Most people are not ready to tackle a day before having a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Some people are so much into coffee that they call themselves “coffee addicts”. Almost all people can relate to this “addiction”. Besides the enjoyment the coffee offers, the health benefits are numerous.
According to some scientists, coffee prevents the risk of heart failure, protects us from Type 2 diabetes, and liver diseases. Apart from health benefits, there are some very interesting facts you didn’t know about coffee. In the following text, 6 of the things you didn’t know about coffee will be presented.
1. Coffee is Culture
If we go back in time we will see that coffee is not just a drink. For centuries people establish social connections and contacts with a cup of coffee in their hands. In some past times, people gathered to have a cup of coffee and exchange information. That was the impeccable business inspiration that resulted in a number of coffee shop chains such as Starbucks.
They based their business on the entire experience around coffee-coffee and friends, coffee and job/business, coffee and snacks, coffee to go, coffee and Netflix, etc. Coffee is a worldwide matter. In Italy, the invention of the espresso machine and espresso coffee makes it the favorite drink of Italians and an absolute must drink before they tackle a day. In Greece, there are special places for the elder gentlemen, “kafenio” where they are served with Greek coffee and discuss political matters and play board games.
2. Chlorogenic Acid
Green coffee beans are coffee seeds that are not roasted. The roasting process reduces the amount of chlorogenic acid whose levels are higher in non-roasted beans. This acid is believed to have numerous health benefits such as weight loss. Green coffee beans are used in the curing and prevention of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, but there are still no firm scientific grounds for these to be facts. Therefore, it is notable that green and roasted coffee does not have the same chemical features.
3. The Taste
If you wondered what green coffee tastes like, then there is the first thing to bear in mind, it does neither taste nor look like normal coffee. The coffee flavor we got used to is a result of the roasting process and special brewing techniques. Green coffee has a milder, lighter flavor, and when prepared properly, it has a bit of thickness to it. Some people describe it to have a grassy flavor or even to have a taste of some herbal or green tea. Hence, the color of green coffee is not like the regular one. It has amber or even greenish color.
4. Caffeine Levels
Green coffee is very rich in chlorogenic acid which has caffeic acid (has no relation to caffeine) as the byproduct, which is known to have strong antioxidant properties. Even though it is still not firmly, scientifically proven, these acids are believed to be the main causes of the greatest number of coffee health benefits. Another thing making the difference between green and roasted coffee is the caffeine level. The darker the coffee is roasted, the less caffeine it will contain. Henceforth, green coffee will have a little more caffeine than light roast, and considerably more than dark roasted coffee.
5. Weight Loss
Green coffee is considered to be a weight loss supplement with miraculous results. This is how coffee was presented back in the time in a popular American health show. The claims are based on the high concentrations of chlorogenic acid which is believed to promote weight loss. This funny-colored coffee is a total boom to weight loss supplements. Having in mind that this trend is lasting for quite some time, some people can confirm the efficiency. What is known for a fact is that the acid found in raw, non-roasted coffee is a strong antioxidant.
6. How to Prepare Green Coffee?
If you do not ask yourself this question, you will end up in pitfalls. How would you brew unroasted coffee? Do not pour boiling water over the whole grains, it is pointless. Green coffee beans are much harder than roasted beans, so if you try to pour boiling water and expect results, it would be as if you tried to boil stones. So, you should buy already prepared beans and use French brew, Turkish pot, or just make the concentrated version of coffee, which is made in 6:1 water to coffee ratio and simmer it on low heat for some fifteen minutes, then strain it through a cheesecloth.
Side Effects
Every food supplement should be consumed with great caution and with mandatory doctor consultations. Some of the possible side effects are- it can have negative effects on pregnancy and lactation, diabetes, glaucoma, a bleeding disorder, osteoporosis, arterial hypertension, etc.
There is a whole cloud of myths circling around the green coffee and a lot of opinions in conflicts. Some claim to be effective, some claim not to be effective. You should go and try, if your doctor agrees, and consume it moderately, big amounts of something never bring good.
