Green Coffee Beans: Benefits, Supplements & Facts

Just about everyone enjoys a cup of joe from their favorite coffee shop. Perhaps you've even tried to make homemade brew. If you are a connoisseur of coffee and know your local barista by name, you may be wondering what the latest health obsession with green coffee is all about?

Spoiler alert: green coffee beans are just regular coffee beans before they are roasted. That being said, coffee beans prior to being roasted offer many benefits you won't find from traditional coffee consumption. The extract of green coffee beans supports a healthy brain, body weight and helps maintain already-healthy blood sugar levels. Here is a complete breakdown of everything you need to know about this buzzworthy bean, from seed to supplement.

What is green coffee bean extract?

If you haven't laid eyes on coffee beans of this green hue yourself, that's because unroasted beans are really the predecessor to your traditional store-bought bags of roasted coffee beans, which will be a dark brown color. If you want to enjoy all the benefits that green coffee bean extract has to offer, you'll need to turn to a green coffee extract supplement. All coffee beans, unroasted and roasted, contain a polyphenolic compound called chlorogenic acid, which helps contribute to coffee's health benefits, such as supporting energy levels, brain health, weight management and so much more.

Unfortunately for coffee lovers, once the beans are roasted and make their way to store shelves or local coffee shops, the content (and health benefits) of chlorogenic acid significantly declines. That doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy coffee consumption in moderation—it just means that supplementing with green coffee can come with some added perks!

Pro tip: if you do want your brew to contain more chlorogenic acid, try Rainforest Blend coffee, which uses a proprietary roasting process to preserve this nutrient.

Why supplement with green coffee bean extract?

Thanks to its legendary chlorogenic acid content, green coffee bean extract is a good supplement that can help you with a variety of health goals. If you're looking to reap all the benefits of this bean, here are just a few reasons to supplement:

• Antioxidant support

• Supports healthy lipid levels

• Cognitive health

• Cardiovascular benefits

• Maintains already-healthy blood sugar

• Promotes a healthy inflammatory response

• Liver function

Let's dive into these noteworthy "perks" from supplementing with green coffee beans…no percolator required!

Antioxidant superstar

The chlorogenic acid found in green coffee extract offers antioxidant support throughout your entire body and to major bodily functions and processes. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants—including foods like broccoli, carrots, spinach, potato, artichokes and avocados—coupled with a potent, antioxidant-packed green bean coffee extract supplement is a great way to protect your cells from free radicals.

A dieter's best friend

If you've been working up a sweat in the gym, adhering to healthy eating habits with a Mediterranean-based diet and still haven't seen the number on the scale budge—you might want to consider adding green coffee bean extract in addition to other weight management supplements. That's because studies suggest that the chlorogenic acid in green coffee beans can help support a healthy weight.

Help support healthy lipid levels

The benefits for these beans don't stop with the antioxidant protection from chlorogenic acid or weight management support. For those being mindful about their heart health, specifically already-healthy cholesterol levels, these green beans come with some good news.

In a meta-analysis of 17 clinical studies with 776 participants, green coffee bean extract was found to support healthy lipid profiles. Although there was no effect found for triglycerides, the analysis did indicate that green coffee bean extract was found to support already-healthy cholesterol levels.

Speak with your cardiologist or primary care doctor before incorporating green coffee bean extract into a strategy to maintain cholesterol levels already within normal range –and also make sure to check your levels yearly with a comprehensive lipid blood panel test.

A smart choice for brain health

Want to support brain health? Think green. The chlorogenic acid found in green coffee bean extract not only helps support your brain's neurotransmitters, but also helps by maintaining overall cognitive health with its antioxidant properties.

Indeed, a preclinical study showed green coffee beans helped promote healthy neurotransmitter levels, cell health, protected against oxidative stress and inhibited inflammatory factors to support brain health.

Already-healthy blood pressure health benefits

They say, "the heart wants what the heart wants." And in this case, if your heart wants a little extra support for already-healthy blood pressure levels, it's time to give green coffee extract a try.

Tried and tested, green coffee bean extract has been shown in several studies to help support cardiovascular health and already-healthy blood pressure levels. In a meta-analysis of 15 clinical studies including 637 participants, green coffee bean extract was found to promote healthy total cholesterol levels already within normal range and help maintain already-healthy blood pressure. This meta-analysis also suggests including coffee bean extract as part of a weight management strategy helps support healthy weight maintenance.

Good for healthy glucose metabolism

If you've been instructed by your doctor to closely monitor your blood sugar levels already within normal range, you might want to consider adding the extract of green coffee into your health and wellness arsenal, along with diet, exercise and other lifestyle tweaks your doctor suggests. A meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials including 766 participants found a significant effect of green coffee bean extract supplementation in supporting already-healthy blood sugar levels.

