Is Cold Brew healthier than other coffees?
Less Acidity, More Caffeine!
Cold Brew coffee, is gaining new fans day by day, mainly thanks to its unique taste and distinctive aroma. At the same time, many argue that Cold Brew is better for human health. What really applies?
Cold Brew differs from other iced coffees not only in its taste and aroma, but mainly in the way it is made. While most coffees are extracted in hot water, and then cooled in various ways to be consumed iced, Cold Brew is extracted in water that is either cold or at room temperature. This different extraction mechanism endows coffee with different properties - some of which are related to human health.
Is Cold Brew healthier than other coffees?
Cold Brew coffee has less acidity…
One of the most common ailments that can be caused by excessive coffee consumption has to do with the stomach and digestive system. People who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or gastroesophageal reflux disease should often stop drinking coffee as it worsens their condition. The (usually mild) discomfort is due to the acids in the coffee.
Coffee, depending on the variety and method of extraction, has an acidity that is pleasant to the taste and completely harmless to the average person, but at the same time aggravating for those who have a sensitive digestive system. The acidity of coffee, or to be more precise, the elements that raise the pH of coffee, increase with the temperature of extraction. As a result, cold brewed coffee has significantly less acidity than any hot coffee.
Although these findings have not been thoroughly studied, laboratory studies show that while the pH of hot coffee is usually around 5, the pH of Cold Brew is significantly lower, as it is usually close to 2-3, which makes coffee cold. extraction less acidic.
If someone suffers from stomach upset and is sensitive to coffee acids, Cold Brew may be a great solution! It goes without saying, of course, that for serious illnesses, we always follow - and only - the advice of the treating doctor.
...but it has more caffeine!
Calculating the caffeine of a cold-water cup of coffee is not an easy task, mainly due to the fact that there is no unique, well-known brewing technique, such as espresso. Thus, depending on the ratio of coffee and water we use, with the extraction time but also with the water temperature, the results can be quite different. Measurements made with samples from large coffee chains, Cold Brew bottles and homemade preparations, show significant differences in caffeine levels.
On the other hand, it is a fact that cold extraction coffee has significantly more caffeine than other similar coffees, hot or cold, with rates appearing to be increased by up to 20-30%. If one is watching your daily caffeine intake, it is a good idea to be especially careful with Cold Brew.
Given that excessive caffeine can adversely affect some people, either the digestive system or the nervous system, if there is a medical recommendation to reduce caffeine, Cold Brew should be avoided.
Coffee is an extremely healthy product, full of antioxidants, with beneficial effects on the human body - and Cold Brew is no exception, of course. As long as we pay attention to the abuse and respect our body and organism and we can enjoy our coffee without regrets.
