Coffee Ingredients

Coffee Ingredients
The most common coffee ingredients that ensure that the beverage is a pleasure to drink are milk, sugar, coffee beans and water. The chemical constituents of coffee beans are discussed below.
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Did You Know?
Coffee drinkers get a good dose of antioxidants but more importantly coffee is a good source of chromium and magnesium that assist in controlling blood sugar by ensuring proper usage of insulin.

A cup of coffee in the morning, especially while reading newspaper is a must, without which we simply cannot start our day-to-day activities. Take a sip of coffee and it can instantly stimulate the body and the mind. Coffee increases mental alertness as well as acts as an effective anti-depressant. Studies also show that women who drink a cup of coffee everyday have 25% less chance of getting a stroke.

Coffee Granules Ingredients

The main chemical ingredients in coffee beans are given below:
Caffeine
Tannin
Thiamin
Xanthine
Spermidine
Guaiacol
Citric Acid
Chlorogenic acid
Acetaldehyde
Spermine
Putrescine
Scopoletin
A cup of coffee is well-known for its ability to stimulate the nervous system, which improves our alertness and concentration. This in turn increases our ability to stay wide awake when needed. The stimulant property of coffee has been attributed to xanthine derivatives, some of which are given below:
Theobromine
Caffeine
Theophylline
Trigonelline
Hypoxanthine
Ask any coffee lover about the USP of this popular drink and pat would be the reply - aroma. So, does that mean the irresistible aroma of a cup of coffee is due to the aforementioned ingredients. No! Phenolic compounds in the coffee seeds are responsible for producing this refreshing aroma. Apart from aroma, the phenols also impart a characteristic flavor and color to the coffee. Some of these phenolic compounds are listed below:
4-Ethylphenol
2,4-Methylenephenol
2, 3, 5-Trimethylphenol
4-Methoxy-4-Vinylphenol
2-Ethylphenol
Phenolic acids that display antioxidant properties are found in ample amounts in a cup of coffee. For instance, ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid that are categorized as phenolic acids are present in coffee. So, to reap benefits of antioxidant activity in coffee, taking it in moderation is necessary.

Important Point
A cup of coffee contains more than 1000 active ingredients. Caffeine present in coffee, is found to increase alertness, delay fatigue, and even improve endurance.

A Cup of Coffee Contains...

Sugar
Sugar plays a very crucial role to enhance the taste of this beverage. Depending upon your taste and liking, you can add 1 or 2 teaspoons in your coffee. Coffee without sugar will give an unpleasant taste to the beverage.

Milk
There are people who prefer to make coffee without milk. Honestly speaking, this is not a good habit and drinking coffee without milk can be detrimental to health. Although drinking coffee can have few side effects, an easy way to significantly minimize these health problems, would be to add milk to coffee.

Coffee Granules
Coffee granules are nothing but coffee beans that are extracted from coffee plant. This is the main ingredient of coffee, without which this delicious drink cannot be made.

Water
In order to prepare coffee, the required amount of water is first heated and then accordingly ground coffee is added. Although using hard water in coffee is not an issue, one should prefer soft water for a better tantalizing taste.

Coffee - Is it Good for Health?

A cup of coffee is highly refreshing but one should never take it in excess amount. Coffee is very high in caffeine and so taking several cups of coffee in a day is dangerous for health. The combination of caffeine and tannin, can also put a person in the risk zone of several diseases. For instance, the stimulating effect of coffee can cause sleep deprivation and disturb normal sleeping pattern. Getting sleep after coffee is difficult and people after having coffee tend to remain wide awake for long periods of time. Coffee in large doses can raise cholesterol level and increase the probability of formation of kidney stones. Heavy coffee drinking is definitely harmful for health and this habit needs to be stopped immediately. Read more on negative effects of coffee.

On the whole, consuming it in moderation is the key to stay away from its ill effects. In fact, doctors believe that one can make coffee an integral part of their diet, when it is taken in moderate amounts.

A point to note here is that coffee beans that are packed and available under various brands are roasted. As a result, some of the compounds of coffee beans are lost in roasting, whereas some combine with oxygen to produce new compounds. Nevertheless, coffee beans are still able to retain some of its beneficial properties after roasting.