Belly fat is stubborn. Trying to get rid of it can feel like a losing game, even with the proper diet. But one drink that many people are sipping on for its purported belly fat-reducing abilities is enzyme coffee.

Enzyme coffee is powdered coffee that has added chromium (a mega dose 1,000 mg which is 2857% of your daily value), green tea leaf extract, green coffee bean extract, guarana, yerba mate, all mixed together, explains Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in Miami, Florida.

Enzyme coffee is very high in caffeine225 mg of caffeine from both the coffee and green coffee bean.

Theres also yerba mate, which also contains caffeine, but is not listed the mg of caffeine it provides, therefore could be potentially higher, adds Ehasni. It also contains L-theanine, an amino acid found in teas, and alpha-GPC, a phospholipid, and a herb and root extract.

Related: Is Coffee Good for Weight Loss?

She points out that a regular cup of coffee is typically around 95 mg of caffeine per cup.

Technically, there are no specific scientific studies out there that support the idea that enzyme coffee will melt away your belly fat.

However, Ehsani points out that it does contain a lot of caffeine and chromium.

Chromium is an essential mineralit helps regulate glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, she says. Some studies have indicated that supplementing with it may reduce appetite and overall food intake, which could result in weight loss.

One study found that overweight women who supplemented it daily for eight weeks saw a 25% reduction in food intake, due to lower levels of craving and hunger.

In general, Ehsani explains that coffee increases your metabolism thanks to its caffeine. One study found that four cups of coffee reduced body fat by 4%.

Related: How to Lose Belly Fat Naturally

And caffeine specifically is what is working to "burn" belly fat, thanks to caffeines ability to stimulate the nervous system in order to mobilize fat cells to break down into fatty acids that are then used for energy, explains Jonathan Valdez, RDN, owner of Genki Nutrition and a spokesperson for the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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Caffeine works to increase your resting metabolic rate, which is the amount of calories you burn while at rest.

Therefore, when you drink caffeine or coffee, it increases the amount of calories you can burn even at rest temporarily, says Ehsani. A faster metabolism or resting metabolic rate means you are burning more at rest, which can result in weight loss.

She also adds that there is some evidence that coffee can support weight loss efforts, but more studies need to be conducted first.

Plus, coffee alone will not make you lose weight. But when you drink it along with exercise and staying in a calorie deficit, that can help set you up for success.

Related: How to Calculate a Calorie Deficit

If included with exercise, coffee can help fight fatigue and maximize performance so you can burn more calories. 3 to 6 kg per kilogram of weight 60 minutes prior to working out is best, adds Valdez. More importantly, the overall caloric deficit has to be present versus caffeine alone.

However, there are certain people who should avoid drinking enzyme coffee.

Due to its high caffeine amount, people should drink with caution, and teens, young adults, pregnant women, and anyone sensitive to caffeine in large doses, should avoid, says Ehsani. Finally it also contains guarana, which is a plant that contains caffeine and stimulants, but does not list the amount [of caffeine].

She adds that most health and medical professionals advise no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, equaling about four cups of coffee daily.

Be careful with consuming high doses of caffeine, and be wary of supplements like this one that sound too good to be true, says Ehsani. There are plenty of other healthy and safe ways you can lose weight. Also be careful with consuming high doses of chromium, as it may interact with supplements or medications you are currently taking.

Finally, you should always check with your medical provider before consuming.

Next up:31 Different Types of Coffee Drinks, All Explained

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Everyone's Sipping On Belly Fat-Reducing Enzyme CoffeeHere's What Nutritionists Think Of It - Parade Magazine

FRIDAY, Sept. 9, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Dieters who believe that eating a big breakfast followed by a small dinner is the surest way to lose weight will likely be very disappointed by the findings of a new, small study.

What did the researchers discover? Eating the largest meal early in the day is unlikely to make any difference.

The notion of timing of eating to influence health has been around for a long time, said study author Alexandra Johnstone, a registered nutritionist and professor in the school of medicine, medical sciences and nutrition with the Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

Johnstone acknowledged that the advice to breakfast like a king and dine like a pauper has plenty of adherents.

And prior research has in fact suggested that eating earlier in the day enhanced weight loss, affecting energy metabolism, compared to eating later in the day, she noted.

Still, chrono-nutrition the relationship between food intake and time of day is a relatively young science, Johnstone cautioned.

To try to separate myth from fact, she and her colleagues decided to conduct a diet test involving 16 men and 14 women. For a month, each participant was randomly assigned to follow a morning-heavy diet or an evening-heavy diet, the study authors explained.

