Drinking black coffee can be an effective way to burn calories and boost your metabolism. But how many calories does a typical cup of black coffee actually burn? The number of calories burned from drinking black coffee can vary based on several factors.
The Basics of Black Coffee and Calories
Black coffee contains minimal calories on its own. An 8-ounce (240-ml) cup of brewed black coffee without any sweeteners or creamers contains:
- 2 calories
- 0 g fat
- 0 g protein
- 0 g carbs
- 0 g sugar
So a plain black coffee itself does not contain a significant number of calories. However, the caffeine and other compounds in coffee can boost your metabolism and fat burning, leading to additional calorie expenditure.
Calories Burned from the Thermic Effect of Coffee
One of the ways drinking black coffee can burn calories is through the thermic effect of food (TEF). The thermic effect refers to the energy required to digest, absorb, and metabolize the nutrients in your meals.
Research shows that caffeine has a 35–65% greater thermic effect than carbohydrates or fat (1). The caffeine and antioxidant compounds in coffee can accelerate your metabolism, leading to increased calorie burn.
Studies indicate the thermic effect of drinking a cup of black coffee can burn anywhere from 8–20 calories (2, 3).
So just by drinking 1–2 cups of black coffee, you can burn an extra 16–40 calories throughout the day.
Calories Burned Based on Caffeine Dose
The amount of caffeine you get from coffee can impact the number of calories burned. Here’s how many calories you can expect to burn from different amounts of caffeine:
| Caffeine Dose | Calories Burned |
|---|---|
| 50 mg | 8 calories |
| 100 mg | 16 calories |
| 200 mg | 33 calories |
| 300 mg | 50 calories |
An 8-ounce (240-ml) cup of brewed coffee typically contains 70–140 mg of caffeine. So the average cup of coffee likely burns 10–20 calories from its caffeine content alone.
Calories Burned from Coffee and Exercise
Drinking a cup of black coffee before your workout can amplify the number of calories you burn during exercise.
Caffeine improves exercise performance and endurance by increasing the amount of fat burned for fuel. It also helps you exercise at higher intensities for longer periods (4).
One study found that consuming 5 mg/kg of caffeine 1 hour before exercise increased calorie expenditure by 14% in male athletes and 29% in female athletes during their workout (5).
If you consume a caffeinated coffee before hitting the gym, you can expect to burn 10–29% more calories during your workout session.
Calories Burned Per Hour of Exercise
Here’s how many extra calories you can expect to burn per hour of exercise based on the pre-workout caffeine dose:
| Caffeine Dose | Extra Calories Burned Per Hour |
|---|---|
| 5 mg/kg | 14–29% more |
| 3 mg/kg | 7–15% more |
| 2 mg/kg | 4–10% more |
To maximize calories burned, aim for 3–5 mg caffeine per kg of body weight when fueling your workout with coffee.
Increased Metabolism From Black Coffee
Drinking black coffee may also help you burn more calories by activating brown adipose tissue (BAT).
BAT is a special type of fat tissue that generates heat by burning calories. Also known as brown fat, it helps regulate body temperature and glucose levels (6).
The caffeine and antioxidants in coffee may stimulate brown fat activity and cause your body to burn more calories as heat (7).
Researchers estimate that 50 grams of active brown fat can burn up to 300 extra calories per day. Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee daily may help turn on BAT to increase calorie expenditure (8).
Calories Burned From Brown Fat Activation
Based on the current research, here’s how drinking black coffee may impact brown fat and daily calorie burn:
| Coffee Dose | Impact on Brown Fat | Potential Extra Calories Burned |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | May activate brown fat | 50 calories |
| 2 cups | Activates brown fat | 100 calories |
| 3 cups | Further increases brown fat activity | 150 calories |
Maximizing brown fat activation can increase overall calorie expenditure during the day and support weight loss.
Other Benefits of Drinking Black Coffee
Drinking black coffee can provide several other health benefits beyond calorie burning, including:
- Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease
- Increased cognitive function and memory
- Better physical performance and muscle endurance
- Higher antioxidant levels and less inflammation
- Improved mood and focus
Caffeine even helps suppress appetite and cravings, which can further support weight management (9).
Is Drinking Coffee Before Bed Disruptive?
Caffeine is a stimulant, so an afternoon or evening cup of coffee may make it harder to fall asleep. However, drinking coffee early in the day is unlikely to disrupt nighttime sleep for most people.
In a study of over 18,000 people, daytime coffee intake of up to 6 cups was not associated with poorer sleep quality or duration (10).
If you limit caffeinated coffee to the morning and early afternoon, it can provide metabolic benefits without impairing your sleep cycle.
How to Maximize Calorie Burning
Here are some tips to help maximize the number of calories burned from drinking black coffee:
- Consume 1-2 cups of black coffee before your workout
- Aim for at least 3-5 mg caffeine per kg of body weight pre-exercise
- Drink 2-3 cups of coffee spaced throughout the day
- Choose light or medium roast coffees, which tend to be higher in caffeine
- Avoid adding sugar, cream, or fatty milk that provide extra calories
Pairing black coffee with a healthy diet and regular exercise is the best way to see results when it comes to burning calories.
Precautions With Coffee and Caffeine
While coffee can benefit calorie burning, keep these precautions in mind:
- Avoid excessive caffeine, which can cause anxiety, insomnia, irritability, nausea, and rapid heartbeat.
- Limit caffeine if pregnant, breastfeeding, or sensitive to stimulants.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
- Don’t rely on coffee alone for weight loss. Maintain an overall healthy diet and active lifestyle.
The Bottom Line
Drinking black coffee can support calorie burning through several mechanisms:
- The thermic effect burns 8-20 calories per cup.
- Caffeine boosts metabolism by 10-29% and fat burning.
- Black coffee stimulates brown fat activity, burning 50-150 extra calories daily.
Maximizing these benefits by drinking 2-3 cups of black coffee spread throughout the day, along with regular exercise, can help support weight management.
Overall, regularly drinking unsweetened black coffee is an easy way to burn more calories and optimize your health.
