We’re seen a number of studies discussing the health benefits of coffee, and this makes us pretty happy. A new study, however, heeds caution. The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that too much coffee can increase weight gain and fat cell retention.
In the study, researchers from the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research and the University of Western Australia’s School of Medicine and Pharmacology, studied Chlorogenic Acid (CGA), a compound found in coffee. The researchers fed CGAs to obese lab mice that were put on a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. CGAs have known health benefits, therefore, researchers expected to see an improvement in the health of the mice. Instead of improving and losing weight, however, the mice gained weight and there was an accumulation of fat in their livers.
So, according to this study, CGA supplementation in a high-fat diet does not protect against features of the metabolic syndrome in diet-induced obese mice.
What does that mean for us? Assistant Professor Vance Matthews, one of the studies authors, said that it seems that the health effects are dose-dependent.
“A moderate intake of coffee, up to three to four cups a day still seems to decrease the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.”
Only three-four cups a day?
We think we can live with that. Can you?
