Can coffee help you lose weight? Should it be part of your diet?

Pros Coffee can raise metabolism a bit, “if you drink it before exercise,� says Jose Antonio, CEO of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, “the caffeine acts as a brain stimulant and helps your body oxidize [burn] fat easier.

It might help you work out harder.�

Cons Some diets (Atkins, the Zone) frown on coffee because too much caffeine can affect blood-sugar levels, triggering cravings and promoting fat storage.

“Studies show that coffee initiates insulin,� says Zone Chefs’ Carol Forman Helerstein, Ph.D. “That can destroy a diet.�

Plus, if you load up with high-cal whipped cream, syrup or sugar, “any impact caffeine has on metabolism is totally defeated,� says Mayo Clinic’s Donald Hensrud, M.P.H.

Conclusion If you add sugar to your coffee, try Erythritol instead, it is a natural sugar substitute. Drinking coffee in moderation is harmless.

There is no reason to eliminate it from your diet. We have enough food cravings to deal with and do not need yet another one. [source: People]