First of all, it is important to know that the term “enzyme coffee” has no set definition. If you search the term on TikTok or Google, hundreds of results will pop up, including homemade recipes for enzyme coffee as well as links to companies selling enzyme coffee products.
There are dozens of sponsored content videos on social media sites like TikTok where people claim to have used enzyme coffee products like Juz Fiit Enzyme Coffee (which has the sketchiest website ever, by the way) to drop significant weight, and fast! In addition to pre-made products, which contain coffee blended with so-called enzymes, there are a variety of enzyme coffee recipes that are gaining traction on social media sites due to promises that drinking this concoction will benefit health and help people drop weight.
Some people make enzyme coffee by squeezing lemon into instant coffee, while others add apple cider vinegar, lemon, and honey to their coffee to….enzyme-mize it?
Certain enzyme coffee products and recipes contain herbal ingredients like guarana and yerba mate as well as added nutrients like chromium1—a mineral that plays a role in the metabolism of carbs, proteins, and fats.
Individually, these ingredients might offer a few health benefits, but there is no evidence that adding them to coffee has any impact on body weight or overall health.
For example, some studies2 show that drinking apple cider vinegar may have a small impact on body weight when combined with a low-calorie diet. However, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on body weight if no dietary changes are made. Also, there’s no reason to put it in your coffee of all places.
Studies also show that supplementing with high doses of chromium may have a small effect on weight loss3but, since enzyme coffee isn’t standardized, it’s unclear if the amount of chromium found in enzyme coffee products or homemade recipes would have any impact on body weight.
Enzyme coffee products are claimed to be “specially designed” for weight loss and are promoted as a way to lose body fat without having to make changes to your diet or exercise routine. Insert eye roll here.
Sound familiar? Yup, enzyme coffee is just one of thousands of products promoted as a fast and effective way to lose weight with zero evidence to back up those claims. And the weirdest part is the use of the word “enzyme.”