Instant coffee: health benefits and harms, contraindications. When combined, the two products help

06.08.2019 Beverages

A soluble analogue of coffee was invented in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by the Japanese chemist Satori Kato. He first introduced instant tea to the world, and then applied the technology to the production of instant coffee. However, the drink was not successful.

Later, in 1906, the English commersant J. Washington launched the production and sale of the drink. Instant coffee became an attribute of soldiers' rations during the First World War. Upon returning home, the soldiers preferred the usual instant coffee to natural coffee - it tasted great and was almost the same as natural coffee in terms of caffeine content.

The last impetus to the worldwide recognition of instant coffee was the crisis in Brazil in the 1930s. Demand for organic coffee dropped sharply, and an urgent decision was needed to preserve the surplus crop. The Swiss company Nestle came to the rescue. Its specialists improved the product and presented to the public the fragrant instant coffee known to us today.

The popular drink is low in nutritional value and contains a decent amount of caffeine. In dry powder (100 g) contains from 94 to 110 kcal, while one cup of coffee without sugar contains only 2-10 kcal. However, few people like this option, preferring to generously season the energy drink with sugar. Standard coffee with 1 tablespoon of sugar already contains 40-100 kcal. And if you are a fan of coffee with cream, one serving of the drink will hold up to 400 kcal (depending on the fat content of the cream).

How instant coffee is made

In the production of instant coffee, illiquid coffee beans that have lost their presentation are used. The beans are roasted, ground and heat treated under high pressure. Then the coffee extract is filtered from sediment and resins. Further processing depends on the end result of the product:

  • Sublimated. Coffee in large granules with clear edges. Obtained by vacuum drying of frozen coffee concentrate. The process takes place at high temperatures, and then crushed into small crystals.


  • Powder (emulsified). The coffee concentrate after heat treatment is cooled, filtered and then dried with hot air in special thermostats.
  • Granulated. This type of drink is made from a powdered drink. To obtain clear granules from a dry powder, it is subjected to additional steam treatment.

Harm

The harm of instant coffee

To understand whether instant coffee is harmful to humans, you need to consider its composition. Many will be amazed, only 20% of the drink is natural coffee components. The remaining 80% is "solid" chemistry: flavors, additives, colorants and stabilizers.


Scientists have found that benzopyrene resins are present in instant coffee, a large number of caffeine and harmful components. A person who consumes this drink regularly feels a craving for coffee, which eventually becomes addictive.

Many nutritionists classify coffee as a drug class. With a sharp rejection of invigorating coffee, a person experiences physical "withdrawal", which is manifested by irritability, drowsiness, migraine, nausea.

The harm of instant coffee is not excluded for people who are diagnosed with:

  • Diseases of the cardiovascular system
  • Hypertension
  • Digestive diseases
  • Glaucoma
  • Insomnia
  • Pathologies of the genitourinary system
  • Arthritis, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis

Coffee is absolutely contraindicated for children, lactating women. During pregnancy, it is better to replace instant coffee with natural coffee and reduce its consumption to a minimum.

Instant coffee is practically a “chemical bomb”, and drinking a large amount of it per day means exposing the body to constant stress and the harmful effects of synthetic substances and harmful impurities.

Instant coffee during pregnancy and breastfeeding

During lactation, a woman should stop taking instant coffee in favor of herbal teas and dried fruit compotes. A chemical invigorating drink is not the best option for a nursing mother.


  • Overexcites the nervous system (the child becomes irritable, does not sleep well)
  • Causes allergic reactions (problems with stools, redness and peeling of the skin)
  • Removes useful elements from the body, washes out calcium

Why is instant coffee useful for pregnant women? This drink cannot bring obvious benefits to the expectant mother, and the harm of non-natural coffee is significant. If you want to bear a healthy baby and always feel healthy and alert, you should give up instant coffee. Even for a healthy person, this drink is harmful, and in this position, a woman needs to think “for two”, using only natural products without harmful chemical components.

