What are the benefits of eating green coffee beans?
In this text we will provide you with the answer to the question: “What are the benefits of eating green coffee beans?”. In addition we will discuss the contraindications and side effects of eating green coffee.
What are the benefits of eating green coffee beans?
Scientific studies have revealed that both bioactive components of coffee (phenolic acids and caffeine) play a preventive role against various degenerative diseases.
Green coffee beans (GCB) are rich in phenolic acids, especially in chlorogenic acid (CGA), and its related compounds that show hypotensive effects, Chlorogenic and caffeic acids, the main phenolics of green coffee, exhibit antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic and antioxidant activities.
Additionally, these compounds have been suggested as inhibitors of inflammation and tumor promotion. (1)
Green coffee beans offer numerous advantages when taken as a supplement. It contains caffeine, which positively impacts weight loss by reducing body fat and lowering an individual’s body mass index (BMI).
Additionally, the presence of chlorogenic acid in green coffee beans enhances the body’s fat metabolism rate, while also reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Moreover, chlorogenic acid plays a crucial role in regulating obesity-related hormones, making it an important contributor to weight loss.
Furthermore, chlorogenic acid aids in the regulation of glucose levels by slowing down carbohydrate digestion in the digestive tract, thereby reducing insulin spikes.
This characteristic makes green coffee beans a potential preventive or controlling agent for type 2 diabetes.
Consumption of green coffee beans was associated with a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive individuals. Moreover, the extract’s positive effects on blood vessels make it a promising option for blood pressure control.
Rich in antioxidants and possessing anti-inflammatory properties, green coffee beans also aids in protecting the body against chronic inflammation.
This protection is essential as chronic inflammation can damage cells and contribute to various health problems such as arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. (2-6).
What is the caffeine content of green coffee?
The caffeine content in green coffee beans varies depending on the species. Robusta coffee typically contains around 2.2-2.8% caffeine, while arabica coffee contains about 0.6-1.2% caffeine.
Environmental and agricultural factors have minimal impact on the caffeine content of the beans. During the roasting process, there is no significant loss of caffeine. In fact, the concentration of caffeine increases as other components degrade.
In a typical cup of regular coffee, the amount of caffeine can range from 70-140 mg. The exact caffeine content can vary based on factors such as the coffee preparation method, the blend of beans used, and the size of the cup. (3)
What is the composition of green coffee?
Coffee beans consist of approximately 43% carbohydrates, 7.5-10% proteins, various nitrogenous compounds (including 0.6%-2.8% caffeine), 10-15% lipids, 25% melanoidins, 3.7-5% minerals, and around 6% organic and inorganic acids, as well as esters.(7)
Green coffee is rich in various bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, tocopherols, and phytosterols. However, the primary components found in green coffee are chlorogenic acid, caffeine, and trigonelline.
Compared to roasted coffee, green coffee contains higher concentrations of chlorogenic acid and trigonelline, while having lower levels of caffeine. This disparity can be attributed to the high temperatures involved in the roasting process, which degrade chlorogenic acid and trigonelline.
While polysaccharides, lipids, and proteins constitute the major constituents of green coffee beans, the minor components, such as caffeine, trigonelline, chlorogenic acids, free sugars (primarily sucrose), free amino acids, and others, are also significant. (1-3)
What are the contraindications and side effects of green coffee?
Contraindications and side effects of green coffee are basically the same as regular coffee, you should always avoid excessive consumption. Like many foods, green coffee can also have negative effects for certain groups of individuals or when consumed in excess.
The use of green coffee is usually contraindicated for people with hypertension, hyperthyroidism, chronic gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers, liver and rheumatic problems.
It should also be noted that, when consumed in excess, caffeine can cause sleep disturbances and impair the absorption of calcium by the body.
Do not forget that green coffee has caffeine in a higher concentration than regular coffee, so it may not be suitable for people with sleeping difficulties, hypertension and anxiety.
In addition, its consumption is also not suitable for pregnant women, lactating women and people with heart problems. (7-9)
How to consume green coffee?
Although green coffee has a number of health benefits, its taste is not considered pleasant.
Because of this, the consumption of green coffee through capsules and sachets and capsules has become very popular! In this way it is possible to enjoy all the benefits without causing any suffering to the taste.
Just like any other supplement, the introduction of green coffee to the diet must be accompanied by a nutritionist.
Green coffee naturally has more caffeine than the roasted version and consumption of the substance in capsules tends to increase absorption by the body.
It is the nutritionist who will guide you on the best way to consume the substance, ensuring that caffeine does not appear in excess in your diet. Within an exercise routine and with a balanced diet, green coffee brings benefits that go far beyond weight loss. (1, 10)
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Conclusion
In this text we provided you with the answer to the question: “What are the benefits of eating green coffee beans?”. In addition we discussed the contraindications and side effects of eating green coffee.
Citations
- Dziki, D., Gawlik-Dziki, U., Pecio, L., Różyło, R., Świeca, M., Krzykowski, A., & Rudy, S. Ground green coffee beans as a functional food supplement – Preliminary study. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 63(1), 691–699. 2015.
- Caroline Woelffel Silva, Keila Rodrigues Zanardi, et. al. Green coffee extract (Coffea canephora) improved the intestinal barrier and slowed colorectal cancer progression and its associated inflammation in rats, PharmaNutrition, 22, 2022
- Wei, F., & Tanokura, M. Organic Compounds in Green Coffee Beans. Coffee in Health and Disease Prevention, 149–162. 2015.
- Gorji, Z., Nazary-Vannani, A., talaei, S., Varkaneh, H. K., Clark, C. C. T., Fatahi, S., … Zhang, Y. The Effect of Green-Coffee Extract Supplementation on Obesity: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Phytomedicine, 2019.
- Choi, B.-K., Park, S.-B., Lee, D.-R., Lee, H. J., Jin, Y.-Y., Yang, S. H., & Suh, J.-W. Green coffee bean extract improves obesity by decreasing body fat in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 9(7), 635–643. 2016.
- Han, B., Nazary‐Vannani, A., Talaei, S., Clark, C. C. T., Rahmani, J., Rasekhmagham, R., & Kord‐Varkaneh, H. The effect of green coffee extract supplementation on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy Research. 2019.
- Farah, Adriana. Nutritional and health effects of coffee. 10.19103/AS.2017.0022.14. 2018.
- Bae, J.-H., Park, J.-H., Im, S.-S., & Song, D.-K. Coffee and health. Integrative Medicine Research, 3(4), 189–191. 2014.
- Willson, C. The clinical toxicology of caffeine: A review and case study. Toxicology Reports. 2018.
- Mary Jane Brown, Can You Eat Coffee Beans? All You Need to Know. Them. Healthline Media LLC. 2020