Between the back-to-back exams and 20 page papers, college students often find themselves consuming copious amounts of coffee. Those who usually don’t drink coffee develop a taste and/or dependency on it, but having 30 Starbucks rewards points doesn’t make them experts.
When coffee is being brewed, the flavors from the solid, ground up beans are extracted through a chemical process that uses water, heat and other sciencey things that are kind of over my head. What I lack in chemistry knowledge, though, I make up for in experience, so take my word when I say I drink a lot of coffee. My baseline is about three cups a day, and, if I’m seriously dragging my feet, I tend to crank up my caffeine (in the form of coffee, of course) intake to five or six cups.
In case you’re wondering, yes, I have accepted that I might/definitely have an addiction. I’m not proud, but I’m also not sorry, so don’t even try to lecture me. Now, I invite you to explore seven facts about coffee that you might not have known, and open your eyes to the wonders of this delicious elixir.
Temperature matters. According to the National Coffee Association – yes this actually exists – the optimal range of water temperature for brewing coffee is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, but when was the last time you took the temperature of your water before making a cup of coffee in the morning? Exactly, me neither. However, you can still get the best quality of coffee by adding cold, filtered water to your coffee machine.
Once it brews, drink it fast. I say this because 1) lukewarm coffee is the worst and 2) coffee loses its flavor the longer it sits out. And don’t get me started on keeping it on a hot plate. When coffee gets heated up weird things happen and it starts to taste bitter and burnt. No thank you. This is why when I get a coffee from some place that makes bulk amounts (I’m looking at you, Starbucks) I ask how fresh it is. If it has been more than 45 minutes since it had been brewed, then I ask if they can make a fresh pot. The barista usually obliges – after a dramatic eye roll or two – and I give him/her an extra tip for their efforts. The things I will do for a fresh cup of coffee…
Less water is better. Most store bought coffees have brewing directions on their packaging, but just in case the rule of thumb is one to two tablespoons of coffee per six ounces of water. I usually end up experimenting with that particular roast until I’ve found the perfect ratio. This ratio can be different for every person, but something that I have found to be true – and others who have had my coffee will vouch for me – is that using slightly less water gives it a more satisfying flavor.
It’s no surprise that a higher water-to-coffee ratio makes for weaker coffee, but that doesn’t mean it’s less bitter. In fact, having too much water can strip the bean to the point where it releases the bitter and astringent notes as opposed to the full and robust flavors that we all know and love, so fight the urge to water down the coffee and you won’t be disappointed.
Light roast has the most caffeine. The three most common roasts of coffee are (in descending order) dark, medium, and light. I was always under the impression that dark roast had more caffeine because it had such a powerful flavor, so I would imbibe accordingly. It’s hard to admit this, but boy was I wrong. Light roast, which I had incorrectly associated with weak flavor and potency, actually has the most caffeine out of the three.
Some strange things happen during the roasting process to cause this phenomenon. Most people claim that the longer coffee is roasted the more caffeine it loses; however, the amount is pretty small. The real kicker is the increase in volume. When roasted, a bean’s weight and size change considerably: dark roast coffee is lightest in weight (due to water evaporation) and biggest in size (due to natural expansion). Once the beans are ground and packaged, the breakdown of caffeine per scoop comes into play. Disregard that I may have just made up my own unit of measure, and see the point is that dark roast coffee has fewer grounds in each scoop because its volume is greater than that of medium and light roasts. Bada-bing, bada-boom, light roast has the most caffeine! So, if you want to hypercharge the caffeine, shoot for light roast. The more you know.
Coffee is good for you. In case you haven’t already noticed, I love coffee. I love it just for being coffee, but I’m always pleased to find out that my addiction is actually good for my health.
First, studies have shown that people who drink coffee regularly actually have a much lower risk of certain diseases, such as Type II Diabetes, Alzheimer’s and dementia, Parkinson’s, and some types of cancer. I found this article which goes into greater detail about how coffee lowers the chances of developing those diseases, so if you are so interested read on, but it suffices to say coffee helps you live longer!
What’s more is that coffee is chocked full of antioxidants and other awesome nutrients, like Riboflavin, Magnesium, Potassium, and Niacin. Coffee can help you get physically healthy, too. It has been proven to actually burn body fat, boost metabolism, and increase energy and adrenaline, so down a cup of (black) coffee before exercising. And, if you’re stumped as to what to do for your workout, may I suggest reading my article on How To Get Fit Without Running? Shameless plugs for the win!
In summation, coffee is one of the healthiest beverages in the world, so haters can take this opportunity to stop hating. Please and thank you.
Pregnant women can still have coffee. Coffee always gets a bad rep for being unsafe for pregnant women, but the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) claim – via this WebMD article – that moderate coffee consumption will not cause miscarriage or premature birth.
By moderate, I mean one or two cups of simple American coffee, so please don’t go crazy on the French press or espresso and then tell your doctor that Alice said it was okay. But, by all means feel free to show your doctor this article. Maybe we can have a conversation about these findings over a cup of coffee. Just an idea.
Coffee is a drug. Caffeine is a stimulant (shocker!) and one of the most consumed drugs in America. Caffeine, coffee specifically, is addictive and withdrawal is no joke. Black coffee could actually be classified as a drug itself, but putting milk and/or sugar turns it into a food substance.
That’s not to say you’re doing a drug deal every time you get a $1 McCafe, but think about it. Coffee is a drug; I’m a drug addict. (Don’t quote that out of context.)
Where in the world is the coffee capital? Contrary to popular belief, Seattle is not the coffee capital of the world, but it is definitely America’s. USA Today ranked the top ten cities for coffee and the number one city was (drum roll please) Vienna!
Vienna’s Coffee House Culture has been ranked on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, and, with more than 20 varieties of coffee drinks, it’s no surprise that Vienna attracts coffee lovers from around the world. So, I guess I’ll have to save up for my newly planned trip to Austria.