Caveat: Our suggestion is to consider green coffee just one of many tools to support healthy glucose metabolism, and to partner closely with your doctor on this health goal.

Support a healthy inflammatory response

Besides promoting already-healthy blood sugar levels, already-healthy blood pressure and cognitive benefits, green coffee bean extract can also help support a healthy inflammatory response. A meta-analysis of five clinical studies found that the use of green bean extract inhibited inflammation to support whole-body health, and this effect was enhanced when given to participants at doses greater than or equal to 1000 mg per day.

Help your liver do its job

Your liver filters, detoxifies, breaks down nutrients and metabolizes among the other 500 vital functions it performs for your body each day. Your morning cup of coffee already supports liver health, but did you know you can give your liver even more love with antioxidant support from green coffee bean extract?

Because it contains chlorogenic acid, green coffee bean extract helps enhance antioxidant capacity throughout the body, which may further support liver health and function. In a meta-analysis of eight clinical studies including 330 participants who consumed green coffee bean extract ranging from 50 mg per day to 1,200 mg per day for 8-12 weeks, supplementing with green coffee extract was found to inhibit inflammatory factors to support liver health and function.

Are green coffee bean supplements safe?

Yes! Depending on the dosage, studies have found that green coffee extract supplements can be taken safely in dosages up to 1000 mg daily for 12 weeks. While other studies have used higher dosages, it is always best to discuss with your healthcare provider how much to incorporate into your wellness routine.

How much green coffee bean extract should I take?

While benefits in clinical trials have been observed with dosages ranging from 50 mg a day to 1000 mg a day, it is important to follow the label instructions on the bottle of the specific green coffee bean extract you are using. Additionally, make sure to discuss use and frequency of green coffee extract with your healthcare provider.

Can I take green coffee bean extract on an empty stomach?

You can take green coffee extract on an empty stomach; doing so does not appear to be an issue for most people. However, it is important to note that some people may experience minor side effects similar to drinking regular coffee on an empty stomach. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and tolerability.

Green coffee bean extract: Facts & myths

• Does green bean contain caffeine?

  Yes, but in lower amounts than a regular cup of coffee.

• How much caffeine is in 500 mg of green coffee bean extract?

  Green coffee beans contain 1.67% caffeine. This means 1.67 mg per 100 mg beans, or 8.35 mg per 500 mg beans. However, green coffee extract is more concentrated and typically contains around 3% caffeine.

• Is green coffee a special type?

  No, green coffee simply refers to the bean before it is roasted.

• Is green coffee a fat burner?

  While not a fat burner or weight loss supplement, green coffee can help support healthy weight management. However, without proper diet and exercise, green coffee on its own won't help you slim down.

• Is green coffee bean extract a stimulant?

  If the bottle says that the product contains caffeine, then yes, it is, since caffeine is considered a stimulant.

• Does green coffee bean extract keep you awake at night?

  This depends on the level of caffeine, as some people are more sensitive to staying awake following caffeine consumption.

References

• Al-Brakati, Ashraf et al. "Neuromodulatory effects of green coffee bean extract against brain damage in male albino rats with experimentally induced diabetes." Metab Brain Dis., October 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32548708/
• Asbaghi, Omid et al. "Effect of green coffee bean extract supplementation on liver function and inflammatory biomarkers: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials." Complement Ther Clin Pract., May 2021, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33714861/
• Awwad, Shady et al. "Quantification of Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acid in Green and Roasted Coffee Samples Using HPLC-DAD and Evaluation of the Effect of Degree of Roasting on Their Levels." Molecules, December 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8705492/
• Cahill, P J et al. "Conventional radiographic and ultrasonic imaging in renal transplantation." Urology, July 1977, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/329517/
• Ding, Feng et al. "The effects of green coffee bean extract supplementation on lipid profile in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis., January 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31748178/
• Farias-Pereira et al. "Neuroprotective effects of green coffee bean extract against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease: a mini review." Food Life, November 2020, https://www.foodnlife.org/archive/view_article?pid=fl-2021-1-1
• Hayat, Umar et al. "The effect of coffee consumption on the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis: A meta-analysis of 11 epidemiological studies." Ann Hepatol., February 2021, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32920163/
• Kumar, Rajnish et al. "Therapeutic Promises of Chlorogenic Acid with Special Emphasis on its Anti-Obesity Property." Curr Mol Pharmacol, 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31333144/
• Pourmasoumi, Makan et al. "The Effect of Green Coffee Bean Extract on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis." Adv Exp Med Biol., 2021, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34981487/
• Vinson, Joe A. et al. "Determination of Total Chlorogenic Acids in Commercial Green Coffee Extracts." J Med Food., March 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6445179/