How coffee can benefit your health due to its nutritional properties.
Table of Contents
Coffee in general
Coffee has always been a drink that has been at the center of many debates, especially when it comes to the safety of its consumption. In the early 1990s, coffee was considered a potential carcinogen, i.e. a substance that can cause certain types of cancer.
However, in 2016, the World Health Organization exonerated coffee because the available scientific evidence shows that this drink does not increase the risk of cancer.
In addition, numerous studies conclude that moderate coffee consumption can be beneficial to health.
Benefits of drinking coffee
Among the many benefits of drinking coffee is the fact that coffee contains polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that can protect the body from free radical damage. Free radicals are “waste products” that the body produces from various processes in the body.
These waste products act like toxins in our bodies, which is why they can cause everything in people from problems with inflammation to premature aging.
In fact, there are several diseases associated with high levels of these radicals in the body.
Some examples of these diseases are:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Obesity
- Metabolic syndrome
Meanwhile, research from 2018 found possible evidence that coffee’s antioxidant effects may offer some protection against metabolic syndrome.
However, it’s still unclear how the antioxidants in coffee work once they enter the digestive tract, so more research is needed.
Coffee consumption is associated with an energy boost
A cup of coffee can contain up to 95mg of caffeine, which can help make you feel less tired and more energetic to carry out daily tasks.
According to a study published by the British Nutrition Foundation, coffee consumption can have a positive effect on memory and mood among regular coffee drinkers.
Coffee can increase fat burning
There is scientific evidence that consuming at least 100 mg of caffeine (the amount in a cup of coffee) can increase the basal metabolism of coffee drinkers. Note that basal metabolic rate is the fraction of energy expended at rest.
One study even found that participants’ basal metabolic rate increased immediately after drinking coffee and remained elevated for up to 3 hours after consumption.
Coffee may lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
The American Heart Association (AHA) published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that found participants who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day had a 30% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The study also concluded that coffee consumption may have a significant impact on this chronic condition. In addition, the study showed that there was no difference between drinking regular and decaffeinated coffee.
Coffee and neurodegenerative diseases
Diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease and spinal muscular atrophy are often incurable and increasingly weaken those affected. However, some research suggests that coffee consumption may reduce the risk of these diseases.
In one observational study, caffeine intake was found to be associated with a lower likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s.
Similarly, in another study, researchers concluded that moderate to high caffeine consumption, particularly in the form of coffee, is associated with a decrease in Parkinson’s disease rates.
However, it is worth noting that none of these studies show a clear causal relationship between caffeine consumption and a reduction in the occurrence of these diseases.
In other words, there appears to be a link between caffeine consumption and improved brain health, but it’s not yet clear why.
Therefore, keep in mind that while moderate coffee consumption (about 400 mg/day or 4 cups/day) can be beneficial to your health, you should not overdo it.
If you do, the excess caffeine in your body can have harmful effects.
Nutritional value of coffee
Coffee contains various vitamins and minerals that can be good for health; it is also a substance that provides a lot of energy due to the caffeine it contains.
At the same time, it is also a very low-calorie food. For example, a 177 ml (6 oz) cup of filtered black coffee can contain around 5 calories. That is, if you don’t add anything.
What are the most important vitamins and minerals found in coffee?
nutrient | Nutrient in 100 g of coffee |
Vitamin B5 | 0.5 mg |
Vitamin B3 | 0.3 mg |
Vitamin B2 | 0.1 mg |
calcium | 3.6 mg |
potassium | 87.2 mg |
sodium | 3.6 mg |
magnesium | 5.3 mg |
The data comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), bearing in mind that the exact nutritional value of coffee depends on how it is prepared.
In other words, a pure black coffee is not the same (at least nutritionally) as a latte made with skim milk or a latte made with whole milk.
The protein, vitamin and mineral content therefore varies greatly from one preparation to another, as does the type of coffee used.
On the other hand, it should be mentioned that coffee contains essential amino acids, which are the basis for the formation of proteins.
Glutamic acid, glycine and aspartic acid are the most common amino acids in coffee.
Coffee and proteins
It is estimated that there can be around 200 mg of protein in a 6-ounce cup of black coffee. However, in order to increase the protein content in your coffee, you need to use a few ingredients such as: B. Add milk.