All meals were based on a 30% protein, 35% carbs and 35% fat breakdown, while total daily calorie intake was fixed.

But those on the morning-heavy diet consumed 45% of their daily calories at breakfast, followed by 35% and 20% at lunch and dinner, respectively.

In contrast, those on the evening-heavy diet followed a 20%, 35% and 45% daily calorie split.

At the end of the month, all participants took a one-week break, which was then followed by a switch: for the following month all the morning-heavy eaters became evening-heavy eaters, and vice versa.

The result: We found weight loss was similar with both diets," Johnstone said.

All participants did lose a notable amount of weight, with an average loss of about 7 pounds during each of the one-month periods. Its just that neither dietary pattern prompted more weight loss.

However, Johnstone and her colleagues did identify one big difference between the two styles of eating: diminished hunger among those on the morning-heavy diet.

While there was no impact on energy expenditure, she noted, there was a positive influence of big breakfast to control appetite throughout the day, with less hunger.

And that could give a morning-heavy diet a leg up in the long run, she said.

Hunger is one of the main reasons that people fail to comply to a weight-loss or calorie-restricted diet, said Johnstone. So if we have diet strategies that can help control hunger, then it would be beneficial in the real world.

Johnstone and her team also stressed that there is unlikely to be a one-size-fits-all approach to how dietary planning affects metabolism. Yet broadly speaking, our work suggests that the distribution of calories throughout the day does not influence energy metabolism or weight loss, she said.

The findings were published online Sept. 9 in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Connie Diekman is a food and nutrition consultant, sports dietician and former president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Though not involved in the study, she said that while the findings didnt surprise her, the challenge with this kind of analysis is that no human body functions in the exact same way as another.

But as a registered dietician, I suggest two things to clients, Diekman added. One, enjoy a meal within one hour of getting up to help bring blood sugar up from the overnight low level. For that meal, try to enjoy some protein and some carbohydrate, to not only help raise the blood sugar but to possibly keep the blood sugar up for a few hours. And number two, fuel the body every three to four hours, to avoid excessive drops in blood sugar, which can lead to overeating, she said.

More information

There's more on good eating habits at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: Alexandra Johnstone, PhD, registered nutritionist and professor, school of medicine, medical sciences and nutrition, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Scotland; Connie Diekman, MEd, RD, food and nutrition consultant, sports dietician and former president, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Cell Metabolism, Sept. 9, 2022, online

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Are Big Breakfasts Really the Key to Weight Loss? - Branson Tri-Lakes news

Banana is considered an anomaly in fruits, usually seen in the context of weight gain. The truth is far from it actually. Bananas are, in fact, a slimming superfood. If you are looking for a foolproof way to diminish hunger (minus weight gain) my advice is: Turn to a banana. First, it is a zero fat food and a medium banana contains less than 100 calories. Not bad at all! Plus, it helps to boost your metabolism and is loaded with Resistant Starch (RS), a kind of fibre that not just fills you up but keeps those damaging cravings away too. Slightly under ripe, firm, medium-sized bananas give you 4.7 grams of RS, perfect to keep you full for a long duration.

A banana has a lot going for it. Compare it to an apple a banana has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the potassium, and twice the vitamin C, iron and phosphorus. And whats more, a medium banana contains less than 100 calories. Again, not bad at all.

By the way RS consumption is also associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels and better calcium and magnesium absorption in the body. This translates to stronger bones and a heartier heart. Small wonder then that the scientific term for banana is musa sapientum, meaning the fruit of the wise men.

Great friend of the gutThe high fibre content of bananas keeps the digestion humming along, so beats constipation effectively, without resorting to laxatives. Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. If had with a little salt, it effectively treats dysentery too. Banana delivers the phytochemcial fructo-oligosaccharides, which boosts the good bacteria in our colon and prevents the bad bacteria from overtaking them and producing toxic acids that can create health havoc. This compound also helps the body absorb important bone-strengthening nutrients like calcium and magnesium.

Feel good foodIts a happy fruit too. Its loaded with tryptophan, which gets converted into serotonin in the body. Serotonin is known to relax you, improve your mood and generally make you happier. In fact, low levels of serotonin are a known cause of mood disorders and depression. Bananas also rank as feel-good food due to the high levels of tyrosine they contain. It is a precursor to happy neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

Sleep aidTrust me. Next time you have trouble falling asleep, go to the kitchen and grab a banana instead of reaching out for another sleeping pill. It is a perfect sleep-inducing food thanks to its high magnesium, potassium and tryptophan content. Banana helps the body produce the sleep hormone melatonin naturally, too, due to its high vitamin B 6 content.

