Nutritional supplements are the order of the day and green coffee, famous for its different properties, is one of the most talked about in recent years.
In countries like Spain, more than 22 million people (63% of the population over 15 years old) drink at least one cup of coffee a day, a value that rises to almost four portions in 24 hours on average. Of course, these data highlight the very important role of this roasted grain in contemporary society.
Beyond the acid-tasting brown beans we’re all used to, coffee can come in other forms. Today we present the properties, benefits and mode of administration of green coffee, althoughthis variant is not exempt from reservations and certain skepticisms.
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What is green coffee?
As indicated by the National Library of Medicine of the United States, green coffee beans are those that have not yet been roasted. The interest of consuming this food without the typical roasting process is that the amount of chlorogenic acid (whose properties we will see in later lines) is greater in coffee that do not go through the roasting and roasting process.
We begin by shelling this issue with objective facts, since several specialized studies have shown a wide range of proportion of chlorogenic acid in green coffee beans between the different plantations, which ranges from 11.17 to 3.83 grams of the compound per 100 grams total depending on the place of origin.
After light roasting, the proportion of chlorogenic acid decreased to a range of 5.79-2.67 g/100 g total and, after a dark roasting procedure, this value decreased to a range of 1.4-0.14 g/100 g total. All these data mean that, irrefutably, most of the chlorogenic acid is lost along the way after the roasting process. What is not so clear, unfortunately, are the properties of the compound of this chlorogenic acid.
The benefits of green coffee and chlorogenic acid
We have presented you with the objective facts, but now it is time to enter a little more “grey” terrain, since it is clear that the companies want to sell their product and attribute extensive properties to them, whether these are substantiated or not. Chlorogenic acid is a phenolic compound present in coffee, which is of great interest in certain people who want to lose weight .
What has not been proven
As the scientific attitude is characterized by skepticism, in the first instance we are going to present what, according to official sources, has not yet been proven regarding green coffee :
- Lowers high blood pressure : Preliminary studies seem to support this hypothesis, but more research is needed.
- Prevents obesity : it seems that people who consume green coffee lose more weight during diets. Again, these are preliminary studies.
- Prevents Alzheimer’s : There is not enough evidence to support this hypothesis.
- Prevents type 2 diabetes : There is not enough evidence to support this hypothesis.
- Prevents other conditions – There is not enough evidence to support this hypothesis.
If we go to the small print on the portals that affirm the excessive efficacy of green coffee, we can observe, in the vast majority of cases, two facts: either that the investigations have been carried out with small sample groups (less than 100 people) or that efficacy has been proven in animal models and not in humans.
Does this mean that green coffee is a scam or bad for your health? No way. We are simply trying to report that these benefits may be real, but more information and peer-reviewed studies are needed to confirm .
What has been shown
When affirming the properties of any compound, we must go to official bibliographic sources, such as articles published in scientific journals without monetary interest prior to writing. According to review papers, the phenolic compounds in coffee (such as chlorogenic acid) do provide certain benefits.
1. Antioxidant capacity
It has been seen that phenolic compounds act as antioxidants, that is, they block the production of free radicals, harmful compounds that occur in cellular metabolism and promote mutations and various damages. This ability is based on chemical oxide-reduction mechanisms proven on multiple occasions.
2. Antimicrobial effect
Green coffee extracts have been shown on multiple occasions to possess significant antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-positive bacteria.
These compounds have the ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria such asEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureusand, in addition, it has been recorded that this activity occurs thanks to chlorogenic acid (and other compounds) irreversibly damaging the cell membrane of these pathogens. This results in a loss of potential in the bacteria, which results in early cell death. Again, this is proven facts.
3. Other properties
Getting rid of the judicious spirit a little, we must also report that certain researchers have reported the effects of chlorogenic acid on lipid and glucose metabolism in genetic metabolic disorders or that, for example, oral administration of caffeic acid has aclear anti-hypertensive effect. Again, more scientific evidence and contrasted studies are needed to affirm these hypotheses, but everything seems to indicate that green coffee has several beneficial properties.
How to drink green coffee?
According to the same official sources that we have been clinging to throughout the article, green coffee is potentially safe at the indicated doses, that is, a maximum of 480 milligrams per day for a time limit of 12 weeks. On the other hand, the companies that market this food in the form of tablets ensure that there are no registered countereffects, since caffeine is extracted from the supplement, with all that this entails.
Thus, green coffee can be presented in the form of infusion, tablets or chewing gum. It should be noted that the amount of caffeine present in an infusion with this food is much lower than in a normal coffee, since a greater presence of organic compounds (such as phenolic acids) limit their availability.
Even so, it is emphasized that excessive consumption of this supplement (as long as caffeine is still present) can cause nervousness, restlessness, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, increased respiratory rate and many other side effects. It is also necessary to take into account the individual condition of each patient: if the person has generalized anxiety disorders, their clinical picture may worsen and, in the case of people with hypertension, green coffee could worsen their condition.
The same is true for patients with diabetes. Some studies argue that caffeine lowers the amount of blood sugars, while others have found evidence of just the opposite. Of course, we are facing a gray scale in which, without a doubt, it is best not to gamble.
Summary
Does all this mean that from here we discourage the consumption of green coffee? Not at all. No clear adverse effects have been observed in caffeine-free tablets, which is why, as long as it is consumed correctly, there should be no problem.
On the other hand, we find it a little more difficult to justify the consumption of infusions of caffeinated green coffee in sick people. Especially in patients with diabetes and hypertension, there is still no clear answer regarding this issue, which is why any judgment and recommendation should be scrutinized, beforehand, by a medical professional.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.