Starting the day with a cup of coffee is a tradition for many people around the world. However, not everyone has the time and opportunity to brew natural beans and ground coffee. Then people prefer instant drinks. Gastroenterologist and nutritionist Nuria Dianova told FAN whether instant coffee is harmful.
Instant coffee is made from coffee beans, which are converted into water-soluble powder or granules using various technological processes. After adding water to the mixture, you get a drink that tastes like natural coffee. The technology for creating instant coffee was patented by New Zealander David Strang in 1890. However, the drink gained popularity only in the mid-twentieth century after the appearance of the Nescafe instant coffee brand in 1938.
TASS / Lino Mirgeler
Human dependence on instant coffee, properties of natural and powdered drinks
Many coffee lovers cannot imagine a day without a cup of aromatic coffee.
Instant coffee contains caffeine, and when brewed quickly, its content is even greater than in regular ground coffee. This substance has a persistent invigorating effect, and with frequent consumption, a cup of instant coffee can lift your mood by increasing the level of serotonin in the blood. But when consuming more than 400 (about 3 cups) milliliters per day, the human body begins to get used to such effects, causing addiction. The main symptoms of caffeine addiction - a feeling of fatigue and drowsiness - occur when quitting coffee, the duration of recovery from this state depends on the duration of use.
Decaffeinated instant coffee base
The method of removing caffeine from beans is called decaffeination. The caffeine in the product then decreases by 5 times. This fact misleads many people. Is decaffeinated instant drink harmful? Yes, you can’t call it harmless.
This coffee becomes more acidic and does more harm to people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases. In general, the caffeine-free option retains all the harmful properties of regular instant coffee.
So... What happens? There are almost no benefits from such coffee, but only harm. But, in a situation of lack of time to tinker with a coffee machine or due to lack of finances to purchase it, many simply have no other choice. But everything is not so dangerous if you do not abuse it. Which product to purchase, everyone will decide for themselves. Just don’t forget about your health. For example, buy a high-quality freeze-dried product.
For many men and women, their favorite morning drink is freeze-dried or regular instant coffee, whose benefits and harms to the body will be discussed in this article. The composition and properties of these drinks differ from grain drinks. They contain no more than 20% of beans, and the rest of the volume is occupied by dyes and flavors, which allow the coffee to become similar to grain, therefore the benefits of instant coffee are lower than natural ones.
Harm to the health of the body - increased blood pressure
This drink contains caffeine and usually increases blood pressure.
For this reason, instant coffee is contraindicated for hypertensive patients. Its constant consumption (more than 2 cups per day) for several years puts the body of women and men in a debilitating state and causes harm. Constantly high blood pressure not only affects your general well-being, but also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This is also associated with chronic headache in the morning, which gets worse if you suddenly stop drinking instant coffee. Everyday headaches may be accompanied by a feeling of apathy or aggression, which worsens when you stop drinking the drink in the morning. Cream or milk added to powdered coffee can reduce this effect.
How this instant drink can affect acidity
Instant coffee should not be consumed for gastritis with low acidity.
Perhaps the most powerful harmful effect that occurs with constant consumption of instant granulated coffee. Increased acidity in the stomach and intestines is caused by numerous dyes included in any instant coffee. Manufacturers of this instant drink often skimp on natural ingredients. As a result of systematic abuse, the risk of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract increases and the functioning of gastric juice enzymes is disrupted. Increased stomach acidity is the first harbinger of gastric ulcers and other digestive system disorders. You can reduce this harmful effect by simply stopping drinking instant coffee on an empty stomach.
Why harmful ingredients cause cellulite in women
Cellulite is stagnation in adipose tissue.
Some erroneous practices and diets are based on the consumption of instant coffee. But it’s worth knowing why you shouldn’t abuse this drink. As noted above, it increases acidity, and therefore speeds up the digestion process. However, instead of accelerating metabolism and rapid weight loss, the exact opposite occurs, a decrease in skin tone. When the norm of 350-400 milliliters per day is exceeded, the skin becomes more flabby. If you resort to such a “diet” regularly, then cellulite will join the sagging. If it is difficult to give up coffee, you should drink a glass of water 15-20 minutes before drinking coffee. This will help neutralize its effects on the skin.
Effect on the deterioration of the nervous system
Coffee is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system.
Exceeding the norm by 100-200 milliliters daily has a negative effect on the central nervous system. This process is associated with the accumulation of caffeine in the body, which is a source of irritation for the nervous system. If we also take into account the depression of the mental state caused by caffeine addiction, the effect on the nerves increases by 2-3 times. Reducing the concentration of caffeine in the body will help reduce nervous irritation from the excessive influence of instant coffee. It is worth diluting coffee with cream or milk and reducing daily consumption.
Famous brands
Coffee beans are sublimated by companies around the world. Famous brands:
- Swiss Bushido has a chocolate aftertaste and medium strength. 100 grams costs from 800 rubles.