Hangover cureThe banana is a perfect fix for hangovers. It helps settle the stomach and wards off nausea since it is a natural antacid. The high dose of potassium helps by replacing the lost potassium (You did go to the loo every 5 minutes last night, remember? Well, that not only dehydrated you, but also depleted the blood electrolytes: sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium). The lost magnesium replaced by that banana will help relax those pounding headaches by easing your distorted blood vessels too.

Get goingEver noticed why the banana is a hot favourite with all athletes? Thats because it contains three natural sugars sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with an extra-large dose of fibre, so it gives an instant boost along with sustained and substantial energy (thats why you see so many top-level athletes munching on bananas during competitions). It also has high iron content, so has the ability to stimulate haemoglobin production in the bloodstream and keep fatigue away.

Did you know? Banana is a perfect rescue recipe if you are trying to junk the cancer stick (cigarettes). The vitamins B6 and B12 and high potassium and magnesium found in it help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Beat asthmaBanana is one of the best sources of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) that plays a critical role in the production of molecules (ATP and cAMP), that have been shown to help relax bronchial smooth muscle tissue.

Keep your BP in checkIt is rich in potassium a mineral vital for nerve functions, for keeping the blood pressure down and promoting bone health. Potassium helps counteract the increased urinary calcium loss caused by the high-salt diets typical of todays times, and prevents the bones from thinning out too fast.

Chomp them cuesBut if just biting into it is not really your idea of gastronomic delight (maybe you find them a bit bland!), then just make the banana exciting. A banana for breakfast is a great idea. Take an oval dish and add a cup of cooked oats. Place one banana slice along each lengthwise edge of the dish. Top oats with a sauce of your choice and sprinkle some nuts on top. Or just make a smoothie with yoghurt or milk.

Reach for it in the late afternoon for a quick perk-me-up. Add to a fruit salad, or have it spiced up. Take a banana and make a slit in the skin to open it up. Drizzle in a mixture of 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon honey and teaspoon black salt. Eat straight off the peel.

Need a cooling snack? Try this: peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in crushed cereal and freeze. Then bite in.

Agreed a peanut butter and banana sandwich drizzled with honey is a commonplace idea (but heavenly yummy, everyone will have to agree) and more a meal than a snack if we look at how calorific it can get, but have you ever tried a banana roti roll? Simply take a roti, apply peanut butter, place a banana in the centre, roll it, cut into small discs and snack on it. Delicious!

Also try this banana ready in a jiffy dessert: Lightly drizzle oil in a skillet over medium heat. Arrange banana slices in a pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove the pan from heat and pour honey mixture (whisk together honey with some water) over the banana. Allow to cool and sprinkle with cinnamon.

At a glanceEat it forKeeping cravings awayKeeping blood pressure in checkCutting fatigue to sizeScoring stronger bones and heartier heartStaying happy and depression freeCleaning out our gut

Fun fact: The first banana split was made in1904, but bananas have been around much longer than that.

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Can bananas help in weight loss? Is the best fruit for high cholesterol? - The Indian Express

If you're constantly struggling to lose weight despite your best efforts, you could be committing several key errors that are wrecking your results. Sure, we know some of the more obvious issueseating junk food, not exercising at all, etc.but in this article, I'll share the lesser-known reasons that seriously slow your progress. Read on to learn about the critical mistakes that sabotage your weight loss, and solve them ASAP.

Far too many people overestimate the number of calories they burn from exercise. (In fact, the calorie counters on some of your favorite cardio machines may be inflating your calorie burn by a whopping 20 to 30%!)

In addition, the number of calories you burn decreases the longer you train; for example, if you burn 400 calories in an hour, doing an additional hour will not burn another 400 calories. Also, the fitter you get, the fewer calories you burn with the same exercise intensity! Why? Because with better fitness, your body becomes more efficient.

Instead, use more realistic measurements. Ultimately, you'll know you're burning enough if your physique is improving.

Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Work Out 7 Days a Week

Calories lurk everywhere. An extra 2 tablespoons of olive oilwhich doesn't seem like muchis 240 calories. An extra pack of sugar with your coffee makes a difference over a week. Oh, and the calories listed on a nutrition label aren't always accurate. (The FDA actually allows a 20% margin of error.) So if you're still not losing weightdespite your "strict" dietcheck how much you're truly consuming versus what you think you're consuming. You might be surprised.