Benefit

Benefits of instant coffee

To reduce the harmful effects of instant coffee on the body, it is useful to drink it no more than 2 cups per day. Coffee stimulates the nervous system, gives energy and improves mood. The caffeine contained in this drink increases blood pressure and activates brain activity.


Instant coffee affects the genitourinary system, removes fluid from the body, relieving edema. However, you should be careful with the amount of coffee consumed - along with excess liquid, it “washes out” calcium and other useful trace elements from the body.

What is the benefit of instant coffee for a person? Moderate use of it improves metabolism, increases blood pressure, slightly stimulates intestinal motility. This completes the beneficial properties of the drink.

How to check the quality of instant coffee

To reduce the harm of instant coffee, you need to be able to choose the right drink. Its quality depends on the type of coffee beans and the amount of chemical ingredients used in production.

In the composition of instant coffee, unscrupulous manufacturers add chicory, extracts from cereals, acorn powder, palm or coconut oil instead of coffee beans. Such a drink no longer claims to be called coffee, but should be called a coffee drink.

There is a good way to test instant coffee for quality. In the prepared drink, you need to add a few drops of ordinary medical iodine. If it has acquired a blue tint, you can be sure - this is a drink made up of 80% chemicals. Chemical additives adversely affect the body, and in some cases can even cause intoxication.

Julia Vern 50 806 9

2,100,000,000 cups - that's how much coffee is drunk every day on average in the world! More than half of the total is instant coffee, the benefits and harms of which are tirelessly discussed. People are most often interested in questions: the composition of the product, the specifics of production, who and why should not drink, is it possible to drink at all without harm to health.

Each manufacturer has its own manufacturing technology, which is kept a strict secret. Many buyers do not even suspect that up to 80%, sometimes up to 90%, of the mixture in every 100 g of coffee are additives, and only a small part consists of substandard grains. It is difficult to call such a product natural. And yes, it does taste a lot better. That is why gourmets recommend drinking coffee from their own ground beans.

The raw mass does not have the same aroma, thanks to which the drink has earned the love of millions of lovers. Where does the smell come from? It's all about the numerous flavors that give coffee its characteristic taste and aroma. No wonder they say that there are a lot of chemicals in instant coffee. The composition of these amplifiers is not known to ordinary buyers. Why take away the illusion of happiness from consumers? People are given the very “enchanting” taste from advertising, but this is not the aroma of a drink, but additives similar to natural ones, they exacerbate the harm of instant coffee.

What is it made of and how is it made

In production, the Robusta variety is more often used - it is cheaper and contains more caffeine. Some producers mix it with more expensive quality Arabica.

Quite often, natural rejected grains are released from the caffeine-containing shell, which enter the production of medicines and energy drinks.

That is why often a person does not feel cheerful after drinking such instant coffee, but on the contrary, wants to sleep. Roasted "naked" grains are crushed, filled with hot water and heated under high pressure. After 3 hours, the infusion is cooled, the water is drained.

There are two ways to make coffee:

  1. High temperature - the mixture is subjected to high temperature and a powder is obtained, which is left as it is or steamed to obtain granules;
  2. Low-temperature - the mixture is subjected to freezing and further crushing, after which it is placed in a vacuum - excess moisture evaporates here. This method is also called.

Producers of expensive coffee, using high-quality grains in their production, choose the sublimation method for making instant coffee.

Harm to the body

We can talk about whether instant coffee is harmful based on two aspects - psychological and physical. Psychological is important when addiction occurs. The drink is associated with relaxation, a beautiful life. It brings instant pleasure, but it quickly passes, in order to fill this void, a person drinks more and more. Over time, the problem worsens - it is difficult to wake up in the morning without a cup of this drink. Gradually, problems begin to appear at the physical level.

