Good news for coffee lovers! Drinking a moderate amount of coffee daily has shown to have many benefits for our health. It can protect the body against type 2 diabetes, as well as cancer, chronic inflammatory diseases, liver disease and even Parkinson’s. Coffee has also shown to be successful at improving our overall cognitive function, in addition to enhancing our mood while even decreasing the risk of depression. But in order to maximize these benefits, it takes more than just the type of coffee and what you put into each cup. It’s also about how the coffee is produced and roasted since not all coffee is created equal. Like anything, some brands, such as OROCaffe, are better than others when it comes to producing coffee that has better advantages for our health. To learn more about this, read on.
What Makes Coffee Healthy?
Without getting too scientific, coffee contains several bioactive chemicals such as chlorogenic acid (CGA), which is an active antioxidant that is linked to many health benefits in frequent coffee drinkers. In fact, chlorogenic acid has been found to regulate glucose and insulin, decrease blood pressure, protect against heart disease, reduce inflammation, improve overall cardiovascular function, and the list goes on. How is CGA initiated? It depends on several factors, including production factors like environmental conditions and plant stress. But the way the coffee is roasted will also impact the amount of CGA and overall health benefits.
How Roasting Impacts Coffee Quality
The way that coffee is roasted can greatly impact not only the colour, taste, and aroma, but also the health benefits that the coffee provides. While coffee enthusiasts love the taste of a dark roast cup of coffee, the rumor is that light and medium roasts provide greater health benefits. As a result, we have seen a reversal in the trend to satisfy our health. During the roasting process, the coffee beans undergo certain chemical changes that can impact the physiological effect of the coffee. Several studies have shown that the antioxidant capacity of the coffee is reduced as the coffee roasting degree increases. This is because an increase in roasting temperature correlates to a decrease in chlorogenic acid concentrations. So, to obtain the highest amount of nutrients and antioxidants, coffee should be roasted at a lower temperature. We practice these roasting methods at OROCaffe. It is crucial to us that we are providing only the highest quality roasts to our customers.
So, what does that have to do with the coffee you’re drinking?
Big brands tend to roast large quantities of coffee at very high temperatures. This can negatively affect the quality of the coffee and dampen the nutritional benefits. Smaller more sustainable brands tend to roast the coffee in a more traditional manner at a lower heat and produce coffee with higher levels of chlorogenic acid concentrations and hence, more antioxidants.
Bean Types and Their CGA
The types of beans roasted also can make a difference in the number of nutrients and antioxidants produced. Robusta beans, for instance, have higher levels of CGA and caffeine than your average Arabica beans. In fact, Robusta is a natural source of antioxidants that is responsible for anti-inflammatory effects. The higher caffeine content is also known to reduce your chances of diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and it can prevent the slowdown of cell damage, reducing your chances of cancer.
Does that mean Arabica coffee doesn’t provide health benefits?
Not at all. Carefully harvested and processed Arabica has many health benefits. It also provides a sweeter, softer taste than Robusta which makes it a better choice if you like coffee with a fruitier flavor. Many coffee blends also offer the best of both worlds, with the antioxidant-rich benefits of Robusta and softer notes of Arabica.
What Else Impacts the Health Effects of Coffee?
The way the coffee is grown also makes a major difference in the health benefits obtained through roasting. For instance, monoculture production used by big brands produces the highest yield of coffee but at the expense of the environment and by way of pesticides. Traditional methods that are more sustainable uses natural growing processes under tree canopies with little use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Sustainable coffee production and cultivation not only can help our environment, but it can also produce higher-quality coffee that is rich in antioxidants and nutrients. By using crop rotation and fewer pesticides, sustainable farmers create better soil conditions that produce better coffee. Soil that is free from damaging chemicals is not only much healthier for you, but it’s also packed full of nutrients and antioxidants that are brought out in the roasting process.
Enjoy rich, premium, Italian coffee from ORO Caffe. We offer a wide range of the finest beans produced responsibly and carefully to give you the best tasting cup that’s packed full of healthy antioxidants and nutrients.Order yours online today!
