Various Types of Coffee and Their Nutritional Value

Love waking up to the delicious smell of coffee? Feel like that your mornings can’t start without a wonderfully brewed cuppa? Then you are in the right place! In this article, we will look at the types of coffee and its nutritional value. So let us get started!

Types of coffee beans

There are two major types of coffee beans in the world:

1. Coffee Arabica:

These are high quality beans and are usually used for gourmet coffee. Compared to Robusta, Arabica beans have less caffeine and have better flavours and are more aromatic. Arabica beans are named after the region from where the beans originate. Very high quality arabica beans have a slightly sweet flavor, with hints of chocolate, nuts, and caramel. Sometimes the beans also have a hint of fruits and berries. The bitterness quotient is only slight in these beans. High quality arabica beans are grown in Brazil, Ethiopia and Mexico.

2. Coffee Robusta:

Compared to Arabica, Robusta is an inferior grade of coffee. These are harvested in lower elevations. Robusta beans contain a high amount of caffeine.  They have a bitter and earthy taste. These beans have lesser acidity compared to Arabica beans which contributes to these beans having a more bitter and woody flavour. Robusta beans are grown in African countries and Indonesia.

Types of brewed coffees

Let’s quickly take a look at the types of brewed coffees. This list is only illustrative as your barista may have a whole host of different brews. These are the the most common brews that are famous world over.

1. Cappuccino

A cappuccino is an espresso-based coffee. This drink is indigenous to Italy. The traditional ingredients in a cappuccino are espresso, milk and foam. Some variations of cappuccino also include flavourings with cinnamon and chocolate powder.

2. Americano

Americano is a type of coffee which is prepared by diluting espresso with hot water. The flavour of an Americano is different from that of regular brewed coffee. The strength of Americano depends on the number of espresso shots used to prepare it and the amount of water added to the brew.

3. Latte

Latte is made using espresso and steamed milk. It is a milkier version of cappuccino and has originated in Italy.

4. Espresso

Espresso based coffee is brewed by  forcing a small amount of boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Espresso is very strong and has a woody aroma.

Nutritional Value of Coffee

One eight-ounce cup of regular coffee contains approximately:

• 2.4 calories
• 0.3 grams protein
• 0.2 milligrams vitamin B12
• 0.6 milligrams pantothenic acid
• 116 milligrams potassium 
• 0.1 milligram manganese
• 7.1 milligrams magnesium 
• 0.5 milligrams niacin

It contains no sugar or fat and therefore makes an excellent choice if you are on a weight loss journey. Coffee is also an excellent source of potassium for the body.

Now let us take a look at the various health benefits of coffee:

Benefits of drinking Black Coffee:

1. It improves your physical performance and helps you to achieve maximum output during a workout session. Numerous studies have shown that in case of endurance based exercise such as aerobic exercise which last more than five minutes like running or performing squats, caffeine improves performance significantly.
2. It boosts your memory. Studies show that regular consumption of black coffee reduces risk of of Alzheimer’s by 65 per cent and Parkinson’s disease by 60 per cent. Consumption of black coffee also preserves the neurons and the nervous system of the body, thereby reducing the risk of dementia and other neurological conditions.
3.  It protects your liver against cirrhosis. Consuming four or more cups of black coffee through the day reduces the chances of liver cancer, fatty liver and other liver related diseases. It also helps in lowering the quantity of harmful liver enzymes in the body.
4. It is beneficial for a stomach cleanse. Consuming black coffee without sugar and milk flushes out the harmful toxins from your body and makes you urinate more frequently.
5. Consuming black coffee enhances your mood and is excellent remedy when it comes to battling with depression. You can consume up to 2 cups of black coffee in a day to keep up your mood and battle those blues.

Benefits of Cappuccino and Cafe Latte:

1. Your morning cup of latte or cappuccino is excellent when it comes to burning fat. That is a huge incentive to consume your morning cup of joe. Coffee boosts your metabolism and burns the fat at a very high rate.
2. Drinking milky coffee also takes care of your skin and reduces cellulite. It makes the appearance of skin much smoother and dehydrates the fatty cells in the body.
3. It reduces the risk of skin cancer by fighting cancer cells.
4. It cuts the risk of occurrence of colon cancer in women.
5. It reduces the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Benefits of Espresso

1. It lowers the risk of a stroke in women. So feel free to consume at least 2-3 espressos in a day.
2. It improves and aids digestion. It keeps bloating at bay which is a big problem with the suffering from indigestion.
3. Drinking espresso gives you an instant energy boost.
4. It strengthens long term memory.
5. It makes you age gracefully by increasing the dopamine levels in the body.

What are the side effects of coffee?

While undoubtedly,there are several benefits of consuming coffee, every coin has a flip side. Similarly, consumption of coffee comes with its own set of side effects. So let us take a look at the side effects of coffee:

Caffeine Addiction

Consuming too much coffee can make you dependent on caffeine and lead to addiction. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, anxiety, irritability, trouble concentrating, fatigue, digestive issues and changes in appetite. Withdrawal from caffeine may also lead to adrenal fatigue.

Increasing Anxiety

Caffeine in coffee impacts several hormones in the body along with the neurotransmitters and muscles in the body. If you are suffering from anxiety or mood swings, excess consumption of coffee can lead to you feeling extremely edgy and worsen your mood swings.

Consuming anything should be done in moderation so that it does not impact the body in the long run. Same holds true for a cup of coffee as well. While a cup of your morning joe can be very refreshing, one must be careful and not consume copious amounts of coffee to stay alert or awake. This can impair neurological functions in the long run and can have various devastating effects on the body.

Quick recipes with coffee

Hazelnut coffee

You can brew your regular coffee and add a few drops of hazelnut liquid or powdered hazelnut. This will enhance the taste of your regular coffee and make it more delicious.

Cold coffee

Who says that coffee has to be enjoyed hot? Bring out your blender and add skimmed milk, 2 teaspoons of coffee and lots of ice. Blend it on the highest speed and enjoy your iced cappuccino.

Irish coffee

Coffee can also be your alcoholic drink! Yes – you have heard it right. Whip up a coffee cocktail by adding a bit of whiskey and cream to your regular cappuccino. This will give it an edge and give you a high! Enjoy the cocktail that you have brewed.