But have you ever considered how coffee is made or the health benefits of coffee? Here’s what you need to know about the favorite morning beverage.
What Is Coffee?
Coffee is a cold or hot drink brewed from ground coffee beans. But although the coffee bean resembles a bean, it’s not actually a bean but rather the pit or seed inside a coffee cherry. This is the fruit produced by a coffee plant. (1) Coffee plants can live up to 100 years, with these trees producing the most coffee cherries between the ages of 7 and 20. In a given year, a single coffee plant may produce about 10 pounds of coffee cherries. (1) The cherries turn bright red when ripe, at which point they are ready for harvesting. Kaldi also ate the berries. After experiencing a similar feeling of elation and energy, he brought the berries to local monks. They came up with the idea of drying and boiling the cherries to make a beverage, hence the birth of coffee. (2) From here, the energizing effects of coffee gradually become known around the world. It spread to Arabia and then Europe. Coffee reached North America in 1668. (2,3) Step 1: Planting Unprocessed coffee seeds are planted and grown into a coffee plant. It can take an average of three to four years for a newly planted tree to produce coffee cherries. Step 2: Harvesting Young coffee cherries are green but turn bright red when ready for harvesting. Cherries can be picked by hand or machine. Harvesting takes place once a year. Step 3: Processing, Fermenting, Drying Coffee beans have a high moisture content and require drying to achieve an ideal moisture level of 11 percent. (4) There are two methods for processing and drying the beans. The dry method is a four-week process where coffee cherries dry naturally in the sun. Cherries are scattered evenly on a surface with the skin layers still attached (pulp, mucilage, and parchment). The cherries are frequently raked or turned to ensure even drying. The dry method doesn’t involve removal of the coffee cherry skin before drying, but the wet method does. During the wet method, the pulp is removed from the coffee cherry, revealing the coffee bean with the parchment skin still attached. The beans are also soaked in a water-filled fermentation tank for up to two days until the mucilage naturally dissolves. Fermentation — which is common with specialty coffees — breaks down the sugar in the mucilage to enhance the flavor and smell of the coffee beans. Once this process is complete, the beans are rinsed and either sun-dried or machine-dried. (4) Step 4: Milling A hulling machine removes the skin from dry-processed coffee and any remaining parchment from wet-processed coffee. Beans are then graded and sorted by size and weight, and checked for flaws. Defective coffee beans are removed by machine or hand. After milling, coffee beans are referred to as “green coffee.” Step 5: Roasting This process turns green coffee beans into brown coffee beans. Coffee is roasted at about 550 degrees F. (4) Step 6: Grinding This process converts a coffee bean into coffee grounds, which are then brewed into a cup of coffee. Caffeine is a natural ingredient in coffee beans, but beans can go through a decaffeination process. This involves washing the beans with a solvent (such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate). These chemicals are able to dissolve substances and are capable of extracting caffeine from coffee beans. (6) Regular and decaf are two coffee options, but they aren’t the only ones. You can also choose from a variety of other types of coffee beverages. For example: (7)
Espresso Stronger than plain black coffee and made by forcing steam through ground coffee beans; also thicker than plain black coffee and used as the base for a variety of other coffee drinksCappuccino One shot of espresso with equal parts of steamed milk and milk foamCaffe Latte One shot of espresso with three parts steamed milkMacchiato One shot of espresso with foam milk, often combined with multiple other flavors, such as caramel and vanillaAmericano One shot of espresso with a cup of hot water, also known as a diluted espressoFlat White Equal parts espresso and steamed milkCaffe Mocha Chocolate syrup and whipped cream added to a caffe latte or a cappuccinoIrish Coffee One shot of espresso with a dash of whiskeyIced Coffee Coffee prepared black or with milk and then poured over ice; can also be made with milk foam or whipped cream or cold-brewed (meaning coffee beans are brewed in cold or room-temperature water for 12 to 24 hours) (9)Bottled Coffee Iced coffee served in a bottle
Calories: 2Carbohydrates: 0 gram (g)Fat: 0 gProtein: 0.3 g, or 1 percent daily recommended value (DV)Riboflavin: 0.2 milligram (mg), or 15 percent DVNiacin: 0.5 mg, or 3 percent DVFolate: 4.7 micrograms (mcg), or 1 percent DVCalcium: 4.7 mg, or 0 percent DVMagnesium: 7.1 mg, or 2 percent DVPotassium: 116 mg, or 2 percent DVManganese: 0.1 mg, or 4 percent DVCaffeine: 94.8 mgWater: 236 g
Energy Booster
Because a single cup of regular coffee contains about 95 mg of caffeine, it can help you feel less tired and increase your energy level. A study found that it may also have cognitive benefits, improving memory and mood. (11)
Increases Calorie Burn
If you’re looking to drop a few pounds, coffee may give your body a metabolic boost. In one study, 100 mg of caffeine was found to increase the resting metabolic rate of volunteers by 3 to 4 percent. Another study supported these findings and found that metabolic rates increased almost immediately after coffee consumption and remained elevated for up to three hours. (12,13)
Reduces Risk of Diabetes
Along with the regular physical activity and watching your diet, coffee may also reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. One review and meta-analysis looked at data from 18 different studies and found a strong connection between coffee consumption and a lower risk of diabetes. (14)
Protects Against Neurodegenerative Diseases
These include a variety of disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and spinal muscular atrophy. (15) These diseases are often incurable and debilitating, but some studies suggest coffee may help protect the brain and lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. One observational study found that caffeine intake was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. (16) Another meta-analysis found that higher caffeine intakes resulted in significantly lower incidences of Parkinson’s disease. (17) Just bear in mind that most of the research on brain disease and coffee show a link, not a causal effect, so more study is needed.
