Between expensive protein shakes and elaborate exercise routines, weight loss journeys aren’t always the easiest to embark on.
However, burning fat might not be as difficult, time-consuming and expensive as you might think.
Dr Michael Mosley shared one popular drink, which is probably already in your kitchen cupboard, could help you blast fat.
All you need to do is enjoy the hot drink one hour before your exercise, according to the expert.
Speaking on his BBC podcast Just One Thing, Dr Mosley said: “Surprisingly, drinking coffee not only perks us up mentally but it’s been shown to boost our performance in all sorts of other ways.”
While the black drink is better known for its stimulating effects, it can also increase the amount of fat you burn during a workout session.
The doctor said: “Coffee aficionados will also be delighted to hear that their favourite brew may even help burn calories.
“A recent university study showed drinking coffee stimulated brown fat and one of the main functions of brown fat is to generate body heat by burning calories.
“Other recent research showed that women who drank up to two cups of coffee per day had less total body fat and abdominal fat than those who didn’t drink any.”
What’s more, you don’t need expensive coffee brands to reap the benefits, as the podcast host explained that you can get the same advantages from instant coffee.
Don’t just take the doctor’s word for it, as a professor of metabolic physiology Dr James Betts, at the University of Bath, also backed the impact of coffee on exercise.
Appearing on the podcast episode, he said: “We know that being physically active is just about one of the most important things you can do for your health.
“So, if having a coffee helps someone get the motivation to work out or go for a walk, I think we should focus on things that help with that.”
On top of burning fat, Dr Mosley shared that the powerful antioxidants hidden in coffee could also offer other health benefits.
Based on a UK study of half a million people, having up to three cups of coffee a day could improve your brain and heart health.
The doctor explained that the study participants who consumed that amount had a lower risk of stroke, heart disease and dementia, as well as having healthier-sized and better-functioning hearts, compared to non-coffee drinkers.
However, coffee has also been linked to increased blood pressure and disrupted sleep, so he recommended not to overdo it. Dr Mosley added: “For this reason, it’s sensible to go easy on how much coffee you drink. Three to four cups of coffee a day might be the sweet spot for the most beneficial effects on your health.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