For example, a cappuccino contains more protein than a conventional black coffee. To give you an idea, a 100g cappuccino can contain around 1700mg of protein.
On the other hand, the same amount of black coffee, ie 100 g, contains about 120 mg of protein.
Coffee and minerals
Coffee also contains 5 different minerals; below we show you the approximate amount in a 236 ml (8 oz) serving.
- Calcium (2mg)
- Potassium (49 mg)
- Magnesium (3mg)
- Phosphorus (3 mg)
- Sodium (2mg)
Data is from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The nutritional value of coffee varies depending on the variety.
Different types of coffee contain different amounts of nutrients. Depending on what is added to the drink, the content of vitamins, minerals and calories is different.
For example, a 1-ounce espresso contains only 3 calories, 4 mg of sodium, and about 0 mg of protein. However, a McDonald’s “sugar-free coffee” in the United States served in a 21-ounce (621 ml) glass may contain up to 621 ml:
- 90 calories
- 500 mg fat
- 100 mg sodium
- 200 mg carbohydrates
- 200 mg protein.
Now let’s look at the nutritional content of the most common types of coffee. In doing so, we consider the percentage of calories and fat (if applicable) in a 355 ml or 12 ounce serving.
Americano
The Americano comes from the United States and is a preparation method in which espresso is diluted with hot water.
This is done to reduce the bitterness and acidity of the coffee. The result is a “pure” but mild coffee.
Therefore, if nothing else is added, American coffee has very few calories (almost 0).
Coffee latte
This is perhaps the most popular type of coffee, right after American coffee. It is quite similar to the flat white, except that it is not prepared with frothed milk, but directly after frothing.
In addition, the milk coffee usually has a lower proportion of espresso. It is therefore not surprising that the nutritional value of these two drinks is similar.
Milk coffee contains around 120 calories and between 7 and 10 grams of fat.
Cappuccino
Like the latte, this type of coffee comes from Italy. A cappuccino consists of 125 ml milk and 25 ml espresso, sometimes cocoa or cinnamon powder is added.
As a result, the cappuccino contains less milk, which translates to slightly fewer calories per serving (110) and around 6mg of fat.
Macchiato
Macchiato, or “polka dot coffee,” is also an Italian invention and is prepared by adding a dash of milk to an espresso.
In general, there is no specific amount of milk that needs to be added, as it usually depends on individual tastes.
Therefore, the percentage of fat in this preparation is very low (almost non-existent); it is also the type of coffee with the fewest calories (between 13 and 18 per serving).
So, if you are looking for a healthy and low-calorie coffee variant, the macchiato can be a very good choice.
Mocha
Simply put, mocha or mocaccino is a latte with chocolate added in syrup or powder form.
So, you can imagine that the calorie and fat content is high. In addition, carbohydrate intake can also be high, especially if chocolate syrup is used in the preparation.
If, on the other hand, pure cocoa is used, the carbohydrate content is significantly lower. For example, a mocha made with cocoa powder can have a calorie intake of 190 to 200 calories, while the fat content is around 7 grams.
Nutritional benefits of coffee beans
The nutritional value of coffee beans differs from the nutritional value of brewed coffee. Coffee in the form of a drink consists mainly of water and only a small part of dissolved coffee grounds.
Also, the coffee beans are not usually eaten. It is therefore difficult to determine the nutritional value of 100g of coffee beans.
However, it is known that coffee beans contain the same macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), vitamins and minerals as brewed coffee, only in a higher concentration.
So, you should be aware that by consuming coffee beans you are consuming concentrated amounts of caffeine, so it is best to consult a doctor or nutritionist first.
Nutritional values of coffee beans
Depending on how the coffee beans are made, they can contain more or fewer macronutrients. Therefore, we will show you the nutritional values here.
Roasted Grains
Here’s how 100 grams of roasted grains contain:
- Between 800 and 1200 mg protein
- Between 1000 and 2900 mg of potassium
- Between 750 and 3100 mg magnesium
- Between 40 and 2700 mg of calcium
- Up to 4000 mg of phosphorus
- Up to 1500 mg sodium
Unroasted grains
100 grams of unroasted coffee beans contain:
- 120 mg protein
- 49 mg potassium
- 3 mg magnesium
- 2 mg calcium
- 3 mg phosphorus
- 2 mg sodium
What about decaffeinated coffee?
