Soluble Coffee: How Healthy and Sustainable Instant Coffee Is

Find out whether instant coffee is healthy or unhealthy compared to coffee brewed by machine or by hand in our post. We also inform you about the sustainability of this type of coffee.

Instant coffee is so healthy

There is little health difference between an instant coffee and a coffee that you brew through a machine. Both the calorie content and the ingredients are identical because it is also made from coffee beans.

• For anyone who wants or needs to consider caffeine content, there is the benefit that instant coffee contains slightly less caffeine.
• Health disadvantages can arise if you use instant cappuccino powder or other coffee specialties. This often contains sugar .
• You should also note that instant coffee has a higher acrylamide content, which is considered carcinogenic. According to a study , the instant coffee powder contains 360 micrograms per kilogram, twice the amount of roasted coffee, which only contains 180 micrograms.
• However, since you need less coffee powder for a cup of instant coffee, the health damage is put into perspective again.
• Soluble coffee contains fewer antioxidants than roast coffee. This is due to the manufacturing process. During extraction and drying, for example, the valuable substance quinine is lost, which not only alleviates cramps but also regulates increases in blood sugar.
• In addition, instant coffee contains slightly less magnesium.

Soluble coffee checked for sustainability

An instant coffee can be very sustainable if you take a few criteria into account.

• Producing instant coffee requires a complex production process. For production, the coffee powder has to be extracted and dried, which usually requires a lot of energy.
• In addition, it is usually not possible to check where the beans used for production come from. However, you can make sure that the coffee bears the Fairtrade or organic seal .
• However, since the extraction process creates a very rich powder, you need less powder to brew a cup of coffee than for a normal roast coffee. That is sustainable .
• Typically, people who brew instant coffee use the kettle to boil the water. This is significantly more energy-efficient than running a coffee machine.
• The waste behavior is also more positive in terms of sustainability. The packaging of the coffee powder is disposed of, otherwise there is no further waste. In the case of coffee machines, pads or capsules or the coffee filters must also be disposed of.

How long has instant coffee been around?

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks. Many Germans treat themselves to two cups a day, according to the German Coffee Association.

• Compared to normal roasted coffee, however, many coffee drinkers choose instant coffee less often.
• Instant coffee has been around since 1890. It was invented in New Zealand. Especially in the post-war period, the coffee variety sold very well and is still being produced today.
• Since many flavors and caffeine are lost due to the special manufacturing process, coffee lovers tend to use normal roasted coffee.
• However, since instant coffee contains less caffeine, is often cheaper and is easy to prepare, it is a good alternative for many.

This is how instant coffee is made

In principle, instant coffee is coffee extract that has been dried. The coffee beans are ground, the coffee is extracted and then dried. This has the advantage that it can be stored for a very long time.

• Only roasted coffee beans and water are permitted as extraction agents for production. This is stipulated by the European Rhenish Law, similar to the specifications for beer production. Additives must therefore not be included if an instant coffee product wants to conquer the market.
• The coffee beans are roasted and ground at 230 degrees. The ground coffee then goes into the extraction system. The water temperature here is around 200 degrees and the pressure is high.
• In this process, the soluble parts are dissolved out and the so-called thin juice remains. The water is then removed from this so that the thick juice is formed.
• Finally, the coffee extract obtained is dried. Either spray drying or freeze drying is used as a method for this.