coffee Beans help in Weight Management?

Coffee beans are loaded with antioxidants and pharmacologically active compounds. The most important compounds amongst these are Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acid (CGA). CGA is also found a variety of fruits and vegetables like Prunes, Peaches, Tea, Blueberries and Sunflower seeds. However, the concentration of CGA varies among these fruits. Roasting of the coffee beans turns them brown. While this improves their taste, aroma and shelf life, the heat and subsequent processing destroys their nutritional value. A major proportion of antioxidants and CGA is lost during the processing of beans. Thus, green coffee beans are a better alternative for weight management.

Several studies have been conducted on human subjects to show that caffeine can boost up metabolism and bring some positive changes in the energy expenditure pattern (Koot and Deurenberg). In addition to this, the polyphenol - CGA modifies the secretion of gastrointestinal hormone in the small intestines and reduces the absorption of glucose. This lowers the blood sugar levels. Insulin is normally produced when the blood sugar level is high in the body. Insulin metabolizes blood sugar to produce energy and the excess of sugar gets converted into fat. CGA prevents the spikes in insulin levels and controls utilization of blood sugar (Johnston KL et al). CGA triggers the metabolic output of liver and thus burns down excess fat.

Results of the randomized research conducted on 16 overweight adults in 2011, suggest that when these people took high-dose (up to 1050 mg) of GCA (green coffee extract product) and low-dose GCA (700 mg) per day, they could see an average weight loss of 18 pounds over the course of 22 weeks. This study clearly proved the efficacy of green coffee extract in weight loss. Thus CGA can act as an inexpensive, easily available, nutraceutical that can reduce weight in pre-obese adults (Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and Obesity: Targets and Therapy).

Other Health Benefits Of Green Coffee Beans

These beans are rich in antioxidants and thus are capable of absorbing toxic free radicals generated in our body. In addition, these antioxidants also inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. Studies were conducted on liver and colon cancer cells and it has been ascertained that green coffee bean extract can prevent cancers of those parts. In comparison to the roasted coffee, green coffee bean extract is more effective in lowering blood pressure. This is because hydroxy hydroquinone is generated as a byproduct during the roasting of coffee beans, which inhibits the antihypertensive effect of CGA. On the other hand, GCA is rich in chlorogenic acid which lowers the blood pressure by improving the vascular endothelial function. The green beans promote detoxification and flush out harmful products from our body.