The nutritional value of decaffeinated coffee is practically the same as regular coffee. Let’s look at the difference between decaffeinated and regular coffee in terms of nutritional value:
Decaffeinated coffee per 100 g | Coffee per 100g |
2 mg of calcium | 2 mg of calcium |
54 mg of potassium | 49 mg potassium |
5 mg magnesium | 3 mg magnesium |
1 mg phosphorus | 3 mg phosphorus |
2 mg sodium | 2 mg sodium |
100 mg protein | 120 mg protein |
Data is from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). So there are slight differences in the values of these two types of coffee, which can be explained by the process of removing the caffeine from the beans.
Does the brand of coffee affect its nutritional value?
The answer is yes.
This is due to the roasting process that the beans undergo, because the degree of roasting depends on the manufacturer and the type of coffee.
The caffeine content in coffee also depends on the type of beans used to make the product.
Therefore, the antioxidant content of each brand is different.
The different varieties of coffee
the highest caffeine content compared to other variants such as Arabica or Liberica coffee.
Caffeine content in 100g of coffee ** | 1.61 gr (Arabica) | 2.26 gr (Robusta) | 1.23 gr (Liberica) |
On the other hand, some brands have also specialized in treating beans that have been aged with a higher concentration of caffeine than traditional Robusta or Arabica beans.
An example of such a brand is Black Label Devil Mountain coffee, which contains up to 777 mg of caffeine per 177 ml or 6 oz cup.
other hand, Biohazard coffee can contain 464 mg of caffeine in a cup of the same size, i.e. 6 ounces.
In comparison, a 6-ounce cup of traditional Arabica coffee contains an average of 71 mg of caffeine.
The roasting process affects the level of antioxidants in coffee
The degree of roasting that the coffee beans undergo can significantly alter the concentration of antioxidant substances. A coffee made from lightly roasted beans therefore has a high concentration of antioxidants.
In contrast, beans that have been heavily roasted often have the lowest levels of antioxidants. This concentration of antioxidants is determined by calculating the polyphenols in coffee.
For example, if we have 100 mg of lightly roasted coffee beans, we get an amount of about 3.9 to 4.3 g of polyphenols. In contrast, 100 mg of medium-roasted coffee beans contain between 3.4 and 3.8 g of polyphenols.
Finally, in highly roasted coffee beans we find an amount of about 2.9 to 3.7 g of polyphenols. However, it should be noted that the content of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals should not vary between brands.
Adverse effects of too much caffeine on your body
While coffee is good for your health, it can also have negative effects for some people.
A 2017 study concluded that the risk of fractures in older women increases significantly with every cup of coffee. In contrast, the same study suggests that older men have a reduced risk of fractures.
This is important because these results contradict other studies that suggest coffee is actually beneficial for women with osteoporosis, i.e. thinning bones.
Caffeine consumption during pregnancy
According to the World Health Organization, a pregnant woman should consume no more than 200 mg of caffeine per day.
There is evidence that high levels of caffeine consumption in pregnant women may increase the risk of problems in the development of the fetus.
Women who consume more than 200 mg of caffeine per day, which is the equivalent of 1 to 2 cups of coffee (depending on portion size), have an increased risk of fetal loss compared to pregnant women who consume 200 mg of caffeine per day take caffeine or not take caffeine at all.
The same applies to pregnancy abnormalities such as low birth weight, early pregnancy or even loss of the fetus. At least that’s what this study suggests.
Caffeine overdose
Finally, according to this research, people who consume more than 6 cups of coffee per day, which equates to about 600 mg of caffeine, may experience symptoms such as these:
- stomach upset
- diarrhea
- insomnia
- headache
- palpitations
- Acute anxiety or stress
Conclusions
As we have seen, coffee has a number of nutritional properties that make it a very healthy food when consumed in moderation.
In addition, the low-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet can help maintain body weight while giving us extra energy to increase our productivity.
However, you should consult with a doctor and a nutritionist about the pros and cons of coffee consumption.