  • Instant coffee is an insidious enemy for many body systems. For what exactly? Here are just some examples.
  • Nervous system. The central nervous system is negatively affected. Considering that there is an accumulation, there is an addiction at the physical level. Some experts see this as the effect of the drug. A person without a cup of coffee cannot fully work, feels tired, irritated, sleepy. Steady deviations in behavior are formed, the coffee lover is prone to depression and anxiety.
  • GIT. Coffee oxidizes the body. Subsequently, this is fraught with gastric diseases, such as gastritis, ulcers. In addition, it is a heavy product for the liver and pancreas. It is not recommended to drink coffee on an empty stomach - intoxication of the body occurs. It is better to drink it 30-50 minutes after eating.
  • Urinary system. Coffee dehydrates the body because it has a diuretic effect. The calcium is washed out. It is recommended to drink a glass of water 10-15 minutes after drinking coffee.
  • Heart. The drink is bad for the "cores". Can turn healthy people into "cores" when abused. Especially harmful in combination with a cigarette.

Who should not drink instant coffee

It is enough to remember what instant coffee is made of, that many people cannot drink it. There are several main risk groups.

  • Pregnant and lactating. The risk of fetal death in the womb is greatly increased. Harm to fetal development. The physical development of the child is slowed down. The child develops neurological problems, emotional instability.
  • "Hearts". The pressure rises, the heart may begin to “flutter”, the rhythm goes astray, shortness of breath appears.
  • Drivers. Many cans of inexpensive instant coffee are low in caffeine. After drinking a cup or two, the driver gets behind the wheel, after 15-20 minutes he is already feeling sleepy. In addition, this drink contributes to the deposition of kidney stones. It is better to drink a cup of natural coffee brewed in a Turk.
  • Elderly. There is insomnia, hypertension.
  • Children. Appears aggressiveness, excessive excitement, imbalance.

Are there any benefits to coffee?

Despite the many disadvantages of instant coffee, its use is only growing every year. The secret lies in the advantages of the product:

  • easy and quick to prepare;
  • stored for a long time;
  • smells good.

Are these advantages so significant in order to drink a drink, threatening your health? The answer to the question is ambiguous.

Is there a benefit?

Apart from the question of whether instant coffee is harmful to health, it is logical to try to find at least some benefit in it. Yes, there are some benefits of drinking this drink, although some believe that this is a controversial issue. The first thing they talk about is a good mood and cheerfulness that a cup of coffee gives in the morning. But here the point is rather not in the taste of the drink, but in its aroma, which tickles the nostrils and penetrates the brain. Psychology also plays a big role. Many coffee lovers have turned the “drinking” of this drink into a ritual. It is difficult to get rid of a habit, because it gives pleasure. Such a vicious circle.

How to reduce harm to the body

Attention! It is believed that the harm of coffee will decrease if you drink it with milk. Yes, but we mean natural coffee beans. How about giving up your favorite instant coffee? If there is no power, then it is not necessary. In the end, if you really want to, then you can.

BUT! It is necessary to reduce the harm done to the body. How to do it?

  • As mentioned above, do not drink on an empty stomach and drink a glass of cool water after each cup of coffee.
  • Limit the consumption of instant coffee per day, buy smaller cups.
  • You can replace instant coffee with ground beans.

So, instant coffee in large doses is harmful. But if you follow the measure, nothing bad will happen. Everyone has their own measure, but in this case it should not exceed one or two cups a day.

People have loved coffee since ancient times. This drink has many fans, but there are also many who are sure that coffee is extremely harmful to the body. The truth, as usual, is out there somewhere. What exactly is the effect of coffee on the body? Let's figure it out!

There are different types of raw materials. The classic is made from roasted grains. The effect on the body is somewhat different, because this drink has a different composition. Another variety is green grains, about which there are many myths.

Composition of the product

The main ingredient is caffeine. It has a stimulating effect, the consequence of which is an increase in activity. Synthetic analogues of caffeine activate the vasomotor and respiratory centers of the brain, increase the activity of the cortex, and accelerate the transmission of nerve impulses.

