According to a new research, caffeine might help you reduce weight, but coffee won't.

Researchers from University of Southern Queensland found that rats kept on a high calorie diet lost weight after being administered caffeine, but not coffee extract. Researchers say that other compounds in coffee, some of which haven't been studied yet, might block the weight-reducing properties of caffeine.

"Our hypothesis was that any effects seen with coffee would be due to the caffeine. Coffee might have all sorts of other things in there, but it would be the caffeine that was doing it," Lindsay Brown, a cardiovascular pharmacologist with the University of Southern Queensland, The Australian reported.

Whether or not caffeine reduces weight isn't clear yet. According to Mayo Clinic, caffeine may help people lose weight by suppressing appetite, burning calories or by increasing the amount of urine excreted.

Previous research has shown that coffee can help in preventing heart failure, Alzheimer's and increase lifespan.

However, drinking massive amounts of coffee or other drinks that have high amounts of caffeine may do more harm than good. Brown said that in some people, higher doses of caffeine may increase heart rates and palpitations.

Brown and his colleagues have also found that red onions, purple carrots, olive leaf, fruit, berries, red wine and chia seeds may have cardiovascular health benefits. "We'd never say you should only go on one of these things. But in moderation the combination should all work together, because they're working on different mechanisms," Brown said, as reported by The Australian.

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