Bella Adams
How is instant coffee made and what is it?
It is important to note that this is a drink made from coffee beans, which are transformed into a substance that dissolves with water using various technological processes.
Instant coffee can be in the form of granules or powder. After adding boiling water, a drink is obtained that is similar in all respects to bean coffee.
It is important to note that some instant coffee manufacturers, in addition to dehydration, also remove caffeine – reducing the caffeine content.
There are only three types of instant coffee on our shelves: powdered, granulated, and freeze-dried. This type of instant coffee preserves the quality of the coffee beans the best.
- Powdered. To make it, the coffee beans are mixed very finely and placed in a special apparatus, where liquid droplets pass through them under a vacuum and instantly dry. And the coffee turns into powder. This is the cheapest type of coffee.
- Granulated powdered instant coffee is re-moistened, but now with steam. The beans are whipped into granules. This method of production helps coffee dissolve better but worsens its taste and aroma. But granulated coffee is more expensive than powdered coffee.
- Freeze-dried coffee is the most expensive. And its production technology is fundamentally different from the first two types. The coffee is first mixed into the sand, then frozen with water, and then separated from the liquid using special devices. The result is coffee bars, which are then ground again. In this form, instant coffee retains the aromatic and flavoring properties of the original product, so it does not require the addition of flavors and colors.
Manufacturers say that it is possible to reduce the cost of production by adding chicory or other products. Such product substitution is not prohibited by law. You can add chicory, rye, oats, and wheat instead of coffee beans. You can legally substitute from 30 to 100%. However, in this case, the packaging must say “Coffee drink” and not “100% natural coffee”.
Unnatural ingredients that significantly impair the smell and flavor of the product are masked by using coffee bean waste. That is, only the smell of expensive and natural coffee is added to a can of instant coffee. For example, the smell of the chemical lure E636 imitates the smell of caramel.
But the most dangerous thing is that natural caffeine is replaced with artificial caffeine, which is dangerous to health. Sodium caffeine benzoate is a chemical analog of natural caffeine, available in many pharmacies only by prescription.
The dangers of instant coffee
- When instant coffee is made, the product loses not only its beneficial properties but also its flavor. To enrich coffee with flavor, manufacturers add chemicals that are hazardous to health.
- Any coffee oxidizes the body. The gastric mucosa is irritated. Diseases such as ulcers and gastritis can be the result of extensive oxidation of the body.
- Like alcohol, drug, or tobacco addiction, coffee consumption can also cause addiction. If you drink more than 4-5 cups a day, there is a danger of becoming a heavy coffee drinker.
- It’s no secret that coffee increases blood pressure. So you shouldn’t overindulge in coffee drinks if you have tachycardia, arrhythmia, hypertension, or other cardiovascular diseases.
Contraindications to drinking coffee
Contraindications to coffee consumption are problems with the nervous system (agitation, anxiety, headache, dizziness), cardiovascular complications (tachycardia, high blood pressure), as well as diarrhea, nausea, and exacerbation of tumor disease. In addition, the dose of caffeine in instant coffee is much higher than in natural coffee.
