Potential Super-Antioxidant In Coffee May Protect Against Obesity

Past research has shown coffee is packed with antioxidants and their subsequent benefits, potentially preventing conditions like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Now, a new study suggests a chemical compound found in coffee might protect against a host of obesity-related diseases, as well. So, what’s this buzzy nutrient in your cup of joe?

It’s a potent antioxidant called chlorogenic acid (CGA), which scientists focused on in a new study published in Pharmaceutical Research. For 15 weeks, the researchers fed mice a high-fat diet while also injecting them with a chlorogenic acid solution twice a week. Not only did the CGA prevent the mice from gaining weight during the test period, but the effects against obesity were also promising.

“Coffee is one of the most widely-consumed beverages, and has shown benefits to lower the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer,” he said. “We tried to find the component in coffee which exerts these effects.”

Zeroing in on CGA to counter the negative effects of obesity-related conditions makes sense, as scientists have suspected CGA helps reduce inflammation, and obesity-related illnesses often result in chronic inflammation. Ma hopes the research is a first step in developing better treatments for a growing problem. However, there are a couple caveats to the study. First off, the researchers worked with mice. Secondly, they injected the mice with a high dose of CGA, a lot more than you’d get in a standard cup of java.

Ma explained that the research is preliminary, and he’s not suggesting people load up on excess coffee. That said, CGA is a powerful antioxidant for reducing inflammation, as well as improving glucose and lipid metabolism. Getting a modest amount of the compound into your diet — a typical coffee drinker consumes roughly a half a gram to one gram per day — can’t hurt. Enjoy your morning roast with that in mind. And even if you’re not a coffee drinker, CGA is also found in fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, tomatoes and blueberries.