- Carte Noire from Germany is made only from Arabica beans. They produce varieties with a bitter, sour and sweet aftertaste. Cost per 100 grams from 500 rubles.
- Grandos is made from Colombian Arabica beans. The main difference is the absence of flavorings. The price of a 100 gram package is from 360 rubles.
- The drink from Japanese UCC has fruity notes and no bitter aftertaste. The minimum cost for 100 grams is 700 rubles.
- Egoiste strong – caffeine content 4%. The aftertaste is chocolate. 100 grams costs from 360 rubles.
Read about the differences between other brands in the article “Rating of freeze-dried coffee: which is better in quality”
Vitamin leaching
Water-soluble vitamins such as B vitamins can be depleted due to fluid loss.
Beneficial nutrients such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, as well as vitamins A and B, are washed out by regularly drinking 1-2 cups of instant coffee per day. General dehydration of the body occurs, caffeine acts as a transporter of the above-mentioned substances and compounds. As a result, the skin becomes dull and saggy, and the hair becomes more brittle. Avid fans of instant coffee should diversify their diet by increasing the amount of vitamins and nutrients in it.
Freeze-dried coffee recipes
We share with you several recipes for making freeze-dried coffee.
Coffee with milk and cinnamon
You will need:
1-2 teaspoons of freeze-dried coffee; Sugar; 40-60 ml of milk (recommended with a fat content of more than 3%); A little cinnamon to taste; 160-180 ml of water. Preparation procedure:
Pour the required amount of sugar and coffee into the mug. Fill with hot water. Let it brew for 2-3 minutes. While it sits, heat the milk a little. You can whip the milk in advance to suit your needs. Next, add it to the drink and stir. Sprinkle with cinnamon. For those who like interesting flavor combinations, you can use coconut milk for a more exotic taste.
To prepare the cold brew you will need:
5 teaspoons of coffee; Sugar to taste; A little vanilla; 0.25 l of water; 0.25 liters of milk. Preparation procedure:
Fill a cup with coffee and sugar with hot water and stir. Let cool. Sprinkle a little vanilla on top and pour the drink into an ice tray. Freeze, add coffee ice to cold milk and leave in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so that the ice melts a little and everything is mixed.
What effect does a granulated drink have on the urinary system?
Coffee is a fairly strong diuretic.
Do not forget that caffeine is a diuretic, the constant use of which affects the functioning of the urinary system. Dehydration and problems with the urinary system begin at around 400 milliliters of instant coffee per day. Both problems can be resolved with a relatively simple method: drink a glass (about 350 milliliters) of water 10-15 minutes after drinking coffee. This will help prevent problems with urination and maintain overall water balance in the body. To completely eliminate the possibility of kidney stones, it is worth reducing the daily dose to 150 milliliters.
Reaction and other cognitive abilities
Caffeine usually does not directly affect our productivity, memory speed, or task completion.
Having more than two cups of instant coffee in your daily diet greatly affects your reaction time and concentration. Firstly, these processes are associated with the invigorating effect of coffee, a sharp refusal to drink it promises a decrease in cognitive abilities. Secondly, reaction, memory and attention generally decrease by 15-25% in people who drink instant coffee every day for several years. This is why instant coffee is not recommended for drivers and pilots. If it is too difficult to give up instant coffee, you should take various drugs that increase the reaction and other cognitive abilities of a person.
Each of the cases considered is a serious reason to refuse instant coffee. If we summarize and add up all the disadvantages of instant coffee, the conclusion suggests itself: abuse of this type of coffee leads to disruption of the performance of a number of systems and organs in the human body. Of course, in each individual case there may be a measure to mitigate the effects of instant coffee on the body, but they can be completely eliminated only by stopping its constant use.
In addition, on our website you can find interesting information about 4 types of milk for coffee, the benefits and harms of coffee with cardamom, the benefits and harms of coffee with honey. And also about how to neutralize caffeine and save yourself from a hangover, how many calories are in a mug of coffee-based drink, 6 possible reasons why you want to sleep after coffee. It will be interesting to read 4 arguments in favor of drinking coffee before training, how and from what instant coffee is made, learn how to drink coffee at night and not suffer from insomnia. Or learn 3 ways to brew delicious coffee in the microwave.
PRODUCTION PROCESS
Each manufacturer tries to keep the details of the coffee drink production technology secret. But the general description of the process is still known. So, how is freeze-dried coffee made? First of all, the coffee bean (mostly, they try to use the inexpensive Robusta variety) is roasted and ground to flour.
Next, the coffee powder is boiled for several hours in extraction tanks under high pressure. After this, some of the moisture is evaporated from the coffee extract, placed in special tanks, collecting the vapor of essential oils.
Then the raw materials are very quickly frozen with simultaneous vacuum drying. During this procedure, all the liquid evaporates instantly, and the coffee concentrate is converted into a dry substance. All that remains is to crumble the dried coffee bar into small granules.
And the final stage is the enrichment of coffee granules with essential oils collected at the beginning of the process, additional flavors and taste enhancers.
