• What exactly is coffee?
• Roasted coffee

• Properties of roasted coffee

• The use of coffee in medicine

• allergies and asthma
• coffee and magnesium
• green coffee
• How does green coffee taste?
• Effects on carbohydrate metabolism
• effect on blood pressure

• contraindications

• summary
• Bibliography

Coffee is the second most popular drink in the world after tea and water. It is drunk in the comfort of your home in sumptuous restaurants. There are countless ways to brew coffee and its varieties, and its taste, smell, and appearance vary by variety. It is no exaggeration to say that most people cannot imagine a morning or even a whole day without it. Every day around 3 billion cups of coffee are drunk in the world, and in Poland coffee consumption varies between 1 and 1.5 cups per day per inhabitant of our country. It is valued for its stimulating effect and a number of health-promoting properties. However, in all of this coffee turmoil, the unroasted green coffee stands out more and more and will be the heroine of today.

What exactly is coffee?

Coffee is nothing but the fruit of the coffee tree. These are evergreen trees and shrubs that grow mainly in Africa, South America and Asia. According to historical sources, coffee was already known in Africa around 550 AD. Up to 104 unique types of coffee have currently been classified. Depending on the variety and the weather, the taste of the coffee can vary. The roasting process and the duration of the coffee as well as the brewing method have an influence {1,2).

Roasted coffee

The actual process of roasting coffee is important to its flavor and nutritional content. Coffee roasting takes place at a specific temperature and under controlled conditions. It is noteworthy that it depends on the type of coffee, its acidity, the grain or the roaster itself. This removes the intense flavor and aroma from the coffee. In addition, the acidity of the coffee decreases during this process.

Properties of roasted coffee

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “coffee” is without a doubt Caffeine. In fact, it is estimated that there is about 100 mg of caffeine in an espresso prepared from ground coffee, and the therapeutic dose is 200 mg. This substance is a common ingredient in drugs and preparations for migraines, asthma, analgesics, and stimulants. In terms of minerals, coffee does not generally contain vitamins, but does contain micronutrients such as: sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium{3}.
It improves memory and concentration through substances like the aforementioned caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. Their influence on the nervous system cannot be overstated as they speed up the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain. In addition, it supports memory processes, especially short-term memory, shortens reaction times and facilitates concentration. It is also worth noting the effect of coffee on weight loss. Caffeine accelerates metabolic changes and can therefore be an adjunct to a healthy and balanced diet aimed at reducing body weight{3}.

The use of coffee in medicine

It can also be helpful in some diseases. These include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes.
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago (USA) have conducted extensive research into the connection between Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease and coffee consumption. They showed that the risk of these diseases decreases significantly if you consume 3 cups of ground coffee a day. Statistically, these diseases occurred 8 years later in coffee drinkers than in non-drinkers. (64 and 72 years). This phenomenon was more pronounced in males than in females, and moreover, drinking more than 3 cups of coffee did not reduce the risk of these diseases any more{3}.

allergies and asthma

Recent research on caffeine also reports that it may be an interesting adjunct in the management of asthma and allergies. Caffeine has been shown to cause a reduction in the levels of histamine responsible for the allergic response and attributes its beneficial effects to bronchodilation in asthma attacks. This makes attacks rarer and lasts shorter{3}.

In terms of minerals, coffee does not generally contain vitamins, but does contain micronutrients such as: sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium{3}.

coffee and magnesium

This article couldn't overlook the perennial question, namely, does coffee "leach out" magnesium?
It is widely believed that coffee flushes magnesium from the body. Yes, after drinking coffee there is a slightly increased excretion of magnesium in the urine, which lasts for several hours and caffeine is responsible for this. However, this action should not be demonized. Let's remember that coffee also contains magnesium and, more importantly, it provides more than it eliminates. It is estimated that 100 grams of brewed roast coffee provides 7 to as much as 24 mg of this element{4}.

green coffee

The increase in its popularity is due to a return to nature and a healthy lifestyle. Green coffee has been found to perform even better than roasted coffee in terms of beneficial effects on the body. All of this is due to the lack of nutrient loss through the smoking process. This is especially true for antioxidants and chlorogenic acid. It is also found in potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, but in much higher concentrations in tea and coffee. Unfortunately, when smoking at high temperature, the amount of phenolic compounds decreases. It improves the responsiveness of blood vessels, can have a positive effect on carbohydrate metabolism, which is important in preventing diabetes and obesity, but also metabolic syndrome.

