An apple a day keeps the doctor away but what does a cup of coffee do?
Coffee has become a part of daily routine for people all over the world. How many people do you know that literally cannot form a sentence or focus before they have had their morning cup of joe?
According to the International Coffee Organization, about 1.4 billion cups of coffee per day are consumed worldwide. That is an enormous amount of caffeine.
We have all come to know and love that instant morning boost that comes with that cup of dark morning bliss; you instantly turn from a member of the walking dead to a productive member of society. Burning fat, improving circulation, improving hair growth, and providing skin and heart health are all possible health benefits of coffee, but believe it or not, depending on which coffee you choose to spruce up your morning, may also have an effect on some of the health benefits associated with coffee.
Filtered versus non- filtered
Recently, information has come to light about the difference in benefits between using a filter for your morning brew or going unfiltered. Multiple studies have proved that using a filter lowers the risk of dying prematurely from complications like cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, or even stroke. For certain individuals, drinking unfiltered coffee may even actually increase cholesterol levels. Something as simple as using a coffee filter may seem so bizarre but there is a reason behind it.
The science behind this belief is that terpenes, or the oils found in coffee, can cause the cholesterol spike, but filters tend to remove these oils. Although cholesterol levels are determined by a multitude of factors, it is still suggested that those with cholesterol problems, switch to filtered coffee.
Production
The first step of coffee production is sorting out the beans. Michael Riady, founder of Tentera Coffee Roasters, shares the process of sorting to obtain quality beans.
“Raw green bean ingredients are first sorted by density, second sorted again by size, third sorted again by color. The imperfect coffee beans are separated and sold to the lower end segment market, then they are roasted primarily dark roast to cover up the bad taste, and they are sold very cheap.
This machine sorting production allows the bad beans to be removed to leave room for the good beans. But we can’t always count on machines to do our dirty work. The best way to guarantee a quality bean, is to also sort by hand. Triple-picked beans are beans that have been cross-checked three additional times for a final product that is near perfection. Adding this process of checks and balances, assures that each bean in your morning brew will not only taste better, but is less likely to be damaged or growing harmful mold and on the surface.
Cost versus value
A cheap coffee most often means an inadequate coffee bean from the beginning. These cheap coffee beans may have been nibbled on by insects, not be ripe, or simply taste bad. Sometimes the defective beans may even be moldy and filled with toxins.
Riady asserts,
“Cheap means something is not right, and this is where people drink their coffee and start to feel unhealthy. People vary in how well they respond to these lower end coffees, but in the long run, it won’t be good for your health.”
The more expensive coffees have a higher price tag because each bean has been through the rigorous sorting process to produce a higher quality coffee product. Although the process is more time consuming, this insures for a better product with increased health benefits. This doesn’t mean you have to shell out your whole weekly paycheck on a quality bag of coffee, but maybe next time don’t pick the cheapest bag on the shelf.