The effect of coffee on the body is also due to other substances, an important place among them is occupied by alkaloids of caffeine and theophylline.

Roasted coffee beans also contain:

  • tannins - give a bitter taste;
  • caffeol (this component enhances blood circulation, lowers cholesterol);
  • necessary for the walls of blood vessels;
  • chlorogenic acid (important for protein metabolism);
  • essential oils that provide a unique aroma and taste.

Scientists have found more than a thousand biologically active substances in coffee beans that affect metabolism. Among them are amino acids, alkaloids, organic acids. The effect of coffee consumption on the human body is determined by the totality of all ingredients.

Many have heard of theobromine in coffee. The effect on the body of this component is similar to the effect of caffeine: it stimulates the work of the heart, nervous and respiratory systems. This component is indispensable in a stressful situation: it helps to cope with nervous tension, numbs pain, makes it possible to concentrate and find the right solution. But if you want to improve your health with theobromine, look for it in cocoa or chocolate: most types of coffee are actually practically free of this substance.

Effect on the heart and blood vessels

Drinking a drink briefly raises blood pressure. The pulse quickens immediately. But there is a nuance.

In coffee lovers who regularly drink their favorite drink, this effect is not observed. But for those who drink it very rarely, even a caffeine-free drink raises blood pressure. Doctors also noticed that coffee increases low blood pressure, but normal blood pressure does not. Clinical studies have confirmed that people who drink about 5 cups a day have little or no problems with high or low blood pressure. But it is worth increasing the amount to 6 cups, as persistent hypertension is guaranteed.

People with coronary heart disease should not drink coffee. This is due not only to the effect on the blood vessels, but also to the effect of coffee on the body as a whole. Studies have not established a link between the amount of coffee and susceptibility to heart disease. But modern medicine is quite clear: exceeding the recommended amounts leads to arrhythmias.

The effect of caffeine on blood vessels is rather positive. Drinking a drink in reasonable doses improves blood microcirculation in tissues, strengthens the walls. Many European medical centers for the treatment of heart disease recommend drinking several cups daily in addition to a low cholesterol diet for atherosclerosis.

It should be understood that moderate coffee consumption in no way harms the heart. In any case, there is no clinical and laboratory evidence of its harm. Drink a couple of cups a day and do not worry about the health of the cardiovascular system.

Effect on the nervous system

Caffeine also stimulates nervous activity: efficiency increases, fatigue decreases, a feeling of cheerfulness comes, the thought process is activated.

With daily consumption of 4 cups, the risk of developing Parkinson's disease is significantly reduced.

We must not forget about the negative impact of coffee on the body, in particular on the nervous system. Excessive stimulation of it is fraught with exhaustion. This pattern was studied by IP Pavlov at the beginning of the 20th century. Exceeding the recommended doses of coffee can have the following consequences:

  • lethargy;
  • drowsiness;
  • prostration;
  • lethargy;
  • depressive states.

Influence on the genitourinary system

This drink has a pronounced diuretic effect. It is necessary to monitor the amount of fluid consumed. Regularly replace the loss of fluid, especially in the heat. The diuretic property can be used: it is recommended to drink the drink during colds and ailments.

It should be remembered that with increased urination, the body actively loses calcium.

Impact on the digestive system

Drinking on an empty stomach is not recommended. Caution should be taken with the drink for patients with gastritis and pancreatitis. Remember: a coffee drink irritates the gastric mucosa, increases the production of gastric juice.

There is also a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract - peristalsis is activated.

Impact on the liver

Currently, scientists do not have data on the negative effects of coffee on this organ. But for bile coffee is useful. Just a few cups a day help clear the ducts, which is an excellent prevention of gallstone disease.

coffee and metabolism

Biologically active substances, which are rich in brewed coffee beans, are involved in metabolism. The drink improves antioxidant protection, indirectly affects the reduction of the risk of diabetes.

