Can You Eat Coffee Beans?
It may surprise many to learn that you can consume coffee directly from bean by itself! There is yet another way for a coffee lover to enjoy his caffeine fix. Similar to drinking coffee, consuming these beans can be beneficial, or unhealthy if consumed in excess. So, I have put together a small guide on all the need to knows before you start nibling at your coffee bean!
Coffee Bean – A Brief History
It is generally accepted that humans began eating coffee beans over several centuries ago. Historians believe that the beans were used for medicinal purposes after discovering the increased energy it gives when consumed. The coffee beans were often mixed with animal fat and consumed as a snack. Eventually, people developed methods to roast the green coffee beans turning them into a beverage.
Coffee drinking largely took off during the mid-seventeenth century when it became popular in Britain. During the American revolutionary way, soldiers made coffee their staple choice so they can remain alert through the day. Soon after it because a profitable resource and commodity as the demand for coffee increased amongst household populations.
Today, its almost difficult to imagine a world with coffee. The coffee industry has a global presence that gives may people a reason to wake up in the morning. Although the majority enjoy their cup of morning joe, roasted edible coffee bean snacks present yet another option coffee aficionados.
Types Of Bean Options
Large coffee companies have become innovative in creating coffee bean snacks. There is a good number of energy bars or health snacks containing a small amount of roasted coffee beans.
This is largely because of the concentrated caffeine levels in the beans. An Arabica coffee bean has around six milligrams of caffeine, while a Robusta bean has around twelve milligrams.
Since there is a loss of caffeine when coffee beans are brewed, snack producers are able to provide a higher caffeine kick with fewer beans through their snacks.
Roasted coffee beans have their own natural flavor, but can also be infused with other flavors.
The more popular coffee bean flavorings are:
- Vanilla
- Hazelnut
- Caramel
- Pumpkin
- Chocolate
Positives
Coffee, an excellent source of antioxidants, contains several beneficial compounds that can help protect against health conditions and contribute to direct behavioral changes.
Some Beneficial Compounds Include –
- Magnesium
- Caffeine
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- Chlorogenic acid
- Plant chemicals – Kahweol, Cafestol, Chlorogenic acid, Quinic acid
Coffee beans can contain larger quantities of the above-mentioned compounds, as they wouldn’t be loss during the blending process. If it is a must, it would be ideal to have smaller volume of coffee blending batches to avoid large bean property losses in the residue.
In managing these compounds well, you can improve your overall immune system and help protect yourself against specific health conditions. This includes –
- Parkinson’s disease
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Heart attack and stroke
- Liver disease (including liver cancer)
Similar to drinking coffee, eating coffee beans have short term impacts that can help you feel more –
- Sociable
- Focused
- Energetic
- Alert
Negatives
Too much of anything is not good for you. This is especially true when it comes to eating coffee beans. As explained by the National health foundation, coffee beans contain highly concentrated caffeine. It cannot be consumed and compared the same way as to how a coffee drinker may have multiple cups a day.
There are some potential side effects that you can experience if you consume high amounts of coffee beans. These include –
- Sleep disturbance
- Anxiety and elevated heart rate
- Heartburn
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Caffeine withdrawal symptoms
- Laxative effect
It is generally accepted to avoid caffeine as much as possible if when you are pregnant as it may lead to an increased risk of miscarriage and low birth weight.
Finding Your Right Bean Amount
The main concern when it comes to figuring out how many coffee beans you can eat is dependent on the caffeine content. There is no “safe” number for eating roasted coffee beans as it each person has their own caffeine tolerance combines with possible pre-existing health conditions.
According to a study done by Mayo clinic, they suggested that an average person who is not sensitive to caffeine can consume up to four hundred milligrams, roughly four cups of coffee, a day.
As each arabica bean has around sic grams of caffeine, it doesn’t mean you can start eating around 66 coffee beans a day (four hundred divided by six) a day. You have to account for the other ingredients that come with coffee bean snacks.
The most popular snacks are ones covered with dark chocolate, which contain caffeine themselves. Lets assume that the dark chocolate has the same amount of caffeine as a coffee bean, just for safety – that would mean you can consume about thirty per day.
That being said, you shouldn’t consume all thirty at a go – it’s like chugging four cups of coffee in a row. Unless you are not that sensitive to coffee, and don’t mind the jitters you can pace your bean consumption through the day. About seven to ten chocolate covered coffee beans is close to an average cup of coffee in terms of its caffeine.
The best way for you to decide on the amount of roasted coffee beans to eat, without any harmful effects would be to consult a medical professional or a certified dietician. They can run some simple tests and find the relevant health markers for your specific body and suggest appropriate amounts of caffeine to include in your diet.
Conclusion
With so much of the world running on coffee, it’s a delight for a coffee lover to enjoy their custom directly from the bean. Although majority of people enjoy their coffee beverage, perhaps further scientific studies and health advantages of eating roasted coffee beans can change trends in the future.
Hope you enjoyed this article, please feel free to leave a comment below!