Related: Fitness Mistakes at 50 That Prevent You From Losing Weight, Says Trainer

Everyone knows that if you don't exercise enough, you won't get great results. But if you're doing two-a-days or pushing yourself to exhaustion every time you train, you can also hurt your fat loss.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Training to exhaustion all the time is unnecessary, as it could push your body into overtraining, elevate your stress hormones, lead to injuries, wreck your sleep, etc. Intense exercise two to four times per week is plentyespecially if you're on a diet that's already low in calories. From there, you add low-to-moderate intensity exercise to supplement. If you're draining yourself with exercise, dialing down can improve your strength, energy, and weight loss more than you'd think.

Your body doesn't improve at the gym; it improves at rest. That's why skimping on sleep infers with your body's ability to lose weight. In fact, many studies show that poor sleep is correlated with larger waistlines and a higher risk of being obese. If you're serious about getting results, prioritize getting eight hours of sleep every night. Not only will you look great, but you'll also feel great!

The last of the critical mistakes that sabotage weight loss has to do with your mindset. Some people who struggle to lose weight also struggle with their mindset and self-image. For example, they might say they've "always been overweight," so even if they lose 10 pounds, they may very well gain it all back in a month. Or they say they've "always been lazy," so they start skipping workouts even after joining a new gym.

Ask yourself: Do you see yourself as a fit person or do you see yourself as something else? Improve your mindset and your self-talk. Be very careful with whatever you say after "I am." It might seem woo-woo or new-age-y, but believe me when I say this could be the missing link to your success. Good luckyou've got this!

Anthony J. Yeung

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5 Critical Mistakes That Sabotage Your Weight Loss, Trainer Reveals Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

You may have heard time and time again that healthy weight loss is possible with a balanced diet, regular exercise, frequent hydration and a consistent sleep schedule. While this is true for many, you might find that supplementation and gut-healthy nutrients can assist you on your journey, helping boost your metabolism and promote smoother digestion. We checked in with doctors and health experts for 3 supplement suggestions if your goal is to lose weight healthily over 40.

Read on for tips and insight from Dr. Virginia Blackwell, MD, health and supplement expert at Eve Magazine, Jesse Feder, RDN, CPT, registered dietitian, nutritionist and personal trainer at My Crohns and Colitis Team, Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements, and Lisa Richards, registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet.

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Taking digestive enzymes before meals, Blackwell explains, can help "break down food and promote better digestion and nutrient absorption." These are particularly beneficial, she adds, for those "dealing with digestive disorders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Candida." Additionally, she notes that they help in weight loss by "speeding up the digestion process and helping your body absorb nutrients more efficiently."Best agrees, and says that some bloating is due to a "lack of certain enzymes necessary for the body to process and digest specific carbohydrates." When the digestive process slows down, she warns that one's metabolism can take a hit as well.

There are many forms of carbohydrates and even more enzymes needed in the digestion process. "If one or more of these enzymes are missing or lacking in your gut, like any of those needed to digestion the Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyols (FODMAP) carbohydrates, you can experience gas and bloating," she says.Some foods causing this include "garlic, artichokes, apples, mango, prunes, cauliflower, and most gluten-containing products," Best continues. If you cannot reduce or avoid these foods, she stresses that "supplementing with their enzymes may be helpful."By adding these enzymes into your supplement regimen, Best says you may find that your bloating and weight both decrease simultaneously.

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For those who experience "consistent stomach issues," Feder recommends probiotics, as they have been "shown to rebalance your gut microbiome to improve digestion, nutrientabsorption, metabolism, and energy levels."Richards agrees, and explains that probiotics are available in supplement form through various methods and contain many of these same beneficial bacteria that "naturally occur, live, and even thrive in the body of healthy individuals." There are a myriad of products available containing a wide range of different bacterial strains,shesuggests, "it is ideal to select the specific strain you need to address your unique situation."

Chronic inflammation and gut dysbiosis can lead to issues with weight loss. When the body is in an inflammatory state or the gut isn't balanced with good bacteria, Richardspointsout that this slows down many body processes, including metabolism. Inflammation can also lead to inaccurate numbers on the scale, and Richards addsthat"reducing refined carbohydrates in the diet, even those found in healthy processed foods, can help to mitigate symptoms of chronic inflammation and weight loss issues."With that said, she says "Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus Gasseri and Bifidobacterium infantisare three probiotic strains" shown to most effectively help with weight loss.

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In conclusion, Blackwell offers slippery elm as another gut-healthy supplement you can take over 40 (or any age really) to promote smoother digestion and a consistent metabolism. "A great all-natural laxative and anti-inflammatory, slippery elm is an excellent supplement to help relieve constipation and promote healthy digestion," she recommends.