It is generally accepted that coffee is addictive, but scientists assure that we can only talk about psychological addiction. Stop drinking coffee - and you may feel longing for the pleasant moments that he gave you in the morning or during a break. But you won't feel any breakage.

Under a big question and carcinogenicity. Coffee belongs to the third group (substances about which there is not enough data to refute or confirm the effect on the development of tumors). By the way, talc and mobile phones belong to the same category. A number of scientists believe that coffee does not increase, but reduces the risk of developing tumors. This issue is currently being actively investigated.

It is worth mentioning the effect on cholesterol. The drink indirectly affects the metabolism of fatty acids, lowers cholesterol levels.

instant drink

A soluble drink has a stronger effect on pressure, the secretion of gastric juice. This pleasure is not just not recommended, but is categorically contraindicated for people with gastrointestinal diseases, pregnant women, and adolescents.

We must not forget that many manufacturers use the cheapest raw materials for the production of instant coffee. The quality of natural grain is much higher.

green coffee

You can make a delicious and healthy drink from unroasted grains. Such a product is popular with those who want to lose weight. Its taste and smell are not as expressive and pleasant as those of the usual classics brewed in a Turk. But there are more useful substances in grains that have not been roasted.

The components of green coffee really accelerate the metabolism, which contributes to weight loss. In addition, the drink helps to restore strength for a new workout. But do not hope that the result will come by itself: green coffee only promotes weight loss, and does not magically cause it. Kilograms will go away, but for this you need to try, combining proper nutrition with reasonable physical activity.

The effect of coffee on the female body

There is an opinion that regular consumption of a natural drink reduces the risk of becoming pregnant. You can not consider this drink as a contraceptive, but for ladies trying to conceive a child, it is better to keep consumption to a minimum.

Investigating the effect of coffee on the body found a connection with the formation of tumors of the mammary glands. Benign tumors can dissolve on their own, it is only necessary to reduce caffeine intake.

During menopause, the harm of coffee is associated with calcium leaching. During lactation, the drink is all the more undesirable for the same reason.

If there is a benefit of this drink specifically for the woman's body, then it is currently unknown about it. However, scientists have long confirmed the contribution to weight loss of natural varieties of coffee.

The effect of coffee on the human body

But for men, this drink is useful. Coffee can be attributed to natural aphrodisiacs: it prolongs and enhances potency, stimulates the sex glands. However, this statement is true only for healthy men. Studies have not revealed any positive or negative effect of coffee on impotence.

But you shouldn't get carried away with this drink. Excessive consumption can lead to increased levels of estrogen (female sex hormones). In this regard, instant coffee is also more dangerous than natural coffee.

It is believed that coffee can provoke the progression of prostatitis.

How to and how not to

In reasonable quantities, the drink is harmless. The number of cups depends on many factors. The effect of coffee on the body is also determined by the individual reaction. The average dose should not exceed 3-4 cups per day. For a morning cup, be sure to grab a couple of sandwiches, sweets, gingerbread. At lunchtime, enjoy a drink after your meal.

To increase the benefits of coffee, combine it with other products: milk, cream, ice cream, honey, cinnamon, lemon.

Do not forget that it is absolutely impossible to abuse this drink. An overdose can even lead to death. 15 or more cups of coffee per day will invariably cause a number of negative consequences. These include the following:

  • hallucinations;
  • neurotic phenomena;
  • vomiting;
  • tachycardia;
  • pain in the stomach;
  • convulsions;
  • temperature increase;
  • shortness of breath

Be careful at the end of the day. The effect of coffee on the body, as we already know, is stimulating. A couple of evening cups can turn into insomnia.

As you can see, coffee cannot cause much harm if you drink this drink within reasonable limits.

