Many people experience unwanted weight gain as they age for a number of reasons. One such reason is that your metabolism may naturally slow over the years due a loss of muscle mass and certain lifestyle changes, such as less physical activity. While there are several supplements you can take and foods you can eat to boost your metabolism, there are also certain things you should steer clear of if you want to avoid a slower one—including a popular, tasty morning drink.
To learn more about the drinks people over 40 should cut out of their diet if they want to maintain a faster metabolism, we spoke to health experts Nataly Komova, RD and fitness expert and Rachel Scott, medical practitioner and Co-Founder of National TASC. They both warned against one particular beverage that can lead to weight gain: frozen coffee drinks.
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Frozen coffee drinks
Despite the fact that these drinks are absolutely delicious, Komova and Scott both warn that frozen coffee drinks that are loaded with sugar and creams—such as Starbucks Frappuccinos—are terrible for your metabolism and will eventually lead to weight gain when consumed regularly.
"Taking a cup of frozen coffee with creams and lattes, especially from coffee shops, can significantly slow down metabolism and trigger weight gain," Komova says. This is mostly due to the fact that these drinks are typically loaded with calories from an abundance of syrups, creams, whipped cream, and more. All of that really adds up. "Frozen coffee is high in sugars and calories, ranging from 400 to 1200," she notes. Yikes!
When you consume all of these calories as soon as you wake up, especially, you start your body off on the wrong track for the day. Komova warns that this can "slow down digestion and metabolism, while stripping you any natural effort of the body to cut weight."
But it isn't just the fact that these beverages are high in calories that can cause them to slow your metabolism. The high sugar content also leads to digestive issues. "The sugar used is usually in the form of fructose, which the body cannot easily recognize, further slowing down metabolism," Scott explains. "This sugar then is directly converted into fats and not immediately used as a sugar source." Uh-oh!
Then there's also the issue of a blood sugar spike, which will cause a crash later in the day. Once your body experiences this crash, you'll crave more sugar—and eventually, all that sugar is likely to end in a slower metabolism and unwanted weight gain.
At the end of the day, coffee itself is general okay to drink, even if you're trying to lose weight. However, it's crucial that you leave all those sugary ingredients out if you want to maintain a fast metabolism—and, unfortunately, that means kicking Frappuccinos to the curb.
