Green coffee in the media

Media can kill or ignite the sale of a product, good or bad. Learning how to read the information in the papers and on the web requires a lot of critical reviewing and a dose of skepticism. Green coffee extract has attracted a lot of interest of scientists because of green coffee’s active ingredients, particularly chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid acts as an antioxidant, and has been found to slow the conversion of glucose and its release into the blood. This activity can significantly boost the weight loss efforts, together with reasonable diet and increased exercise. But, the extract became interesting to the consumers as a weight loss supplement only after TV host Dr. Oz decided to conduct an experiment on his own, in front of the TV audience. The sales of green coffee extract skyrocketed. The media reacted, as usual, in two ways: mocking the product, or promoting it loudly.

Poor science and poor journalism

In the article in the Forbes magazine, Dr. Oz’s on-the-TV ‘research’ was laughed at and the green coffee bean extract was considered a waste of money. The reason was a small study which Dr. Oz used to support the benefits of green coffee extract. The Forbes’ writer found the study poorly conducted, and consequently concluded that the product is no good. The Dr. Oz’s experiment was called ‘a poor science.’ In the meantime, the writer made his conclusions on that same small study as Dr. Oz,  without investigating other, numerous, studies, on the benefits of green coffee.

Examiner reported that green coffee extract was one of the secret weapons Kim Kardashian used successfully in her efforts to lose weight after she had a baby.

Indian SBwire published several press releases about the benefits of green coffee extract and its success in helping people lose weight after other methods failed.

World News Report published in September 2013 the information about the release to the market of another green coffee extract product and described it as “the most powerful and effective fat burner among weight loss products.”

It is all the fault of Dr. Oz

On December 9, 2012, Canadian Globe and Mail published an article on the green coffee beans extract, questioning its ability to help in weight loss. The writer quoted several doctors and researchers, who criticized the much quoted study by Dr. Vinson and the TV show by Dr. Oz.   

This was enough for the writer as well as quoted scientists to conclude that there is something wrong with the success of the green coffee extract supplement, without bothering to find other, better conducted studies.

In August 2013, US News published an article about the popularity of the green coffee extract as a weight loss aid, wondering about its effectiveness. The writer criticized claims that green coffee can make people lose weight without making healthy changes in the lifestyle, as well as the  poor quality of scientific studies conducted so far.

Today published in September 2013 an article about the buzz green coffee extract is causing in the media and in the weight loss supplement market. The writer did a good job examining a range of studies conducted so far, but concluded that the results are just not as big as media, starting with Dr. Oz, claims. At least the product is safe and harmless, the author concluded.

Most of information on the effects of green coffee beans extract available online comes from the distributors of various green bean products and their promoters. A number of private individual health blogs also commented on the power of green bean extract for weight loss