Blackwell concludes that it has a "high content of water-soluble fiber that can help regulate blood sugar levels, promotes bowel regularity, and aid in weight loss by reducing appetite." Noted!

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3 Gut-Healthy Supplements Doctors Say You Should Be Taking Every Day Over 40 For Faster Weight Loss - SheFinds

Water chestnut season will be here soon. The water herb grows in lakes and ponds mainly in winters and is known for its cooling and antioxidant properties. It is known to improve fertility, lowers blood pressure and provides relief from acidity. The aquatic vegetable has a unique taste and is a popular fasting food during Navratri. The best thing is it is also fat-free and sodium-free which makes it an excellent snacking option too. A potassium powerhouse, anti-inflammatory, it also helps you to curb hunger. (Also read: Fasting during Ganesh Chaturthi? Follow these tips for healthy eating)

The best way to eat water chestnut is eating them as it is in raw form. Their thick peel needs to be removed before eating. Singharas can also be roasted before eating. They can also be turned into singhara ka aata which is considered satvic food and eaten during fasts.

"The season of water chestnuts aka singhara is round the corner, and if youre someone who doesn't love this fruit, here are a few reasons why you should eat singhara during its short season," writes nutritionist Lovneet Batra in her recent Instagram post.

Batra also lists benefits of water chestnut:

Heart Healthy: Diets rich in potassium have been linked to reduced heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and strokes. Since water chestnuts are a great source of potassium they can help lower blood pressure, reducing heart disease risk.

Slows tumour growth: Water chestnuts contain an antioxidant called ferulic acid. There is some evidence that ferulic acid can help reduce or slow the growth of cancer cells.

Fights Inflammation: Water chestnuts contain antioxidants including fisetin, diosmetin, luteolin, and tectorigenin, which can help repair damaged cells and reduce inflammation.

Keeps you full: Water chestnuts are classified as a high-volume food that may curb hunger without adding many calories to your diet.

Good hair health: Water chestnuts improve the health of hair because they contain important nutrients that are beneficial for the hair, such as potassium, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin E.

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Water chestnut: Heart health to weight loss; amazing health benefits of singhara - Hindustan Times

IF you've over indulged recently, then you might be feeling a little uncomfortable.

While some people are happy in the skin they're in and are embracing their bodies, others might want to change their appearance.

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If you fall into the second category, then this might be in the form of weight loss.

Being at a healthy weight is important as research has shown that this can ward off illnesses such as stroke and certain cancers.

Just last year the NHS launched an app that promises to help you shed a stone in weeks.

Their Better Health Campaign found that those who said they put on weight during the coronavirus pandemic, reported gaining at least half a stone.

Around one in five reported putting on a stone or more. In adults aged 35-65 years old, the average weight gain for those who put on weight is over 10lbs.

This is compared to data from users of the NHS Weight Loss Plan, who reported a loss of almost a stone over 12 weeks.

According to the NHS, to get the best possible start on its weight loss plan, there are 12 steps you should follow.

Contrary to what you might believe, the experts at the NHS said skipping breakfast will not help you lose weight.

If you do this, they warned that you could miss out on essential nutrients and you may end up snacking more throughout the day because you feel hungry which inevitably could cause you to gain weight.

Medics say that eating at regular times during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate.

"It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar," they state.

Getting your 5-A-Day is key as fruit and veg are low in both calories, fat and fibre - which the NHS says is essential for weight loss.

If you want to lose weight and maintain your loss you need to be active.

The gurus advise finding an activity you love and fitting it into your routine.

The NHS says that sometimes, people confuse thirst with hunger.

They said: "You can end up consuming extra calories when a glass of water is really what you need."

If you eat a diet high in fibre - such as beans, lentils, dried fruits and berries then you're likely to feel fuller for longer - which the NHS says is perfect for weight loss.

Reading the labels on foods can help you make healthier choices by using calorie, fat and salt information to plan your meals and snacks.

Experts at the NHS explain that using smaller plates can help you eat smaller portions.

"Byusing smaller plates and bowls, you may be able to gradually get used to eating smaller portions without going hungry.

"It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it's full, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full."

Banning foods will only make you crave them more.

Even if you're trying to lose weight you should allow yourself your favourite foods from time to time - everything in moderation.

One way to keep junk food out of your house is to stop buying it.

If the temptation isn't there, you're less likely have access to sweets and fizzy drinks.

Alcohol is full of calories - so over time drinking too much can contribute to weight gain.

Planning your meals can help you stick to your calorie goals.

You may find it helpful to stick to a weekly shopping list, they suggested.

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12 steps to losing weight fast, according to the NHS... - The US Sun