Coffee and Science

I feel uncomfortable and empty if I don’t have coffee after lunch. I’ve heard from others that coffee can be addictive. It might be better to do some research on coffee before making any claims about it.

Coffee trees can grow to be more than 30 feet (9 meters) tall. They are kept short to save energy and make harvesting easier. Each tree has green, waxy leaves that grow in pairs across from each other. Cherry coffee grows on the branches. Because it grows in a cycle, it’s common for one tree to have flowers, green fruit, and ripe fruit all at the same time.

After flowering for the first time, it takes a cherry almost a year to be fully grown and ready to bear fruit. Even though coffee plants can live up to 100 years, the best time to harvest is between the ages of 7 and 20. With the right care, they can keep producing or even make more over time, depending on the type. Most coffee trees give off 10 pounds of coffee cherries or 2 pounds of green beans every year.

Coffea is the genus of plants that coffee comes from. There are more than 500 genera and 6,000 species of tropical trees and shrubs in this genus. Experts say that there are between 25 and 100 different kinds of coffee plants.

Carolus Linneaus, a Swedish botanist, was the first person to write about this genus. He also wrote about Coffea Arabica in his book Species Plantarum, which came out in 1753. Since then, botanists haven’t agreed on the exact classification because coffee plants come in a lot of different types. They can be small shrubs or tall trees, and their leaves can be anywhere from one to sixteen inches long and purple, yellow, or dark green.

Arabica and Robusta are the two most important types of coffee used in the business world.

Coffea Arabica is descended from the original coffee trees discovered in Ethiopia. These trees grow fine, mild, fragrant coffee that makes up about 70% of the world’s coffee production. The beans are longer and flatter than Robusta beans, and they have less caffeine.

A lot of the Robusta coffee in the world comes from Central and Western Africa, Brazil, and parts of Southeast Asia, like Indonesia and Vietnam. Robusta production is going up, but it only makes up about 30% of the world market.

Robusta coffee is mostly used in blends and instant coffees. In general, the Robusta bean is a bit rounder and smaller than the Arabica bean. It is easier and cheaper to grow the Robusta tree because it is tougher and less likely to get diseases or be eaten by bugs.

Independent scientific evidence shows that coffee, with or without caffeine, has many health benefits, such as making you live longer and lowering your risk of many cancers and long-term diseases. More than 90% of coffee drinkers in the US choose caffeinated drinks. Decaf is a great choice for people who like the taste and social benefits of coffee but don’t need the energy boost that caffeine gives.

Now here is question what is Caffeine which exists in Coffee beans?

A chemical called caffeine wakes up your brain, muscles, heart, and other parts of your body that help keep your blood pressure in check. The bitter substance can be found in over 60 different plant species’ leaves and seeds. Labs can also make caffeine, which can then be added to drinks, foods, and medicines.

Coffee could be seen as a “mind-altering” drug because it makes you feel more awake. However, the FDA (Federal Drug Association America) has said that small amounts of it are generally thought to be safe in food.

How much caffeine is too much?

People who drink coffee every day may wonder if there is a “Goldilocks” amount. Yes, there is. Experts say that you shouldn’t have more than 400 milligrams a day if you’re healthy. That’s how much is in four 8-ounce coffee cups. At Starbucks, 8 ounces is the “short” size. Teenagers shouldn’t drink more than one cup of coffee or two cans of soda a day.

How many cups of coffee do you drink?

The amount that’s in your morning (or afternoon) coffee will depend on the type and how much you drink. As a general rule:

About 95 milligrams of caffeine are in 1 cup (8 ounces) of coffee.
There are only 4 milligrams in decaf coffee.
65 mg of caffeine are in a shot of espresso.

How does that stack up against other drinks and foods with caffeine?

About 24 mg of caffeine are in a 1-ounce square of dark chocolate. (There are only 6 mg in milk chocolate.)
About 40 milligrams of caffeine are in a 12-ounce can of regular or diet dark soda.
About 47 milligrams of caffeine are in 1 cup of black tea.
About 200 milligrams of caffeine are in a 16-ounce energy drink.

It is important to gather opinions on coffee use instead of simply giving one’s own opinion. I surveyed with the help of scientists and close friends.
I gave this question to all to answer for it.

Conclusion

“I am not sure how to conclude this fairly, as if I write in favor of using coffee, it might be biased. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether coffee is good or bad for your health.”

Dr Waseem Razzaq Khan (PhD)

Postdoctoral Researcher

University Putra Malaysia

khanwaseem@upm.edu.my