7-Second Coffee Loophole: What’s the Science Behind It?

The coffee loophole is a viral term for combining coffee with other ingredients to lose weight. There are many made-up coffee loophole recipes on the internet, with ingredients including coffee, lemon, honey, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and similar. Lately, this term has been used to advertise coffee-based supplements that claim to enhance weight loss. Read more to learn the science behind the claims.

What is the 7-second coffee loophole?

The 7-second coffee loophole is a trending weight loss technique that has taken social media by storm. The premise behind it is that you need to consume black coffee, sometimes with additional ingredients, within a very specific timeframe — ideally within seven seconds of feeling hunger pangs.

Advocates and influencers are making some bold claims about this method, asserting that the rapid intake of coffee tricks the body into feeling full, which suppresses your appetite temporarily. However, there isn't any robust research to back up these claims.

The logic behind the 7-second loophole is tied to the relationship between caffeine and your hunger hormones. According to proponents of this method, when you drink black coffee, it stimulates the release of hormones such as adrenaline and dopamine, which may temporarily suppress your appetite. The aim of the 7-second loophole is to strategically time your coffee drinking to reduce hunger and the urge to snack.

Despite its popularity, you should be careful about weight loss trends. Substitutes, tricks, and hacks should never replace the need for a balanced diet and healthy eating habits.

What are the ingredients for the coffee loophole recipe?

There are many 7-second coffee loophole recipes that combine coffee with other ingredients and supplements to potentially accelerate weight loss. While there is science behind the effects of some ingredients used in weight loss supplements, their effectiveness or capacity may differ from what the manufacturer advertises to customers.

Although these supplements can contain ingredients that may affect body weight and composition, most formulations have not been scientifically proven to help with weight loss. Let's look at the science behind some of the common ingredients found in 7-second coffee loophole recipes:

• Chromium. A meta-analysis concluded that chromium supplementation significantly reduced body weight (-1.65 lb), body mass index (-0.18 lb per square inch), and body fat percentage (-0.68%) in overweight and obese individuals; however, the changes are too little when compared to what could be achieved through a healthy and balanced diet.
• Green tea extract (Epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG). An analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials showed that EGCG significantly reduced body weight (-3.9 lb) and body mass index (-0.3 lb per square inch). However, the effects of EGCG can be influenced by factors such as habitual caffeine intake.
• Chlorogenic acid (CGA). CGA is found in green coffee beans and is commonly used in 'slimming' products. A 2023 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials concluded that CGA significantly reduced body weight (-2.8 lb) at daily doses of 500 mg or more.
• L-carnitine. L-carnitine is a compound naturally found in foods, including meat, fish, and milk. It is involved in fatty acid oxidation in various cells. Due to its involvement in fat metabolism, it's one of the most common supplements used by gym-goers and athletes. L-carnitine is reported to significantly reduce body weight (-2.67 lb), body mass index (-0.5 lb per square inch), and fat mass (-4.6 lb).

As scientific data indicates, some ingredients may potentially help with weight loss—however, identifying the doses and duration of ingredients and combinations of ingredients needs further research. Even with that, the amounts of weight loss reported are small compared to what can be achieved through a healthy and balanced diet.

Fact vs. fiction on the 7-second coffee loophole

Products claiming miracles or hacks became popular and faded. Is the 7-second coffee loophole any different? Let's dive into fiction on the 7-second coffee loophole claimed by manufacturers and through advertisements, and learn the facts.

Effective weight loss strategies

Suppressing your hunger with coffee is not the most effective way to lose weight, and definitely is not the healthiest. Below you will find a list of evidence-backed ways to lose weight, to support your body composition, fitness, and wellness goals.

Calorie counting

Creating a calorie deficit is essential for losing weight. Counting calories from foods you consume is one of the most common ways to track your energy intake to make sure you are in a deficit. This is also very popular in the fitness industry, where people track not only their calories but also their macronutrients. A daily calorie deficit of around 500 calories over several months should result in sustainable weight loss. A more extreme caloric deficit might be hard to maintain and could lead to binge eating.

You can determine your approximate daily calorie needs by using an online calculator. However, it would be best to consult your doctor and/or a registered dietitian to get a more personalized answer. It is still important to prioritize a healthy diet rich in wholefoods, instead of ultra-processed ones, even if they ‘fit your calories’, to provide your body with the necessary nutrients.

You should not go into a calorie deficit if you are recovering from an eating disorder, are recovering from illness or are sick, are a child or a teenager, or are very physically active. Calorie restriction approaches may not be suitable during pregnancy, unless you are overweight and have been advised to lose weight by your doctor to avoid complications.

Meal planning

Some people find calorie counting too tedious or feel like this makes them too obsessed with numbers attached to food labels. Focusing on a more balanced diet may be enough to lose weight.

Try picking and meal prepping a few recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week. This way, you can avoid going over hungry or not having ingredients on hand to make a blanched meal.

