Caffeine has typically been given credit for the way coffee smashes a case of the munchies, but new research shows that decaffeinated coffee might be an even better ally when you’re cutting calories. In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, scientists examined the effects of coffee, decaf coffee, and caffeinated water on perceived hunger and hormones related to satiety. Of the three beverages, decaf coffee proved to be the most effective in blunting hunger and promoting levels of peptide YY, a hormone in the gut that signals the brain to regulate appetite. Caffeinated coffee was not as effective as decaf but performed significantly better than the caffeinated water, which had almost zero effect on hunger. Scientists concluded that substances in the coffee other than caffeine are resposible for acutely decreasing hunger. If you like coffee while dieting, brew up a pot of decaf and save the caffeine for your pre-workout. Your central nervous system will thank you.
