Dr. Oz might be America’s favorite celeb doctor and the health industry’s too. Since 2012, two natural weight loss supplement – garcinia cambogia and green coffee bean extract – have made his list of pills that help folks slim down. But does this make a supplement that will help you lose weight? And which one should you buy?
The fast answer to this is that green coffee bean extract has a slight edge with clinical proof. A 2012 study published in the journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity documented an average 17lbs of weight loss for study participants. There is evidence that garcinia cambogia works too, though it may require more work on your part.
Both garcinia cambogia and green coffee bean extract should help you lose weight. They’re unique because they’re not diet pills and help people slim down without fad diets and other dangerous methods that many people do to lose weight. They’re natural too, and generally well-tolerated. Add that they’re relatively inexpensive and you might find they’re worth a try.
What is Garcinia Cambogia?
Garcinia cambogia, sometimes called tamarind, is a plant native to Indonesia. The peoples of Southeast Asia have long added garcinia to their recipes to make meals more satiating, but it wasn’t until 2012, when Dr. Oz cited a study extract in which adults lost 4lbs a month with the supplement that sales took off in North America.
Garcinia helps people slim down and achieve target weight. While some of that is marketing hype, there is substance behind many of these claims. The rind of garcinia cambogia is high in a chemical, hydroxychloric acid, which helps weight loss in two ways:
Fat Reduction – HCA inhibits an enzyme called citrate lyase, which converts carbohydrates to fat.
Natural Serotonin – The HCA in garcinia boosts serotonin – the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter in the brain – which helps reduce binge eating.
The latter point may resonate with you if you’ve struggled with clinical depression or a sleeping disorder. Both are characterized by low serotonin, and that is linked to weight gain. A 2011 Columbia University study found sleep-deprived folks took in about 300 more calories per day than people who got enough shut-eye. And much of that was from calorie-heavy comfort food.
Tell Me About Green Coffee Bean Extract
Green coffee beans are unroasted. They’re naturally high in chlorogenic acid – a compound believed to burn fat and which occurs in all coffee beans. Heat, like roasting, kills the chemical. Green coffee beans are unroasted, though, and that’s what makes them so useful for weight loss.
Though you’ve undoubtedly been fed promises of easy weight loss with green coffee bean, the supplement appears to be the real deal. The 2012 study sparked wide interest in green coffee bean for several reasons, not the least of which being results that included an average 17lbs of weight loss, 10% total weight and 4.4% of overall fat reduced among 16 subjects.
All of the participants were overweight, with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 and were split evenly between men and women. They made no changes to diet, though they burned about 400 calories each day through physical activity.
The 2012 study sparked wide interest in green coffee bean for several reasons, not the least of which being results that included an average 17lbs of weight loss, 10% total weight and 4.4% of overall fat reduced among 16 subjects.
Each subject took green coffee bean as an extract, in six week cycles of 750 and 1,050 mg and a placebo, with ‘wash-out’ periods in between when they took nothing.
The findings raised many an eyebrow in the health community. Among them was Dr. Oz, who conducted a follow-up green coffee study of 100 women between 35-49 and with no medical issues or conditions.
This was a short study. Like the subjects in the earlier research, these women did not alter their diets and took 1,200mg of green coffee daily and in doses of 400mg. And like the subjects before them, they lost weight too – 2lbs on average – when the study ended two weeks later.
Should I Buy Garcinia Cambogia or Green Coffee Extract?
Try both. They’re not prescription diet pills. They’re dietary supplements, that encourage weight loss naturally and without extreme diets. Green coffee bean appears to burn fat while garcinia inhibits fat conversion and reduces appetite. Consider them both – assuming you’re not pregnant or have a particular health concern that might suggest otherwise.
Speak with your doctor first in that scenario.
The value of garcinia cambogia and green coffee bean is that they put weight loss within reach. Yes, you’ve probably tried dieting before and spent time on the treadmill. That’s a lot of effort, and studies show that most people simply gain back what they lose through dieting.
Garcinia cambogia and green coffee bean help people lose weight without extreme measures, though you’ll probably have more success with some basic weight loss tips.
Try These Weight Loss Tips
Both green coffee bean and garcinia cambogia blend into a busy lifestyle. Participants in the original 2012 and Dr. Oz studies lost weight without changes to diet, but common sense should prevail. They’re not an excuse to go crazy with skittles and Haagen Dans.
Try both supplements with these weight loss tips and you’re in better shape to see the beach-friendly results that made you google ‘weight loss’ in the first place.
Eat Fruits and Vegetables – They’ll help ward off a variety of ailments and they’re full of belly-filling fiber. Try to eat fruits and vegetables for all colors of the rainbow for maximum nutrients.
Drink Water – This might be one of the most overlooked weight loss tips out there. But the proof is there – one study found that people who drank water before each meal took in about 75 fewer calories when they ate. That’s about 8lbs a year.
One study found that people who drank water before each meal took in about 75 fewer calories when they ate. That’s about 8lbs a year.
Get Comfort Foods Out of Your Fridge – Easier said than done, but nothing good comes free. So get comfort foods out of your house. Banish them – including ice cream and comforting carbs that are no friends to your waistline.
Eat (Only) at the Table – Avoid eating in front of the TV and computer. Eat at the table and you’re less likely to nibble away at the extras that can quickly bust a beach-friendly body.
Don’t Skip Meals – You’re more likely to take in extra calories if you do.
Keep a Food Journal – This keeps you accountable to your weight loss goals. Write down everything you eat, and how you felt at the time. Were you sad or bored?
How to Buy Garcinia Cambogia and Green Coffee Bean
With popularity come the bandwagon jumpers. Call it a speedbump – many folks and more than a few companies want to cash in on the natural weight loss mojo.
When Dr. Oz says it’s cool, you’ve got to expect that.
Your best chance of losing weight with garcinia cambogia and green coffee bean extract is to look for the right amount of HCA and chlorogenic acid. For garcinia cambogia, you want at least 50% HCA with the active ingredient being potassium. Dosage should be in the 1500 to 2700mg range.
Don’t go beyond 3000mg garcinia cambogia per day. Don’t buy a supplement that does not list its ingredients either, and it should have no fillers or artificial ingredients.
Use the same logic with green coffee bean. Choose a product with at least 45% chlorogenic acid. More than that is fine, and may give better results. Dosage can be 400 or 800mg. The subjects who lost 17lbs over 22 weeks in the original 2012 study tended to have better results with a higher dose of the green coffee supplement.
Like garcinia cambogia, buy a green coffee supplement with no fillers or artificial ingredients. Do that and your experience with both of these natural weight loss supplements should be successful indeed.