How does green coffee taste?

The taste of green coffee can be compared to green tea. It also depends on the species. All in all, however, it can be said that it is generally lighter, tart and more acidic than roasted coffee. The caffeine content is almost identical to roast coffee as this alkaloid is not affected by the temperature of the roasting process or its time.

Effects on carbohydrate metabolism

Maintaining normal blood glucose levels is one of the fundamental mechanisms affecting body homeostasis and is even more important for people suffering from diabetes. The chlorogenic acid found in green coffee has the effect of reducing the absorption of glucose from the digestive tract by up to 80%. In addition, due to this property, it lowers the glycemic index of food, but only when taken orally. Green coffee bean extracts also have such an effect. After administration of 1% chlorogenic acid extract to rodents, blood glucose levels decreased by 43% {5}.

effect on blood pressure

Hypertension is a problem affecting more and more people, and its ineffective treatment significantly increases the risk of sudden cardiovascular events. Studies have shown that green coffee extract can be helpful in reducing high blood pressure. They were conducted on rats and after giving them this extract, its antihypertensive effect was observed. It is worth noting that such attempts were also made on humans. Green coffee extract also showed a similar effect on our body. This was probably due to increased nitric oxide (NO) secretion and hence vasodilation. There is also a theory that chlorogenic acid in green coffee extract lowers cortisol levels. This is otherwise called "stress hormone". Its excess leads to a decrease in the amount of nitric oxide and thus to vasoconstriction and an increase in blood pressure{6}.

contraindications

During the research, attention was also paid to whether green coffee, its extracts and chlorogenic acid can themselves cause side effects. In the vast majority, they were ignored and these substances were considered safe. However, there are a few instances when you shouldn't overdo it with green coffee. First, high caffeine intake can increase the risk of complications in people with diabetes and insulin resistance. The key here is to reach for the versions of green coffee that do not contain caffeine in their composition. Second, short-term and high doses of chlorogenic acid (above 2 g/day) can increase homocysteine levels and contribute to cardiovascular disease. The conclusion is simple, for as with anything, moderation and common sense should be exercised here{7}.

summary

Green coffee is gaining popularity and a lot of water in the Vistula will pass before it reaches the level of roasted coffee. In addition, its taste can be unacceptable at first, especially if we are used to the taste of this toasted one. However, the effect of the substance contained in it is considerable. It should also be remembered that its brewing is not the only way to provide chlorogenic acid or other health-promoting compounds it contains. There are many unflavored extracts and extracts on the market. They can be an interesting alternative to your daily diet. It must not be forgotten that it is not a drug, but only an adjunct to the possible treatment of the above conditions. That doesn't change the fact that it's very helpful.

Bibliography :

1. Geoffrey Burnie et al., Botanica : illustrated, in alphabetical order, describing more than 10,000 garden plants , Germany: Könemann, Tandem Verlag GmbH, 2005, ISBN 3-8331-1916-0, OCLC 271991134.

2 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families : Royal _ _ Botanical Gardens , Kew . [accessed 12/03/2010].

3. Zdrojewicz Z., Grześkowiak K., Łukasiewicz M., Ist Kaffeetrinken gesund?, "Family Medicine" 2016, No. 3
4. Jarosz M., Wierzejska R., Coffee Drinking and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Optimistic Scientific Reports, Epidemiological Review 2012, No. 66.

5. Li Kwok Cheong JD, Croft KD, Henry PD Matthews V, Hodgson JM, Ward NC Green coffee polyphenols do not attenuate _ _ features of metabolic syndrome and improve _ endothelial function in mice fed a high-fat diet. Arc. biochem . biophysis . 2014; 559:46-52.

6. Revuelta-Iniesta R., Al-Dujail E. Consumption of green coffee reduces blood pressure and body composition by influencing 11b-HSD1 enzyme activity in healthy individuals: a crossover pilot study using green and black coffee. BioMed. resolution int . 2014; http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/482704
7. Olthof MR, Hollman PC, Buijsman MN, Amelsvorrt JM, Katan MB Chlorogenic acid, quercetin-3-rutinoside, and black tea phenols are extensively metabolized in humans. J Nutr . 2003; 133:1806