Green coffee refers to harvested coffee beans that have not yet been roasted. Most people buy roasted coffee, either whole bean or ground. Some folks only buy green coffee beans and roast enough for what they will brew each day. There are benefits that come with buying green coffee and potential drawbacks. There are even direct uses for unroasted green coffee which has different properties than when it has been roasted. Here are a few green coffee facts to help you understand the differences.
How Is Green Coffee Different From Roasted Coffee?
The flavor of unroasted green coffee is lighter and milder than when it has been roasted. It also has a slight flavor similar to grass if one were to put that into a drink. Chlorogenic acid is present in higher levels in unroasted coffee beans. Health experts sometimes say that this antioxidant in sufficient amounts can help control blood sugar levels and assist in losing weight. Green coffee retains its freshness longer than roasted coffee when stored properly. This ensures, for most consumers, that their roasted coffee will be fresher as well.
How Long Can You Store Green Coffee?
A good rule of thumb is that green coffee will retain its freshness and antioxidant levels for up to three years when stored in a cool and dry location away from direct sunlight. By comparison, roasted whole coffee beans can retain their freshness for up to six months with similar correct storage. The issue with green coffee for the consumer is how long that green coffee beans spent in storage either in the country where they were grown or in the destination country before they were purchased by the end user or by a coffee roaster. The issue for roasted coffee is typically how long it sat on the grocery store shelf before you purchased it. The issue with ground roasted coffee is that it loses its freshness within days of being exposed to the air.
Are There Health Benefits from Drinking Green Coffee?
This issue has not been extensively studied. What small studies have been done indicate that people may lose three to five pounds more than otherwise in a diet if they add green coffee consumption. The assumption, unproven, is that green coffee blocks fat buildup and lowering blood sugar levels. In regard to blood pressure, there has been one small study in which people who consumed green coffee lowered their blood pressure more than a control group did. In neither case did the studies determine a standard dose or course of treatment.
Drawbacks to Consuming Green Coffee
Like roasted coffee, green coffee contains coffee. So, if you consume too much you will get an upset stomach, feel jittery, or even drive your blood pressure higher. If you have consumed large daily amounts of green coffee and then suddenly quit you will very likely get caffeine withdrawal headaches just like with regular coffee consumption and cessation. Otherwise, there are no know specific problems with consuming green coffee.
Green Coffee Versus Roasted Coffee Health Benefits
Regular coffee has a whole host of known health benefits from reduction of type II diabetes, reduction of risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, to reduction of risks of various types of cancer. Green coffee has nowhere near the amount of research conducted regarding its effects and benefits. This is primarily because drinking coffee is common worldwide and drinking or otherwise consuming green coffee is rather rare. It may well be that green coffee confers the same benefits as drinking roasted coffee. But, until someone includes green coffee consumption in long term follow-up questionnaires and twenty years pass, we will not know.