Coffee is a funny thing. It’s made out of beans that are poisonous to anyone but humans and we gulp that stuff down like it’s a lifesaver, which is the case for a lot of working folks. But it also has a bit of a reputation for being unhealthy for you, a reputation that’s entirely unfair and research has in fact shown that it has plenty of health benefits.
In fact, coffee is rich in one of the most important materials necessary to fight off cancer, Alzheimer’s and even diabetes: antioxidants.
That’s why we’re going to take a look at the world of coffee and antioxidants, how they’re linked and how fresh, roasted coffee can give you more antioxidants than you thought. We’ll also be examining how black and decaf coffee affects antioxidants and whether these antioxidants are linked to brain inflammation cases.
Coffee And Antioxidants
To start this off, let’s go over what antioxidants actually are. Simply put, they’re substances that can help fight off or delay certain types of damage to the cells. Think diabetes or cancer. How? Well, it’s by stopping a certain chemical reaction from happening in your body called oxidation, which creates free radicals, which in turn is what causes those messy diseases.
Antioxidants can be found in a lot of things, especially in foods that have Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, Copper, Zinc, etc. but we’re here to look at coffee and its antioxidants.
However, even among all the many different foods that provide it, coffee is known to have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants you can find in a drink. This is all thanks to the two main ones found in it: hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols.
So, drinking coffee every day can, in fact, save you from life ruining diseases, but what’s the best way to get the most amount of antioxidants in your morning cup of Joe?
Why Fresh Roasted Coffee Has More Antioxidants
So, now we understand why coffee and antioxidants are linked and why it’s good for you. But why does fresh roasted coffee have more antioxidants? Simple, fresh coffee isn’t as exposed to:
- oxygen
- moisture
- heat
- light
Each of these factors weakens the aroma and the effect of the coffee, making the caffeine weaker and with it the antioxidants. Taste and quality go hand in hand, which is why the fresher something is, the better it is for you.
How Roasting Affects Coffee Antioxidants
So, the fresh part is understood, but what about the roasting? How is it connected to coffee and antioxidants? See, coffee lovers know that roasting is a near magical technique that uses heat to change the chemical makeup of coffee, removing some flavors while creating new ones, all depending on how it’s roasted.
That’s why you have to be careful in choosing a light, medium or dark roasted coffee. Each one of these options can have a different effect on the coffee’s antioxidant level. There’s unfortunately no one size fits all for your roasting.
That all depends on the beans. Just keep in mind that roasting can either decrease some of the compounds or create new ones during the process. And naturally, you want the best quality coffee beans to get the best result.
Black Coffee And Antioxidants
But while roasting can depend on your type of coffee bean, is there a type of coffee that can provide you with the best dose of antioxidants? Naturally, it’s black coffee.
The purest, simplest form of coffee. Just water and beans. And because it’s so simple, there’s nothing in there to mess with the natural antioxidants present. At least, that’s the thinking.
The truth is that black coffee and antioxidant volume don’t yet have a direct connection but the extra additives do inhibit and mess with the nutritional values they provide, and in some cases mix into something else. It’s basic chemistry. Still, black coffee is the way to go simply because it has a higher concentration of coffee beans than most other drinks.
Decaf Coffee And Antioxidants
Now we move on to seeing the benefits of Decaf Coffee and antioxidants! Strange, isn’t it? If black coffee is so good for you, what will decaf provide? Honestly, quite a bit!
Decaf is essentially just coffee with over 97% of its caffeine removed, so most of the nutritious benefits remain. At least that’s the theory. Unfortunately, there has not been a lot of research yet done on the wonders of decaf and antioxidants and how it might differ from your regular black coffee and its antioxidants.
Still, it’s a perfectly valid drink and is perfect for those who want all the healthy benefits of coffee without the caffeine to keep you up.
Coffee Antioxidants and Brain Inflammation Connections
Now that we know what types of coffee can give how many antioxidants, it’s now time to take a look at one of the biggest medical troubles that coffee can help you fight: brain inflammation. Coffee antioxidants and brain inflammation are connected because antioxidants fight off an oxidized state.
Now, that fancy medical lingo, but essentially, you don’t want that as it’s one of the main causes of brain inflammation, which in turn is one of the factors to catching diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Now, to be clear, this isn’t to say that coffee is the cure to Alzheimer’s or something. If you really wanna fight those kinds of problems, proper medical help is the only way. But research is currently happening that shows coffee and its antioxidants do have some impact, however small, in preventing these kinds of illnesses from happening.
How to Get the Most Antioxidants From Your Coffee
Well, we’ve looked enough into coffee and antioxidants to know why it’s important, but now we’re gonna look into how you can maximize your intake to the best level. For that, just follow these simple steps:
- Buy beans with a visible expiration date. The fresher the better.
- Prefer whole beans over pre-ground when possible
- Store coffee properly
- Brew within a reasonable time after roasting
- Choose quality beans and consistent brewing methods
Coffee and antioxidants are something you don’t see people connect together, but in fact coffee’s your best source of the stuff and you should have plenty of it. It’s one of the best ways to prevent debilitating diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, etc. And you can have your pick of coffee type, you can go pure black coffee or enjoy decaf and its antioxidants. There’s no wrong choice except not having it.
FAQs
Q. Does fresh roasted coffee have more antioxidants?
Like with most foods, a fresh version of something is better than the aged one since the nutrients haven’t had time to degrade, making fresh roasted coffee has plenty of antioxidants and also the best way to have it.
Q. Is black coffee high in antioxidants?
Black coffee and its antioxidant levels are some of the highest since it’s coffee’s purest form with no additives to muddy the drink.
Q. Does decaf coffee still contain antioxidants?
Decaf coffee and antioxidants are still together since decaf just means that most of the caffeine is removed, not the chlorogenic acid and pyrocatechol.
Q. Can coffee antioxidants help with brain inflammation?
Coffee’s antioxidants are good against brain inflammation and can keep diseases like Alzheimer’s at bay, though it’s no replacement for proper medical advice and care.