Tag: caffeine

Is coffee good or bad for PCOS?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

coffee-722270_640Q.  My 22-year-old daughter has a mild case of PCOS and we are wondering about the effect of coffee on this condition. There is conflicting advice about this online. What are your thoughts?
A. You’re right! There are conflicting points of view regarding coffee/caffeine and PCOS. Many PCOS experts list coffee as a food to avoid. Yet this PCOS support website recommends coffee in an article on “Best beverages for PCOS”.

Much of the confusion centers around the effects of coffee on insulin sensitivity. As you may know, PCOS sufferers are more likely to develop insulin resistance, which increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Continue reading “Is coffee good or bad for PCOS?” >

Is “Big Coffee” buying off nutritionists?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

coffee beans and brewedI’m sure you saw the headlines this week about coffee: Colon cancer survivors who drink 4 or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day have a reduced risk of their cancer coming back. By the way, 4 or more “cups” might not be quite as immoderate as it sounds: They are referring to teeny little 6-ounce cups, so we’re talking about one and half grandes here.

In any case, this is just the latest in a long list of studies, which link regular coffee and/or caffeine consumption to various health benefits.  I talked about many of these perks (haha! get it?) in an episode of the Nutrition Diva podcast: Is caffeine bad for you?

Perhaps one of the recent news stories linked to that 2013 article, because the day the study was released, a couple of new comments appeared there. Both of the writers seem to feel that coffee/caffeine is bad for you.  And both accused me of promoting coffee because someone is paying me to.

As if that were the only possible explanation for having a different opinion. Continue reading “Is “Big Coffee” buying off nutritionists?” >

Tune in to the TODAY show March 14th

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Is Coffee Good For You? Find out on the TODAY show with Monica ReinagelWhat have you always wanted to know about coffee? I’ll be on the TODAY show this Thursday (3/14) to talk about America’s obsession with coffee and how it may be helping (or harming) our health.  Tell the TODAY how you feel about your coffee and tweet your questions to the producers using the tag #caffeinatednation. We’ll be answering many of those questions during the segment, which should air about 8:20am (ET).

While you’re waiting, check out this week’s Nutrition Diva episode on diet-betting.A surprising number of people are finding success by signing up for programs that use financial rewards—or penalties—to motivate them to achieve their goals. It might be just the thing to jump-start your efforts, or to boost you across the finish line.  

In fact, the folks at DietBet.com have set up a special game for Nutrition Diva fans to support each other in a friendly weight-loss wager. Check it out here. (Disclosure:  DietBet.com is a new sponsor of the Nutirtion Diva podcast.)

And if you’re trying to watch your weight, you won’t want to miss this quick tip on the foods that are LEAST likely to satisfy your appetite.

 

This week:sports nutrition for armchair athletes

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

As the 2012 Summer Olympics draw to a close, I have some tips for armchair athletes that may have been inspired to dig out the running shoes or renew the pool membership! This week’s Nutrition Diva podcast includes a quiz to test your sports nutrition savvy and, in this week’s What’s Cooking Blog, some recipes that will help boost your performance.   As you’ll read, caffeine is actually a safe and effective way to get a better workout–and this week’s Nutrition Diva newsletter covers an alternative caffeine source that claims to be healthier. But is it?  Finally, some wise words on how to choose between the lesser of two evils…and when there is no need to , in this week’s Quick and Dirty Blog post.

Caffeine and Sugar: An Unexpected Link

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Did you know that caffeine reduces our perception of sweetness?  Researchers found that if they took the caffeine out of a sweetened beverage, they could then remove about 10% of the sugar without altering the taste.  I had no idea!  The researchers  go on to suggest that removing caffeine from sweetened beverages could allow manufacturers to lower the amount of sugar in those products, thereby reducing the amount consumed by the general population and aiding in the fight against obesity.

That doesn’t seem terribly likely. First of all,  people who consume caffeinated beverages are usually looking for that caffeine bump.  (See also: Benefits of Caffeine) Secondly, we already have caffeine-free versions of many sweetened beverages.  And interestingly, caffeine-free Coca-Cola and Sprite both contain the same amount of sugar as regular Coca-cola.

Nonetheless, it’s an interesting finding.   Have you ever noticed this effect? For example, does caffeine-free Coke taste sweeter than regular? (I find both types to be unpleasantly sweet so I’m not a good judge.)  If you drink sugar in your coffee, does it take less sugar to sweeten decaf to your liking?

Does Caffeine Increase Fat-Burning During Exercise?

by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN

Q. I read recently that the consumption of caffeine prior to exercise will assist the body in using body fat as fuel, up from 21% to 40%. The remaining fuel comes from stored carbs. Any truth to the story?

A. There may be a grain of truth to the story but not much more.  Taking caffeine  before exercise has been shown to increase energy expenditure (the number of calories burned) during exercise by around 10%.  So if you would normally burn 200 calories in a half-hour, some extra caffeine might help you burn 220.  Continue reading “Does Caffeine Increase Fat-Burning During Exercise?” >