Green coffee extract is an

extract An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures, absolutes or in powder form. The aromatic principles of many spices, nuts, h ...

of unroasted, green

coffee bean A coffee bean is a seed of the ''Coffea'' plant and the source for coffee. It is the pip inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a coffee cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit. Even thou ...

s. It is used in the Swiss water process for decaffeinating coffee. It has also been used as a

weight-loss Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health, or physical fitness, refers to a reduction of the total body mass, by a mean loss of fluid, body fat (adipose tissue), or lean mass (namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon, and other conn ...

supplement and as an ingredient in other weight-loss products, although there is insufficient clinical evidence that it is effective or safe for such uses. In 2014, one of the primary trials showing benefit was retracted and the company that sponsored the study, Applied Food Sciences, was fined by the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...

for making baseless weight-loss claims using the flawed study. Green coffee extract can also be prepared as an infusion from green coffee beans.

Research

A 2011 review found tentative evidence that green coffee extract promotes weight loss; however, the quality of the evidence was poor. A larger 2017 review assessed the effects of

chlorogenic acid Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is the ester of caffeic acid and (−)-quinic acid, functioning as an intermediate in lignin biosynthesis. The term "chlorogenic acids" refers to a related polyphenol family of esters, including hydroxycinnamic acids (caffe ...

, the main

phenolic compound In organic chemistry, phenols, sometimes called phenolics, are a class of chemical compounds consisting of one or more hydroxyl groups (— O H) bonded directly to an aromatic hydrocarbon group. The simplest is phenol, . Phenolic compounds are c ...

in green coffee extract, determining that human studies to date were of poor quality and that no conclusions could be drawn from them.

History

In April and September 2012, '' The Dr. Oz Show'' featured green coffee extract, and conducted its own non-scientific study as to its efficacy. The guest on that show, Lindsey Duncan, had been fined $9 million by the

for making deceptive and unsubstantiated claims related to green coffee products promoted on ''The Dr. Oz Show''.

Controversy

''Fortune'' magazine reported in June 2014 that the benefits of consuming green coffee bean extract had been largely disproved by studies to date, and that green coffee extract has been the subject of Federal Trade Commission action against a Florida company and the subject of Senate hearings against misleading advertising for weight loss products. In May 2014, the

(FTC) charged the Florida-based manufacturers of a product called Pure Green Coffee with deceiving consumers with false weight loss claims. The FTC said that reliance on the Vinson study was deceptive since serious methodological flaws render its results unreliable. On June 17, 2014, the U.S. Senate subcommittee on Science, and Transportation Committee held hearings to discuss weight-loss products and consumer protection. During the hearings, green coffee extract was cited often as an example of a "phony" product sold to consumers. When Dr. Oz. defended his endorsement of green coffee extract and other weight loss products on his show, Senator Claire McCaskill stated that the "scientific community is almost

monolith A monolith is a geological feature consisting of a single massive rock (geology), stone or rock, such as some mountains. For instance, Savandurga, Savandurga mountain is a monolith mountain in India. Erosion usually exposes the geological for ...

ic against you in terms of the efficacy of the three products that you call miracles." During the hearing, Dr. Oz stated "I actually do personally believe in the items I talk about on the show. I passionately study them. I recognize they don’t have the scientific muster to present as fact but nevertheless I would give my audience the advice I give my family all the time, and I have given my family these products. Specifically the ones you mentioned, then I’m comfortable with that part." He said he believes in them "as short-term crutches, and even has his family try them. But there's no long-term miracle pill out there without diet and exercise."

References

{{portalbar, Coffee Dietary supplements Herbalism Articles containing video clips