Meal planning can be a fun way to try new healthy recipes, cook with seasonal produce, and increase variety. It can additionally help you reduce your grocery bill and save time as you do not need to go to the store every day or think of what to cook.

Aim for healthy recipes that are tasty and nutrient dense. You can also plan for an afternoon snack, such as greek yogurt with fruit, to avoid getting overly hungry between meals. To make it easier, numerous meal planning apps are available, or you can get a nutritionist to make a personalized meal plan.

Fitness apps/exercise

Starting a workout routine or increasing intensity/frequency of your current exercising regime can be a good way to create a caloric deficit without the need to drastically reduce your food intake.

If you are just starting, try getting 8-10 thousand steps a day on a consistent basis, and then add 2-3 strength training sessions per week. Strength training, combined with getting enough protein, may help you maintain more muscle mass during your weight loss phase. The goal of weight loss is usually to reduce fat mass whilst maintaining muscle. Other forms of exercise, such as swimming, pilates, HIIT, boxing, and dancing, are also beneficial, so pick the ones you genuinely enjoy.

Getting a personal trainer may help you reach your goals quicker and teach you the proper technique to avoid injuries. If getting a personal trainer is not possible, you can try a fitness app. What is most important is that you follow and consistently stick to a structured program, combined with a healthy and balanced diet.

Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach where you eat only for a set amount of time each day and fast for the rest of the day, only consuming non-caloric drinks like water, black coffee, and unsweetened tea. The approach may have certain health benefits, such as reducing inflammation, promoting autophagy and longevity, improving cardiometabolic parameters, and contributing to cancer prevention.

Intermittent fasting can also be an effective weight loss strategy. By restricting the times of the day you are consuming calories, you are naturally likely to eat less than usually, resulting in weight loss.

However, it is important to be mindful of your food and nutrient intake, to ensure you are still eating a balanced diet. It would be best to consult a healthcare professional and plan your meals to avoid nutrient deficiencies.

This dietary approach may not be suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, people who are recovering from an eating disorder, type 1 diabetes, women with hormonal imbalances, children and teenagers, and those chronically ill should only do so with the supervision of healthcare professionals.

Stress management and sleep

Getting enough good quality sleep may help you lose weight by reducing food cravings associated with sleep deprivation. Disturbed sleep patterns often lead to craving for food high in fat and carbs, making it hard to stick to a calorie deficit. Sleep-deprived people also often turn to sugary sodas and energy drinks to increase their energy by getting a sugar and caffeine hit, which can have a negative impact on blood glucose and other hormones.

Over a prolonged period of time, consumption of energy-dense foods and beverages to compensate for a lack of sleep may lead to piling on the pounds. Being well rested would leave you feeling better, making it easier to make healthy choices, and allowing you to recover from exercise better.

A similar tendency is seen with stress, as some individuals cope by eating. High levels of stress over a prolonged period of time can also lead to chronically elevated cortisol levels, which may cause the body to accumulate fat around the stomach. An increase in cortisol levels may also be linked to cravings for foods, high in sugar and fat. Although targeted fat loss is a myth, managing and reducing stress together with caloric deficit can help you lose the “cortisol belly”. Taking a walk can be a great way to destress as well as help you get some movement throughout the day.

Fat burners

Fat burners may offer some aid in weight loss, but their effectiveness and safety vary, thus, it is important to choose high-quality products. It is also important to note that a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, and regular exercise routine are the main pillars of weight loss.

Ingredients such as caffeine, green tea extract, and capsaicin have been studied for their potential to increase metabolic rate and promote fat oxidation. Whilst there is some supporting evidence, the research in humans is limited and inconclusive.

The overall impact of ‘fat burners’ on weight loss is modest and should be approached with caution, as the long-term effects and safety of these supplements are not fully understood.

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Expert's conclusion

To achieve healthy sustainable weight loss, the best approach is to create a calorie deficit through lifestyle and diet changes. Tracking your calories or meal planning combined with increased physical activity may be the most effective and time-tested weight loss method.

However, it is important not to go overboard with calorie reduction and exercise as it can quickly lead to burnout and injuries. Quality sleep and stress management are just as important to keep your cravings and body weight in check. It may be a good idea to aim for a 80-20 approach between nutrient-dense and ‘good-for-the-soul’ foods, so you can lose weight whilst still enjoying an occasional pizza.

Although certain ingredients, like L-carnitine, have been associated with weight loss, no ingredient is scientifically proven to result in fast and sustainable weight loss without a balanced diet and exercise. That said, some weight loss supplements may provide a small additional benefit as long as the products are of high quality and tested for safety.

Article history

Our experts strive to provide up to date information and update articles when new information becomes available

May 17, 2024

Fact checked by Rugilė Kančaitė, MD

May 17, 2024

Co-written by Amy Brangwyn

March 08, 2024

Expert reviewed by Linas Černiauskas, PhD Candidate

March 08, 2024

Written by Merve Ceylan, RD