Coffee can feel like a cozy hug in a mug first thing in the morning, warming you up, filling your stomach, and giving you a much-needed perceived energy boost. Some supermarkets even offer protein coffee drinks, which may seem like a great solution for those who aren’t hungry but have heard that protein is important.
However, coffee is not a substitute for a meal, and it definitely shouldn’t replace breakfast.
Why does coffee make me feel less hungry?
Many people don’t feel hungry right away in the morning, often because of too much caffeine - from coffee, tea, or energy drinks - which can suppress appetite, making you think you’re not hungry when you actually are.
This can also be due to eating too much the night before, often as a result of not eating enough during the day, creating a vicious cycle.
The science behind eating breakfast
Drinking a meal—whether it’s protein coffee or not—may not be as mentally or physically satisfying as taking the time to sit down and eat a proper meal. The act of chewing and the way food triggers stretch receptors in your stomach to send fullness signals to your brain leaves you feeling more satisfied, both mentally and physically (1).
While having one of these drinks occasionally when you're pressed for time might be fine, but doing so regularly reinforces the negative mindset of not allowing yourself to eat a proper meal, which is not a sustainable healthy habit in the long term.
Mounjaro and substituting coffee for breakfast
If you're consuming a lot of caffeine alongside GLP-1 medications, which are designed to curb appetite, you may end up eating too little, which could impede safe weight loss. Not eating enough can stall weight loss and lead to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, constipation, and even hair or muscle loss.
It’s recommended to limit or avoid caffeine, not only because it affects your appetite but also because high caffeine intake can act as a diuretic, leading to dehydration.
While it’s important to reduce food intake for weight loss, don’t stop eating balanced meals. GLP-1 medication helps curb your appetite, but you still need to eat enough to stay healthy and lose weight safely.
Reference:
1. Almandoz, J. P., Wadden, T. A., Tewksbury, C., Apovian, C. M., Fitch, A., Ard, J. D., Li, Z., Richards, J., Butsch, W. S., Jouravskaya, I., Vanderman, K. S., & Neff, L. M. (2024). Nutritional considerations with antiobesity medications. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 32(9), 1613–1631. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24067
