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How much do we know about green coffee bean? Lately, the green coffee bean has been in the media spotlight, whether in a positive or negative context. Many articles have been written about its benefits, yet we are still not sure how beneficial it may be.
Green Coffee Bean?
As you probably know, “green coffee bean” refers to unroasted (immature) coffee beans. We are used to seeing mature coffee beans, that are brown to yellow color, and we mostly use these beans in our everyday lives.
To get coffee beans, the green beans are processed by wet or dry methods to remove the outer pulp. When immature, the coffee beans have nonvolatile and volatile compounds (such as caffeine) that deter insects and animals from eating them.
These compounds give that recognizable flavor of the coffee we all know. The most important compound in green coffee bean is the chlorogenic acid.
Chlorogenic acid is responsible for weight loss and other benefits of green coffee bean.
What is Green Coffee Bean Benefits?
According to researches, a green coffee bean can lower blood pressure.
In 2005, a study published in the Journal of Hypertension Research found that water-soluble green coffee bean extract significantly reduced mild hypertension in both diastolic and systolic blood pressure.
Another study in 2007 showed that green coffee is superior to roasted coffee in reducing blood pressure, due to its lower level of a by-product of the roasting process.
More studies have shown that green coffee bean is beneficial for detoxification and that it has liver-regenerating properties.
Researchers were also interested in finding out whether green coffee bean has the same beneficial effects on mood as roasted coffee. A study published in 2012 in the journal Psychopharmacology, concluded that decaffeinated coffee enriched with chlorogenic acid positively affects the mood and cognition in healthy older adults.
Benefits for Weight Loss and Stronger Metabolism
The vast numbers of studies were done to conclude whether or not green coffee bean is beneficial for weight loss and metabolism. The studies were focused on concluding the benefits of chlorogenic acid.
In the scholarly journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, a study that was published in 2012 showed the benefits for weight loss and stronger metabolism.
In the study, the participants were consuming different doses of green coffee bean extract supplement. A high dose of supplement (1050mg) for two weeks, a low dose (700mg) for two weeks, and a placebo for two weeks. The study also included a two-week period when participants weren’t consuming any of the three supplements. Although there were no changes in diets. The extract showed a significant reduction in body weight. Also, body mass index, body fat percent, and even decrease in heart rate (smaller).
“The results are consistent with human and animal studies and a meta-analysis of the efficacy of the green coffee extract in weight loss. The results suggest that GCA may be an effective nutraceutical in reducing weight in preobese adults. Therefore, it can be an inexpensive means of preventing obesity in overweight adults”, the study concluded.
Anti-diabetic Properties
In the study, the researchers also concluded that because chlorogenic acid increases the absorption of glucose, in turn, it offsets insulin resistance and blood sugar elevations that are associated with type 2 diabetes. This is one more confirmation that chlorogenic acid has anti-diabetic properties.
Green Coffee As a Supplement
In 2007, a study published in “The Journal of International Medical Research”, found that participants who consumed instant coffee enriched with chlorogenic acid lost weight due to decreased absorption of glucose sugar.
In a study that was presented at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society in 2012, the scientists showed results of another study that confirmed the benefits of green coffee bean. A group of overweight people consumed a fraction of an ounce of ground green coffee bean each day and lost about 10 percent of their body weight.
In the study, 16 overweight people aged 22-26 took capsules of extract for 22 weeks and lost an average of 17 pounds during that time.
“Based on our results, taking multiple capsules of green coffee extract a day – while eating a low-fat, healthful diet and exercising regularly – appears to be a safe, effective, inexpensive way to lose weight,” said Joe Vinson from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.
The benefits of the green coffee bean come from chlorogenic acid that affects the sugar absorption from starch and influence on fat synthesis in the body.
So, Should You Take a Green Coffee Extract?
The benefits of green coffee bean have been proven many times, and yes, the extract is beneficial in numerous ways.
However, many green coffee bean extract products often contain amounts of green coffee bean extract that is different from what is on the label, and sometimes have additional compounds that may be harmful.
Green coffee bean extract is made of green seeds inside a bright red berry. To create green coffee bean extract, the seeds are left unroasted, soaked and then concentrated on creating the extract.
When coffee seeds are roasted, their antioxidant levels increase; however, chlorogenic acid decreases. This compound is blocking fat accumulation, help with weight loss, curb carb absorption, and help regulate post-meal blood sugar levels.
Reference:
- Kazuya Kozuma, Shigemi Tsuchiya, Jun Kohori, Tadashi Hase, Ichiro Tokimitsu. Antihypertensive effect of green coffee bean extract on mildly hypertensive subjects. Hypertens Res. 2005 Sep;28(9):711-8.
- Tohru Yamaguchi, Akiro Chikama, Kenta Mori, Takuya Watanabe, Yasushi Shioya, Yoshihisa Katsuragi, Ichiro Tokimitsu. Hydroxyhydroquinone-free coffee: a double-blind, randomized controlled dose-response study of blood pressure. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2008 Jul;18(6):408-14. Epub 2007 Oct 22.
- L. L. Gershbein, K. Baburao. Effect of feeding coffee and its lipids on regenerating and intact liver. Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1980 Jun ;28(3):457-72.
- L. K. Lam, V. L. Sparnins, L. W. Wattenberg. Isolation and identification of kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate as active constituents of green coffee beans that enhance glutathione S-transferase activity in the mouse. Cancer Res. 1982 Apr ;42(4):1193-8.
- L. W. Wattenberg. Inhibition of neoplasia by minor dietary constituents. Cancer Res. 1983 May ;43(5 Suppl):2448s-2453s.
- J. A. Vinson, B. R. Burnham, Mysore V Nagendran. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a green coffee bean extract in overweight subjects. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2012 ;5:21-7. Epub 2012 Jan 18.
- New evidence on effects of green coffee beans in weight loss. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 March 2012. American Chemical Society (ACS).
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Last article update:3/11/2019
