What’s all the Hype About Green Coffee?

Green coffee beans are coming back stronger than a ‘90s trend. You might wonder why you keep seeing green coffee beans or raw coffee beans everywhere and what it means.

Wait, are people really drinking raw, unroasted coffee beans? Yes! And even better, this unroasted coffee beverage is easy to make at home and comes with loads of health benefits. The only thing better than a new trend is a new trend that is good for your body.

What Are Green Coffee Beans?

Green coffee beans are regular coffee beans that have not been roasted. They taste like a mix between herbal tea and coffee. Green coffee beans can also be referred to as raw coffee beans or unroasted coffee beans.

Coffee beans are not beans; they are the seeds from inside the coffee fruit. Raw coffee beans grow on trees, and the chloroplast gives them their natural green color. So, all coffee beans start out green.

Once raw coffee beans have been roasted to either light, medium, or dark, they lose their green color. The roasting process gives them the shades of brown coloring we are accustomed to seeing. 

Benefits of Drinking Green Coffee

The chlorogenic acid in unroasted coffee beans is a class of phenolic acids known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory features.

Unroasted coffee beans have a significantly higher level of chlorogenic acid than roasted coffee beans. This is because many chemical reactions happen to alter the color, flavor, and aroma of the coffee beans during the roasting process. The release of chlorogenic acid is one of those outcomes.

Chlorogenic acid, like that found in green coffee beans, is linked to a wide range of potential health benefits. As a result, researchers are actively studying the direct ties between chlorogenic acid and treating serious health concerns, paving the way for non-medicinal treatment plans.

5 Foods That Contain Chlorogenic Acid

• Apples
• Carrots
• Peas
• Sweet potatoes
• Tomatoes 

Both roasted and green coffee beans contain chlorogenic acid; however, the difference in numbers is quite staggering.

Green, unroasted coffee beans contain between 86.42 and 61.15 mg/g of chlorogenic acid. In contrast, the chlorogenic acid content in roasted coffee beans goes down 50% and is as low as trace levels.

The darker the roast, the less chlorogenic acid is retained. So, if you are not ready to branch out to green coffee just yet, you can still reap some of the benefits by sticking to light roasted coffee. 

How Green Coffee Beans Can Benefit Your Health 

• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Inflammation
• Weight Management

Green Coffee Beans and Diabetes

The chlorogenic acid found in raw, unroasted coffee beans is an insulin sensitizer. It works to lower your body's blood sugar levels, similar to how metformin works with Type 2 Diabetics.

A 2019 study concluded that green coffee beans, while not affecting insulin, show an improvement in fasting blood glucose levels. This is fantastic news for those living with diabetes. 

Green Coffee Beans and Cancer

Scientific studies show a link between the effects of chlorogenic acid in green coffee beans and the treatment and prevention of some cancers.

Recent research indicates that cancer is a metabolic disease. Chlorogenic acid has proven to be able to ameliorate some metabolic diseases. There is also the potential ability for chlorogenic acid in raw coffee beans to suppress the growth of cancer cells. 

Green Coffee Beans and Combating Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a key factor in arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. Treating inflammation can prevent and treat life-threatening diseases and makes for a more comfortable quality of life.

Raw, unroasted coffee beans have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can benefit our bodies in the long and short term.

Green Coffee Beans and Weight Loss

Green coffee beans and green coffee extract are extremely popular in the wellness community. The belief is that green coffee beans contain weight loss properties.

The research on green coffee extract and weight loss isn't conclusive. However, it has other health benefits that make adding it to your coffee routine a great idea. 

What is Green Coffee Extract?

Green coffee extract is the liquid you can pull out of the unroasted coffee beans to drink. Green coffee beans can be purchased online or by contacting your favorite coffee shop if they are also a roaster.

Aside from weight loss supplements, green coffee extract is most often identified with the chemical-free Swiss water decaffeination process.

For reference, a regular cup of coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine per cup, green coffee contains roughly 20 mg per cup, and decaffeinated coffee contains 2 mg of caffeine per cup. 

How To Make Green Coffee Extract With Raw Coffee Beans

Supplies:

• Green coffee beans
• Filtered water
• Fine mesh strainer
• Bowl

Directions:

1. Using a mesh strainer, gently rinse one cup of green coffee beans, then place in a pot.
2. Using filtered water, pour 3 cups of water over the unroasted coffee beans and bring to a boil. Place the lid on the pot.
3. Remove the lid and simmer for 12 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Place your fine mesh strainer over a bowl and slowly pour the raw, green coffee bean extract. The strainer should be fine enough to allow the liquid through while catching the raw coffee beans and any large flakes from the chaff.
5. You can save the raw coffee beans in a sealed bag or container and refrigerate them. You can wait a week and then steep them a second time.
6. Fresh green coffee bean extract is ready to drink immediately. You can drink it by itself or dilute it with water. It should stay fresh in a closed container in your refrigerator for up to four days.

Elevate Your Coffee Routine with Raw, Unroasted, Green Coffee Beans

Green coffee beans aren’t just a trendy new drink or brewing method. Raw, unroasted coffee beans offer many health benefits in addition to ones provided by roasted coffee.

With a flavor that balances between coffee and herbal tea, it is a delicious way to up your caffeine game throughout the day. Whether you call them green, unroasted, or raw coffee beans, adding them to your routine can be a great new way to enjoy all that coffee has to offer.