Researchers: A cup a day keeps the weight away

Coffee and a workout could be the ideal combination. Photo / Getty

If losing weight is difficult, staying slim after a diet can be harder still.

The solution could be as simple as two cups of coffee a day, researchers say.

They have discovered that a regular daily intake of two to four cups helps dieters keep flab at bay once they have shed the unwanted fat.

The high caffeine content seems to help the body resist the gradual weight gain that defeats so many slimmers.

Other caffeinated drinks have the same effect, according to the research team at Hannover Medical School in Germany.

British consumers down an estimated 70 million cups of coffee every day.

Studies suggest it can have a variety of health benefits, including combating liver disease and type two diabetes.

Earlier this week research from the US suggested it could even help people live longer.

The latest evidence, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows a couple of cups a day could help millions of dieters stay trim once they have achieved their desired weight.

Researchers studied the consumption habits of 494 men and women who were taking part in a weight loss study.

They found that successful slimmers consumed significantly more coffee - two to four cups a day on average - than those who lost no weight or lost it and then put the pounds back on.

Caffeine is the world's most widely consumed stimulant and reports show it can boost daily energy expenditure by around five per cent.

Researchers sad combining two to four daily coffees with regular exercise would be even more effective at keeping the weight off.

In a report on their findings they said: "Caffeine consumers have a lower body mass index than those who consume little or no caffeine.

"And high caffeine intake has also been linked with weight loss.

"Our research suggests it might also support maintenance of that weight loss."

- Daily Mail