What Kind of Coffee is the Best for You?

Different types of coffee.

A 2019 Statista report found that coffee is the third most popular beverage in the US, behind only water and soda. Coffee contains antioxidants and has been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, liver cancer, cirrhosis and possibly Alzheimer’s disease. Coffee has also been linked to a longer lifespan. However, besides caffeine also has disadvantages, such as increasing feelings of anxiety, disrupting sleep and possibly causing stomach upset. Here’s an overview of the best and unhealthy coffees.

The healthiest coffee depends on what factors?

Determining which coffee is best for your health depends on your health goals. If you want to lose weight, you should choose low-calorie or zero-calorie coffee. If you are sensitive to caffeine or have anxiety or heart disease, you need to use decaffeinated coffee (decaf). Decaf coffee still contains antioxidants and numerous studies prove that decaf coffee has the same health effects as regular coffee. If you have diabetes, you need to reduce the amount of sugar you add to each cup of coffee. If you want to fight disease with an anti-inflammatory diet, your coffee should have a dash of cinnamon or turmeric.

How your body processes caffeine intake is also a factor you need to consider when choosing the best coffee for you because everyone will have a different ability to metabolize caffeine.

What makes a cup of coffee healthier?

Many factors influence the “healthiness” of a cup of coffee, including:

  • Amount of sweetener you add
  • Amount of milk, cream you add
  • Antioxidant content
  • Method of preparation (filter, machine, etc.)

Another factor that also affects the health of a cup of coffee is the type of coffee, coffee brand, and method of roasting and grinding. In addition to factors related to the origin and processing of coffee beans, another factor that is equally important is the amount of coffee you consume. With any type of coffee, consuming it in moderation is an extremely important factor.

Black coffee vs coffee with cream and sugar

Black, unadulterated coffee doesn’t provide calories, but when you start adding sugar, milk, cream, and flavors, coffee can become a high-calorie and non-alcoholic beverage. be very healthy. There are many reasons why adding milk and cream to coffee reduces the health benefits of coffee. The first is that adding milk and cream adds unnecessary calories. In addition, some studies have shown that milk reduces the amount of polyphenols in coffee that the body can absorb. In other words, adding cream and milk to coffee will reduce the ability to absorb the antioxidants that are good for the cardiovascular system in coffee. Adding too many sweeteners to coffee also has a negative effect on the body.

  • Black coffee is healthier than coffee with added sugar and cream

Hot and cold brewed coffee

Many coffee lovers claim that boiling water to make coffee will reduce the flavor of the coffee. This may be true. Research in 2020 indicates that brewing temperature doesn’t make too much of a difference in antioxidant and mineral content.

However, if you leave the coffee hot for too long, it will also have certain effects. The key to brewing coffee is not to let the coffee get too hot for too long at too high of a temperature because the beneficial components of the coffee can be destroyed at high temperatures.

  • Both hot and cold brewed coffee are healthy, but don’t make them too long

Robusta vs Arabica

Some types of coffee beans are healthier than others. Research shows that unroasted Robusta coffee contains nearly twice as many antioxidants as unroasted Arabica coffee.

However, this difference disappears when roasting is carried out. Lightly roasted Robusta will have more antioxidants than lightly roasted Arabica, but medium and dark roast Arabica has more antioxidants than Robusta.

  • Your preference for a light roast or a dark roast will help you determine which coffee is healthier.

Light roasted coffee (yellow roast) vs black roasted coffee

Roasting time greatly affects the antioxidant content of coffee beans. Light roasting, aka golden roasting for a short time while black roasting is roasting for the longest period of time.

Research shows that lightly roasted and medium roasted Arabica has more nutritional value than dark roasted Arabica because it can retain more antioxidants.

  • When it comes to antioxidant content, golden roast is healthier.

Yellow roast vs dark roast, comparison of caffeine content

Too much caffeine can lead to seizures, restlessness, and more. Caffeine stimulates stress responses, so if you have anxiety or insomnia, caffeinated beverages will make these symptoms worse. The caffeine content can be controlled through the choice of coffee and the way it is roasted. Golden roasting will cause the beans to retain more caffeine than black roasting. In addition, Robusta will contain more caffeine than Arabica

  • Dark-roasted Arabica is better for those who want to limit their caffeine intake but don’t want to drink decaf coffee. In contrast, golden roasted Robusta will help you increase your alertness to the highest.

The healthiest cup of coffee

To get the most nutritional benefits, you should drink plain coffee with as little lactose as possible. You can also roast the coffee a little to enjoy the extra flavor of the roasted coffee. There are currently no studies to show which coffee is best for health. But in the end, a cup of unsweetened, medium-roasted coffee will be the best cup of coffee.

Tips to turn coffee drinking habits into healthy habits

  • Limit your intake: no more than 50-100mg of caffeine (2-3 cups of coffee)/day. If you drink more than this amount, gradually reduce the amount of coffee to avoid headaches in the morning
  • Avoid added sweeteners: both sugar and artificial sweeteners can reduce the health benefits of coffee
  • Drink water: Coffee contains a lot of water, so it can be used for refreshment. However, you should also keep a balance between the amount of coffee you drink and the amount of water you drink in a day. Between coffees, drink extra water.
  • Use seasonings for flavor: instead of caramelized syrup, use cinnamon instead. In addition, you can add turmeric, nutmeg or pure cocoa powder to increase the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant content of coffee, while reducing the amount of added sugar in your coffee.

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