Instant coffee is not inferior in popularity to the grain version. Many prefer it because of its convenient and quick preparation. A huge part of coffee sales in the world is instant coffee? Since its invention, it has won the hearts of many admirers. And in the days of the Soviet Union, not everyone managed to acquire the coveted jar of instant coffee. It has become scarce. Now we can buy it in any store. Recently, instant coffee is no longer perceived as a full-fledged coffee. They began to scold him for his inexpressive taste and aroma, there was information that he could harm. But still, millions cannot do without it. So what is the harm of instant coffee, and how can it be useful? In fact, if you drink instant coffee, the benefits and harms will be combined in the drink.

A bit of the history of instant coffee

There are several versions of the appearance of instant coffee.

  • Version one. This is the invention of an American chemist with Japanese roots, Satori Kato. There is no exact date for the appearance of this popular invention. According to historians, it could be 1899 or 1901. It is curious that at first Kato came up with instant tea, but it did not become so popular. Soon the inventor suggested using the same technology to produce coffee. It was a truly historic decision. The drink turned out so successful that it soon began to be produced on an industrial scale. By the way, during the First and Second World Wars, it was instant coffee that was included in the mandatory rations of soldiers. He replaced the grain version of coffee, as it was extremely inappropriate in field conditions. But instant coffee, as it turned out, was easy enough to get. The technological process was quickly mastered by many manufacturing companies. After the Second World War, instant coffee quickly entered civilian life.
  • Version two. There is an assumption that the Englishman, chemist George Constant Washington became the inventor of instant coffee. According to this version, George invented the method of making instant coffee by accident. He and his wife were in a coffee shop and enjoyed fragrant fresh coffee. George suddenly noticed that there were barely noticeable dust particles on the silver coffee spoon. It suddenly dawned on him that it was possible to produce coffee that would simply dissolve in water. In 1906, after a series of experiments, the scientist nevertheless brought his idea to life. The drink turned out to be quite tasty and fragrant, so after three years it was put into production.
  • Version three. This is the official version. According to her, the merit of the appearance of instant coffee belongs to the Swiss chemist Max Morgenstaller. Initially, this scientist was simply conducting scientific experiments. He wanted to test the version that coffee is able to half dissolve in water. The result of these experiments was a new type of coffee - instant coffee. In the homeland of coffee, in Brazil, they could not get enough of the generous harvest of precious grains. But there were so many of them that there were large surpluses. They had to be saved somehow. And then Max Morgenstaller proposed to produce instant coffee from them. This happened in 1938, on July 24th. It was on this day that they began to celebrate Instant Coffee Day.

What is it made from

The fact is that the benefits and harms of instant coffee are directly related to the technological process of its manufacture. Instant coffee is produced from beans that are ground, and then the extraction method is used. But did you know that the most popular and high-quality variety, Arabica, is not used for the production of this species? It is used to produce ground coffee. But for the soluble species, they take the Robusta variety. It's cheaper, but stronger. It is an excellent raw material for industrial processing.

Now instant coffee is produced in three ways:

  1. The first way is coffee powder. The easiest option. Instant coffee powder is produced. The grains are first roasted, ground, and then dried and sprayed. The grains are affected by hot water, which is supplied under high pressure. Soluble substances are extracted from the coffee powder, and a strong coffee infusion is obtained. Then this infusion is filtered and sprayed in special chambers. On the fly, the drops of the extract coagulate, dry quickly and turn into a fine powder.
  2. The second way is coffee in granules. Granulated coffee is much more expensive, but at the same time, its taste and aroma are almost the same as those of powder coffee. Get it in the same way as the powder. But then the process has a continuation. To obtain granules, the powder is re-processed with hot steam. Then it is knocked down into small dense lumps - granules. The cost of this type of coffee rises precisely because of the additional steps in the technological process. In addition, the experts came to the conclusion that the additional temperature effect negatively affects the taste and aroma of coffee granules. In addition, it loses most of its useful qualities. In order to somehow compensate for these shortcomings, manufacturers add coffee oil and flavors to their product.
  3. The third way. Sublimation. It is the most modern. It was opened in 1965. Now it is freeze-dried coffee that is considered the highest quality instant coffee. The beans are roasted to make a strong coffee infusion. Then it is frozen, the ice evaporates, and the coffee crystals are dried under vacuum. At the same time, not only the taste, color and aroma of coffee are preserved, but also its beneficial properties.

