Green Coffee Bean Extract is one of the most frequently used supplement for weight loss. As it is always the case with claims related to weight loss, the million dollars question is whether it really works and what are the other health benefits and possible side effects. While we are strong proponents of healthy supplementation in general, it is not always clear whether supplementation (and what type of supplementation) can help shed some pounds or not.

It his post we will try to answer this question.

But first, let’s see what green coffee extract is, and how it is obtained.

As the name suggests, this supplement is extracted from unroasted coffee beans, which are green in their natural form. The main active biochemical ingredient of this extract is chlorogenic acid. Studies show that chlorogenic acid (CGA) have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Moreover, they are readily absorbed and metabolized in the human body.

In the process of roasting, most of this acid is removed and its health benefits  are lost.

Because of that, if you are wondering what’s wrong with the good old black coffee, you should know that there is only caffeine,  but very little CGA.

Benefits for Weight Loss

If we remind ourselves that consuming too much carbs, which leads high glucose and high insulin levels is the main causes of weight gain, the rationale behind the green coffee extract action is not hard to find.

In essence, it is as if you were on a somewhat lower carbohydrate diet than usual.

Another possible channel of action of this supplement is via the inhibition of fat absorption in the liver and reduction of hepatic TG levels. This seems to be a combined effect of CGA and caffeine, as well as of the phenolic compounds from the coffee beans.

In a human study on 12 healthy volunteers, people who consumed CGA enriched coffee managed to reduce their glucose absorption by approximately 7 percent with respect to the control group. They also managed to lose more body weight including body fat than the control.

All in all, green coffee extract seems to be able to help in losing weight. Keep in mind though, that the studies are still relatively scarce, and some of them are sponsored by the companies producing these supplements.

Other Health Benefits

Side Effects

Although pretty safe, there are certain side effects of supplementing with green coffee bean extract, including headache, anxiety, and rapid heartbeat. Basically, if you consume large amounts of it, the side effects can be similar to those of consuming caffeinated drinks. After all there is caffeine in green coffee beans.

The other group of side effects include diarrhea and similar problems which may be caused by the laxative effect of chlorogenic acid.

Some people may get allergic reaction to green coffee bean supplements. It should also be avoided by children and breastfeeding women.

Make sure you check all possible side effects and interactions with other medicine and consult with your physician before taking this supplement on your own.

NatureWise Green Coffee Bean Supplement

What sets Naturewise apart from the competition is their thoroughly testing the coffee bean supplements in third party laboratories. Moreover, they test the ingredients used for preparing the product, making sure that they use gluten free, NON GMO, vegan, organic nutrients. The product is manufactured in the USA.

You can see this product on Amazon.com and read the user reviews, both positive and negative, on their website.

As to how to use the NatureWise green coffee extract, the guidelines are very simple: you just use one pill with a glass of water once a day, 30 minutes before a major meal.

The Bottom Line

It is important to know that this is not a magical pill. If you don’t change your eating habits, taking supplements won’t help much.

What we mean by changing diet is actually getting rid of processed food and starting preparing your meals from scratch. Using real foods, eliminating sugars, reducing the intake of grains, reducing the intake of fruits, choosing integral foods that contain healthy fatty acids, eating a lot of green vegetables, etc.

That being said, it seems that green coffee bean extract could be beneficial for the sugar metabolism and cardiovascular health.

As such it might be worth a try. And if you decide to try it (after consulting with your MD), NatureWise is one of the best choices out there.