Protects Liver
Coffee may also help protect the liver. The findings in one study led researchers to believe there’s an ingredient in coffee that may help lower the risk of cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver. Another study found that people who drank 2 cups of coffee per day had a 43 percent lower risk of liver cancer. (18,19) RELATED: Study Finds Coffee May Lengthen Life According to the Mayo Clinic, 400 mg of caffeine per day is a safe amount for most healthy adults. This is the equivalent of about 4 cups of regular coffee. Drinking more than this amount per day could cause a variety of side effects, such as: (20)
RestlessnessNervousnessTrouble sleepingFrequent urinationHeadachesFast heartbeatUpset stomachMuscle tremors
People who are sensitive to coffee should reduce the amount they drink or switch to decaf. Too much coffee can cause similar effects in young people too. For this reason, adolescents between ages 12 and 18 should limit their caffeine intake to 100 mg per day (or 1 cup of coffee). (21) Keep in mind that loading up on sugar, artificial sweeteners, and cream can be bad for your health and sabotage your weight loss efforts. One cup of plain black coffee without sugar and cream has only about 5 calories. But if you add 2 teaspoons (tsp) of sugar and 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of heavy cream, you’ll increase the calorie count of the beverage by 133 calories. Drink 3 cups of this coffee a day and you’ll drink about 400 calories. (22) The same applies when ordering a Starbucks Frappuccino or another sugary blended coffee drink. These drinks contain lots of sugar, milk, cream, and flavored syrup, so they tend to be higher in calories than a plain cup of coffee. For example, the calorie count in a Starbucks Frappuccino ranges from 160 to 310 calories, depending on whether you order a tall, grande, or venti. (23) Unfortunately, substituting the sugar in coffee with an artificial sweetener may not be any better for your health. One study found a link between artificial sweeteners and heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, and high blood pressure. (24) There don’t appear to be any guidelines for how much caffeine is safe for children younger than age 12. (21) But it doesn’t take much caffeine to trigger side effects in children, so consumption should be kept to a minimum. (25) Keep in mind that too much caffeine in coffee can also interact with certain medication and supplements, such as decongestants and the herbal product echinacea. (20) If you take supplements, prescription medication, or over-the-counter medication, talk to your doctor to see how much caffeine or coffee you can safely consume. It’s also important to limit regular coffee if you’re pregnant because caffeine can cross into the placenta. Some researchers believe consuming too much caffeine during pregnancy may increase the risk for miscarriages, premature birth, and birth defects, although more studies are needed. (26) According to one study, children exposed to caffeine during pregnancy are also at greater risk for excess infant growth and obesity. (27) Pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to no more than 200 mg per day, about one-and-a-half 8-ounce cups of coffee. (28) You might ask, is one better than the other? Some people feel tea is a healthier alternative to coffee. But the truth is, both drinks offer a wealth of possible health benefits. For example, tea is loaded with antioxidants to help prevent cell damage and may reduce the risk of cancers like breast cancer and colon cancer. (29,30) And, like coffee, green tea may also reduce insulin resistance and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. (31) If you compare only the caffeine in tea with the caffeine in coffee, tea could be considered a healthier option. Whereas 1 cup of regular coffee has about 96 mg of caffeine, 1 cup of caffeinated tea has only 28 to 47 mg of caffeine. (32) Switching from coffee to tea is one way to limit your daily intake of caffeine if you’re experiencing unpleasant side effects such as insomnia, headaches, or restlessness. RELATED: Filtered vs. Unfiltered Coffee: Which Is Better for Your Heart?
2. Is coffee addictive?
Caffeine is a stimulant drug. Drinking as little as 100 mg of caffeine a day (one cup of regular coffee) may lead to a mild dependency and cause withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can occur after one or two days without coffee and may include headaches, sleepiness, irritability, constipation, depression, muscle stiffness, and insomnia. (34)
3. Which type of coffee has the most caffeine?
Dark roast coffee has a stronger flavor, but light roast coffee has more caffeine. (35)
4. Can coffee stunt a child’s growth?
There’s an old wives’ tale that coffee stunts a child’s growth, but there’s no scientific evidence to back up this claim. (36)
A Final Word on Coffee
So how do you prefer your coffee? Whether you’re looking for a quick energy burst, a metabolic boost, or better brain function, there are many different ways to enjoy this smooth, delicious beverage.
