Healthy Cold Brew Coffee
If you haven’t made a healthy cold brew coffee before, now’s your time to do so.
Cold brew coffee may be just as healthy, if not even healthier, than hot coffee. Check out our article to find out how to make healthy cold brew coffee at home and what the health benefits are.
We also discuss how cold brew coffee tastes different from hot coffee, and which beans are the best to use.
What This Article Covers:
- What Is Cold Brew Coffee?
- Is Cold Brew Coffee as Healthy as Hot Coffee?
- How Does Cold Brew Coffee Taste Different?
- How to Make Healthy Cold Brew Coffee
- Health Benefits of Cold Brew Coffee
What Is Cold Brew Coffee?
Is cold brew coffee the same as iced coffee? The answer is no. There are significant differences between cold brew and iced coffee.
The healthiest iced coffee recipes can be found online, and we’ve got a great selection of them in our blog section.
The biggest difference is in how they are made. Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coarse-ground coffee beans in room-temperature water for 10 to 20 hours. The steeped coffee concentrate is then strained. This removes the grounds before it’s chilled.
You can add a little cold water and/or ice to the concentrate. You also get something called a nitro cold brew. This is a coffee infused with nitrogen gas. It’s usually served from a tap and is a little bit fizzy. It also often comes with a thick layer of creamy foam.
Is Cold Brew Coffee as Healthy as Hot Coffee?
Regular coffee is a healthy beverage for almost everyone. There are certain exceptions. For example, pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid coffee due to its caffeine content.
Scientific research has shown links between cold brew coffee and a healthy immune system.
The antioxidants that are extracted during cold brew may be different from those extracted from hot coffee. There may also be differences in their health properties, but research on this is still being conducted.
Some people with stomach problems like IBS may be better able to enjoy a lower acid cold brew. This is true especially if it is decaffeinated since caffeine stimulates the movement of food through the digestive tract.
Decaf cold brew can be difficult to find unless you make it yourself. Luckily though, there are decaf coffee beans out there. Lifeboost offers the best organic decaf coffee beans.
Is black coffee unhealthy? Black coffee is the healthiest coffee to drink. Cold brew coffee is sweeter and more full-bodied than hot coffee. An advantage of this is that it’s often enjoyed in black.
Black coffee doesn’t include any milk, cream, or sugar. This means that having a black cold brew coffee saves you a lot of calories. Black coffee usually contains fewer than 5 calories if you have it without any additions.
Coffee has many health benefits. The health benefits associated with coffee drinking are generally the same for both cold brew coffee and regular coffee.
The only real advantage that cold brew may have over hot coffee is that cold brew is less acidic. This makes it easier on your stomach.
The higher acidity in hot coffee sometimes causes people to add sugar and cream, which creates a less healthy drink.
How Does Cold Brew Coffee Taste Different?
Cold brew has a different taste from hot coffee. Cold brew coffee is creamy, smooth, and less acidic than hot coffee. It often has notes of cocoa flavor.
When you make regular coffee, hot water releases the coffee's natural acids. This gives your coffee its usual bright, acidic flavors. Many people, however, now prefer the rich, less-bitter, cold brew coffee. This is also because it usually has a naturally sweet, sometimes caramel flavor.
How to Make Healthy Cold Brew Coffee
The kind of roast, ratio, method, and steeping time are all important for knowing how to make healthy coffee.
Kind of Roast Needed for Cold Brew Coffee
There are many varieties of coffee brands out there to choose from. There are also different types of roasts you can use to make a cold brew coffee.
We suggest using a roast that you enjoy drinking.
Here are a few suggestions in case you’re unsure:
A light roast is enjoyable in a hot cup of coffee. However, if you use a light roast in a cold brew coffee, the taste may be too weak.
A medium or dark roast will work well for a cold brew coffee. You can even blend the two with different coffee flavors.
If you prefer a lighter blend, you can make it more concentrated to get better results. You can try a 1:3 coffee to water ratio, brew it longer, and let it rest at room temperature instead of keeping it in the fridge.
You can use any type of coffee to make a cold brew. However, always use whichever roast works best for you with the tips provided above.
Cold Brew Coffee Ratio
Everyone may have a different opinion on the ratio of coffee beans to water.
A lot of suggestions online show a 1:3, 1:4, or 1:5 coffee to water ratio. You may also find that you can weigh the coarsely ground coffee in ounces.
To make it simple, use ¾ cup of coffee beans. Coarsely grind them per 4 cups of water, and use a French press to store them.
This will give you an enjoyable and balanced coffee taste which is perfect for this healthy cold brew coffee recipe.
Method
- Coarsely grind ¾ cup of coffee beans.
- Once you have coarsely ground your coffee beans, add the recommended water.
- Use a French press to store it.
- Stir for a few minutes until thoroughly mixed, and you have wet all the coffee beans,
- Cover your container and store it at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.
How Long Should I Steep for?
Steeping can depend on how strong your chosen coffee beans are. It is, however, entirely up to you depending on your personal preference. You can steep for up to 24 hours. Anywhere between 12 to 18 hours is usually good.
Testing it out for yourself is usually the best way to go. You can check in after a few hours. If it tastes too watered down, you can leave it for another 15 to 18 hours or however long you think will be right.
Health Benefits of Cold Brew Coffee
Eases Stomach Issues
Many people suffer from stomach issues related to drinking coffee. This may be because when you brew coffee using boiling water, the heat extracts a lot of acidity from the coffee grounds.
This acid may be harmful to coffee drinkers who suffer from stomach issues like heartburn, indigestion, IBS, and ulcers. For these issues, one of the advantages of cold brew coffee may be that it’s easier on their digestive system.
Helps with Weightloss
Thankfully, not all good things must be avoided when it comes to weight loss. Cold brew coffee can still be enjoyed, and better yet, it may even help with losing weight.
Caffeine is a natural appetite suppressant. This means that, because cold brew coffee contains caffeine, it will delay normal feelings of hunger for a brief period.
This will help you to snack less and therefore lead to weight loss. You can make your cold brew with a higher concentration of caffeine than regular coffee. This can lead to reduced levels of hunger.
Caffeine also triggers a natural increase in norepinephrine and epinephrine. This is said to boost your metabolism.
The concentration of these two hormones increases in your blood. This triggers your body to start breaking down fat stored in cells to use for energy. A faster metabolism causes this fat to be broken down quicker than normal.
You can find many healthy coffee recipes for weight loss online.
Improves Mood and Mental Health
Cold brew coffee surprisingly has mood-boosting properties.
The caffeine in cold brew causes a rise in dopamine absorption by binding to adenosine receptors. This stimulates the reward and motivation part of your brain which leads to positive emotions.
Inflammation of your brain can sometimes cause feelings of sadness and depression. Caffeine can reduce this inflammation, which may assist in helping cure depression.
You can lower your chances of being affected by certain mental illnesses by regularly consuming caffeine. These include diseases such as Parkinson’s and Dementia.
Provides Antioxidants to Your Body
Antioxidants are important for reducing health issues such as cancer.
Antioxidants get rid of free radicals in our bodies. These are associated with cell damage, cancer, arthritis, and other many serious health issues.
Cold brew coffee is rich in several powerful antioxidants. Therefore, adding a cup of cold brew to your daily routine will provide your body with the antioxidants that it needs.
Reduces the Risk of Diabetes
Cold brew coffee can reduce your risk of getting type-2 diabetes.
A medical study concluded that those who drink three or more cups of regular-strength coffee a day (This can be equivalent to one and a half cups of cold brew) are more than 40% less likely to contract type-2 diabetes.