The Symphony of Chlorogenic Acid: The Star of the Green Coffee Show

Unveiling the Power of Chlorogenic Acid in Coffee

Welcome to the world of coffee. When we delve through times gone by, we see people, striving hard to make that perfect cup. In significance, there is an old Turkish proverb -

Coffee should be Black as Hell, Strong as Death & Sweet as Love. After Water & Tea, it is the most sought after drink, known to Man. It can be consumed after breakfast, dinner, break, meetings, gatherings & more. Is normally taken with cream, milk, sugar, sugarless or depending on the region, with something stronger.

Coffee, invariably comes in 4 different classifications. They are Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa & Liberica. Each with a distinctive taste, to cater to the taste buds of the people of different regions.

The basic difference is, Green Coffee contains a larger level of Chlorogenic Acid in comparison to the regular roasted coffee beans. All coffee beans start out green. It is only after roasting that they change colour to light, medium, dark brown. A healthier way of having your coffee as it impacts your blood vessels, controlling your blood pressure in a positive manner.

Coffee on the whole has 2 major ingredients. Caffeine & Chlorogenic Acids. While Caffeine helps in controlling focus, stress, exhaustion, Chlorogenic Acids are anti oxidants which decrease internal inflammation, weight loss, blood sugar & blood pressure. It can also minimize chances of certain types of Cancer.

Benefits -

• Caffeine is the first thing which comes to mind when we talk of coffee. Yet we however ignore the fact that the antioxidants & other substances protect any internal inflammatory problems or any disease, as per the nutrition experts of John Hopkins University School of Medicine. Here are some other benefits -

1. Longer Life
2. Better processing of glucose in your body.
3. Lesser possibility of a Heart attack.
4. Lesser chances of developing Parkinson's Disease.
5. Effective protection for your liver.
6. Lesser chances of developing Colon Cancer.
7. Lesser possibility of developing Alzheimer's.
8. Lesser possibility of having a stroke. (Especially in women)

• A study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition emphasizes that drinking coffee moderately can be beneficial in losing weight if consumed without any sugar or sweetener as that would help burn calories.
• It is an established fact that organic coffee contains thrice the level of antioxidants in comparison to regular coffee. Some of the regular coffee brands may contain preservatives & artificial flavours which could be detrimental health-wise.
• Only organic coffee can safeguard your health & allow you the maximum nutrients while consuming.

About organic coffee farming

The process of organic coffee farming -

• It now is a foregone conclusion that products, free of any chemicals contain all the natural ingredients, good for the human body.
• An organic coffee grower, grows his products without the use of synthetic fertilizer or any chemicals as it is believed, their toxic residue may remain on the coffee beans. He prunes the trees, removes the new shoots, takes off the new plants & replants them. He works hard to ensure a higher yield. The fertilizer he uses are absolutely organic. It can be cow/chicken manure or general compost. He manages to eliminate the pest nuisance through sheer common sense or methods, acquired from practically hands-on experience, making his coffee, absolutely safe for consumption. These organic coffee farms are responsible for the conservation of animals, birds & nature. Through this procedure, it also enriches the soil of the land. The quality of land is maintained due to not using any synthetic fertilizers or toxic chemicals.
• The beans produced, having absorbed the natural nutrients from the soil give them a distinctive flavour & quality.

Organic vs Regular Coffee

• Though known to few, it is very much in the public domain that organic coffee has multiple benefits. More than what regular coffee can offer, reason being organic coffee contains thrice the amount of antioxidants, in comparison to regular coffee. These antioxidants protect from any diseases / attacks like heart problems, brain disorders, blood pressure / sugar & many more. Some regular coffee brands may have artificial flavours & preservatives, which could be detrimental to health.
• Organic coffee can safeguard your health & allow you the most nutrients filled coffee, possible

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Reduces Environmental Pollution -

• The practices adapted by some of the coffee growers, result in a serious filtering of synthetic fertilizer & pesticides into the water bodies of the area. This could have some repercussions of the local population, animals & plants. Organic coffee growers use organic processes, ensuring safer water bodies & a clean environment with zero risk to the population. This organic process retains a healthy & fertile soil, boosts irrigation with absolutely no risk to the people, animals, plants.
• If we, for a minute overlook our taste buds & take in other factors we need to ask ourselves the following questions -

Where do my priorities lie?

Norms followed to sustain the environment

• Organic coffee growers have been working at ensuring a clean & healthy ecosystem. They have been utilizing natural fertilizers, integrated pest control management system & crop rotation in their modus operandi. This pattern of farming boosts growth of plants & animals besides development of the overall ecosystem. It also helps save water & bringing down the carbon level, linked to production of coffee.

Here are a few steps, followed by organic coffee farmers -

1. Farmers use natural resources in place of the synthetic fertilisers, generally used in farming.
2. Agro-forestry: Organic coffee is grown under the shade of other trees. This process helps, absorb carbon dioxide, thus enriching the soil & eroding erosion.
3. Coffee under shade: Coffee, when grown under the shade, boosts its resilience to climate change.
4. Soil Health: To maintain the health of the soil, adequate preventive measures are taken by the farmers.
5. Erosion Control: Adequate precautions are adopted, to protect the soil & water resources.
6. Biodiversity: Different variety of crops are planted along with the coffee plants, enabling a natural pest control process, and ensuring the safety of the coffee plants.

There are 4 C's of sustainability. They are -

1. Consciousness
2. Conservation
3. Community
4. Commerce

These 4 C's are interconnected to sustainability which brings a harmonious & holistic approach.

In Conclusion

We live in a modern, but turbulent & competitive time. In our day to day lives, we undergo a lot of stress, mainly domestic, professional, and financial. These are our main sources of stress though these can also be accompanied by some minor ones.

We need to eat, drink, and stay fit because it leads to an active & sharp mind. We need to exercise, caution; if we want to live a happy, stable, comfortable life though tea/coffee breaks are considered stress busters. Give it a thought.