Coffee is consumed by millions of people around the world every day. But do coffee lovers know enough about their favourite drink?
We have answered 6 common questions about coffee for you to understand and know your preferred beverage better!
1. How is coffee made?
Coffee comes from coffee beans. The coffee plant is planted during the wet season when the soil is moist. The fruit called ‘coffee cherries’ takes approximately 3-4 years to be borne by the coffee tree.
Once the coffee cherries are ripe, they are ready to be harvested. Thereafter, they are processed either by using the dry or wet method, which then gives us the coffee beans.
The beans are then milled before being exported to their destination. After which arrives the crucial step: Roasting. Roasting the coffee beans is important so that the coffee’s flavour and aroma are enhanced. The aromatic brown beans are the roasted coffee beans that we purchase from our favourite stores.
Roasted coffee beans go through the grinding process and this process differs from person to person. Generally, the finer the grind, the faster it is to prepare coffee. That’s why instant coffee powder is finely grounded and easily prepared when compared to ground coffee.
2. Can coffee help you lose weight?
Yes! Black coffee has zero calories, fat and cholesterol. It contains antioxidants and is rich in nutrients. But it is important to remember that additives like cream, milk, sugar etc. would increase the calorie count. Coffee on its own is a healthy and low-calorie beverage option.
Black coffee is recommended as a pre-workout drink in order to boost metabolism and performance. It is also beneficial in losing belly fat.
3. What is the difference between instant coffee and filter coffee?
Instant coffee is the pre-brewed coffee that enables people to quickly prepare coffee by adding hot water or hot milk.
Filter coffee is ground roasted beans that help prepare coffee by pouring hot water over the beans and then filtering it for a fresh cup of coffee.
Instant coffee is thus the easier and faster option of the two.
4. What is the difference between cappuccino, latte and macchiato?
The only commonality between the three is that they’re all espresso-based coffee drinks and the difference really lies in how they are prepared.
Cappuccino is prepared by adding equal portions of espresso, hot milk and milk foam.
A macchiato is prepared with a larger portion of espresso and a smaller portion of milk foam.
Finally, a latte is prepared by adding hot milk to a shot of espresso.
5. What is the difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee beans?
There are two main types of coffee beans, Arabica and Robusta.
The Robusta beans carry a higher caffeine content than the Arabica beans. Robusta beans are grown at lower altitudes and produce fruit faster than the Arabica plant.
Robusta is generally grown in Africa and Indonesia, while Arabica is generally grown in Africa and Latin America.
6. What is the difference between cold brew and iced coffee?
Iced coffee is a type of chilled coffee beverage which is prepared by adding lots of ice to your cup and then pouring hot coffee over the top.
Cold brew takes longer to prepare, is stronger in taste, and has a higher caffeine content.
It is made by soaking coarse ground coffee in cold water for at least twelve hours. The ground coffee should be filtered out after the soaking process which then results in concentrated coffee.
Milk or water can be added to it later, along with ice, as the cold brew is more bitter in taste than the iced coffee.
Did you find these answers interesting? Let us know in the comments below and also any other coffee questions you would like us to answer!