How to choose quality instant coffee

Instant coffee, in which harm and benefit are inextricably combined, must be chosen correctly. If you want to buy really good quality instant coffee, don't go cheap. The cheaper the product, the more it will contain all kinds of additives. To make your product cheaper, dyes, flavors, chicory or barley are added to it. But expensive instant coffee is produced quite conscientiously. However, flavors are added to it. Do not believe the inscription, which says that the jar contains 100% coffee. Do not be surprised, but the share of coffee in the total mass is no more than 15%.

The highest quality coffee is insoluble. It does contain trace elements, vitamins and antioxidants. Such a drink is able to cheer up, it stimulates the production of serotonin (it is also called the "hormone of happiness"). Quality coffee can even extend life, scientists have found. Fans of this drink are less susceptible to stress, depression, it even helps to fight overweight. But in order for coffee to help cope with extra pounds, you can’t add anything to it, not even sugar. You need to drink only black natural coffee. It contains only 3 calories. If you drink it before a workout or other physical activity, fat will be burned better. But in order to restore strength, nutritionists recommend drinking coffee with the addition of milk or cream.

As you can see, the benefits of coffee are undeniable. But instant coffee will be useful only if you have chosen a really high-quality product. But how to choose high-quality instant coffee? Checking the quality of the purchased product is quite simple. Prepare some drink and drop regular iodine into it (just a few drops). If there are impurities and all kinds of additives in coffee, it will quickly turn blue. If the drink has not changed its shade, then you are lucky and you bought a quality product.

Instant coffee: benefits and harms

From the moment instant coffee was introduced, all sorts of rumors began to circulate about it. There was an opinion that the instant version of coffee can harm the body. Others, on the contrary, believed that it could only bring benefits. Now it has become a popular opinion that there are significantly fewer useful substances in instant coffee than in grain form. As coffee is exposed to high temperatures during the manufacturing process, it loses most of its aromatic oils. Because of this, instant coffee becomes non-aromatic, and its taste becomes inexpressive. To fix this, manufacturers add flavors and flavor enhancers to their product. These additives bring the taste characteristics closer to regular coffee beans. Is this opinion really correct? How harmful is instant coffee? Can it be useful?

Which coffee is better to choose - instant or ground

To understand the difference between instant and ground coffee, you need to understand how they are produced. Ground coffee is the result of grinding roasted coffee beans. This is the most common option. This coffee is very easy to prepare - you need to roast the grains, grind, and then brew coffee from the resulting coffee powder.

Instant coffee is obtained as a result of the following technological process. First, the grains are also roasted and ground. This is how coffee extract is obtained. Then the powder is dried. Two methods are used for this - water is frozen in it or it is exposed to hot air. The result is a completely natural product. The choice of drying method does not affect its quality in any way.

We must understand and come to terms with the fact that instant coffee has gained its colossal worldwide popularity not at all due to some amazing taste or amazing aroma. First of all, it is appreciated for its convenient way of brewing. It is not always possible to brew coffee. And then the soluble option comes to the rescue. To prepare it, you do not need to stand at the stove or use a coffee machine. You just need to fill it with hot water. True connoisseurs of a fragrant drink have long understood that instant coffee is seriously inferior to fresh, ground beans. The taste of the drink from grains is much softer and more pleasant. In addition, it retains more useful substances. It is coffee beans that gives a charge of vivacity, stimulates the work of the brain and central nervous system, as well as cardiac activity. The soluble analogue is noticeably inferior in these indicators.

Now let's dwell on the opinion that flavors, preservatives and dyes are used in instant coffee. In fact, it is not always possible to find them there. Responsible world-famous coffee producers will not use these substances. They are applied only if the technological process has been violated. Therefore, it is better to choose a product from large well-known companies. Owners of well-known world brands can vouch for the quality of their products.

