Does drinking Americano not cause weight gain? Drinking it 'like this' can actually lead to belly fat.

Don't be complacent about the low calories of Americanos and drink a lot, as it can affect hormones and lead to weight gain. Essentially, the caffeine in coffee, when ingested, increases heart rate and breathing rate, and causes feelings of anxiety and tension. This raises cortisol levels, a stress hormone. When cortisol secretion becomes active, it interferes with the action of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite. Ultimately, this stimulates appetite and can lead to false hunger, causing you to seek food even when you're not actually hungry.

Furthermore, cortisol prevents fat breakdown, causing fat to accumulate in the body. In particular, because there are many hormone receptors in the abdomen, abdominal fat is more likely to develop. Long-term consumption of large amounts of caffeine activates the sympathetic nervous system, but in order to suppress this activation, the parasympathetic nervous system becomes active. As a result, the heart rate, which had been accelerated by caffeine, slows down, and the diuretic effect does not function smoothly, making it difficult for the body to eliminate toxins. This can lead to a tendency to gain weight.

You should also be cautious about cholesterol. An Americano is a beverage made by diluting espresso with water. However, espresso contains a chemical called cafestol. Cafestol increases liver enzyme levels and blood cholesterol levels. According to a Dutch research team, one cup of Americano contains about 4 mg of cafestol, which can raise cholesterol levels by approximately 1%.

Even a low-calorie Americano should be consumed in moderation. The Korea Food and Drug Administration recommends a maximum daily caffeine intake of 400mg for adults.