Coffee has global acclaim as it is known and consumed in every part of the globe. When we talk about it, we are sure that what comes to mind is that hot brew that you or others take to stay awake and focused. But that is not all there is about coffee; this versatile drink can be made in different ways. In this article, we would focus on cold brew coffee and its health benefits. Let's start out with different types and their method of preparation.
Different Types of Coffee
There are different types of coffee and they are delineated by the way they are prepared. We wouldn't go into too much detail but just give you a summary.
Drip/pour
To make this type of coffee, you place a paper filter into a dripper and then pour in coffee grounds. After that you pour in the boiled water. There's more to this method but you need not bother because any dripper you buy would come with instructions on how to use it.
Coffee Maker Brew
This type of coffee is one that almost every American is familiar with as the coffee maker is a common sight in most homes. Like the name implies, all you need to do is follow the instructions on the user manual of the machine and let it do the work for you.
French Press Brew
In this method, ground coffee is immersed fully into water and strained with a metal filter. Note that there are different brands of French press (that is the name of the machine that gives you this brew). With this method, you get all the oils and un-dissolved grounds/particles in your cup.
AeroPress Brew
The AeroPress machine combines the immersion method of the French press and the filtration method of the coffee dripper. It produces a brew that is highly concentrated; this allows it to be diluted with hot water.
Siphon Coffee
This method combines the use of heat, vacuum pressure and immersion in these short steps:
- Place water in the lower part of the machine that you have placed on a burner.
- Turn on the flame and let the water boil and percolate to the upper part of the machine which is known as the hopper.
- Add coffee ground to the hopper and stir well. Then remove the machine from the heat.
- The force of gravity and change of pressure would siphon the brew from the filter to the bulb of the machine and your drink is ready!
Cold Brew
Many people assume that this variant is so called because it is taken cold but that is not so. This name rather comes from the method of preparation which is steeping coffee grounds in cold water for as long as 12 hours or a full day. For this method, you need a container with an airtight lid
The airtight lid on the container is needed so that the submerged coffee grounds would not become stale or lose its flavour.
The above is just a summary like we said at the beginning but you can check out this video if you want a full barista class.
Benefits Of Cold Brew Coffee
A lot of people are switching to this type of brew and not without good reason. We would share some of these reasons and also some health benefits. Find them below:
Easy To Prepare
You do not need to be a barista to make this brew at home. All you need is a jar or container with airtight lid. Next you get coarsely ground coffee; 8 ounces of the grounds to 2 cups of water and mix both in the jar.
Cover the container and let it steep in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours. You can leave it for as long as 24 hours depending on the strength of flavour that you want. After that you use cheesecloth to sieve the steeped coffee.
Store the concentrate that you sieved out in the fridge and whenever you need it, you can dilute anyhow you like it. You can look for creative ways to use the chaff or just discard it.
Tastes Sweeter And Less Bitter
When you make your beverage using this method, you get a sweeter and smoother drink. It is also less bitter and milder than other hot water methods. Note that if you want your drink to be milder, you do not have to let it steep for up to 24 hours. This is because the longer it steeps the stronger the flavour would be.
Easier On The Digestive Tract
This method of brewing produces a beverage that's easy on the digestive tract of the drinker. It is a great option for people who suffer from heartburn or some other digestive issues.
May Enhance Metabolism
Just like with other brews, the caffeine in this variant may help to enhance metabolism. This means that the body can burn more calories even while at rest. When this happens, it is easier to maintain one's weight or even lose some of it.
May Help To Reduce The Risk Of Heart Disease
Cold brew coffee has substances that may help to reduce the risk of heart disease and these substances include the following: - caffeine, trigonelline, magnesium, lignans, quinides and phenolic compounds.
These all help to increase sensitivity to insulin, lower blood pressure and stabilize/normalize blood sugar. There are also other substances that act as anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants.
May Increase One's Lifespan
Some studies have been carried out that show that this method of brewing may help to increase one's lifespan. This is because it reduces the risk of death from diseases such as respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, injuries and infections.
These studies carried out on men and women showed that those who drank more of this cold brew lowered their risk of death by these disease. This thereby increased their lifespan. One reason for this is believed to be the fact that this beverage is rich in antioxidants.
Antioxidants are substances that help to stop cells from damage that can ultimately result in fatal diseases such as we mentioned before. You can check out this site for more on these benefits:- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cold-brew-coffee-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10.
To Conclude about Cold Brew Coffee!
There are so many ways to enjoy coffee and one of them is cold brew. Even after you have extracted the concentrate, you can still dilute it in different ways and with different flavors. We hope that with the information we have shared in this article, you can make an informed decision on whether to switch to this method of brewing this special beverage. Here's a link of netigen's favorite Dalgona Coffee in case you need it!
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