Instant coffee: harm

Diuretic effect

Opponents of coffee and nutritionists emphasize that coffee can have a diuretic effect, that is, it has a diuretic effect. It's true. Coffee really for a short time stimulates increased excretion of fluid from the body. By the way, the use of coffee for weight loss is based on this effect. It removes excess fluid from the body and thus loses excess weight. If you did not plan to lose weight, and the diuretic effect is undesirable, it can be compensated very simply. It is enough to drink a glass of water half an hour after drinking a cup of coffee. The same can be done an hour before you enjoy another cup of magical drink.

The harm of the diuretic effect is that fluid loss can lead to dehydration. But in order for it to come, you need to drink coffee simply in colossal quantities and at the same time no longer consume absolutely no liquid. And in this way, useful substances can be washed out of the body in a fairly large amount. But in order to achieve this, you need to drink at least 5 cups of a very strong drink per day. If you use it in moderate doses (2-3 cups of a weak drink per day), you will not be affected by such an effect. At the same time, the mild diuretic effect of coffee becomes even useful. It improves metabolic processes in the body, without affecting the established water-salt balance.

How coffee affects the concentration of calcium in the body

Again, everything will depend on the daily dose of coffee that you keep. At a normal rate, coffee simply cannot remove calcium from the body and harm bone tissue or tooth enamel. If you are afraid that the body will still begin to lose calcium, which is so important for it, then use a very simple advice - drink coffee with milk. Milk contains a lot of the calcium you need, which is easy to digest. So you will not only save your reserves of this mineral, but also significantly replenish them. By the way, instant coffee goes well with milk or cream. You should also include dairy products and cottage cheese in your diet. Curdled milk, yogurt, kefir and fermented baked milk are very rich in calcium.

Addiction

Opponents of coffee argue their dislike for this drink by the fact that it can be addictive. This is not entirely true. In fact, addiction develops not so much from coffee as from the ritual of its preparation. As you know, the main merit of the invigorating effect that coffee has belongs to the alkaloid caffeine. There is a lot of it in this drink. Some believe that caffeine can be addictive. But there is not a single scientific work that would confirm this. Studies on how coffee affects the body have been carried out in many countries. They found some pattern. Indeed, some people just get used to drinking a cup of flavored drink every morning. If they are deprived of this opportunity, they become lethargic, suffer from headaches, weakness, and even mild depression.

Coffee can indeed develop a sort of mild addiction. Its culprit is the alkaloid caffeine, which is contained in this drink in large quantities. It is a powerful body stimulant. It is able to increase efficiency, physical and mental activity. But such dependence is quite rarely physiological. In order for a person to develop physical dependence, he must drink strong coffee simply in huge quantities. Most often, a psychological form of dependence develops. By the way, addiction can develop both from instant and ground coffee. To avoid it, you need to drink coffee in reasonable quantities. Scientists have conducted serious studies and found that a safe dose of coffee for a healthy adult is only 1-2 cups. However, it should not be too strong. In this case, addiction will not appear. For a healthy person without chronic diseases, drinking a small amount of coffee is not only safe, but even beneficial. Coffee helps maintain vigor, improves mental and cardiac activity, stimulates the central nervous system. Curiously, it can improve memory and increase attention. A cup of aromatic coffee, drunk in the morning, will drive away the remnants of sleep and increase working capacity. This is a good incentive that will help you maintain your ability to work at the proper level throughout the working day. The main thing is not to abuse this doping.

But coffee can only harm if you suffer from hypertension, chronic diseases of the cardiovascular or digestive systems. In this case, it is generally better to refuse it. Just replace it with another drink that will help you cheer up. There are enough of them. For example, green and black tea, rosehip, mint tea, fresh citrus juices, etc. have an invigorating effect.

Effect on blood vessels and heart

Coffee can really harm blood vessels and the heart, but only if they are already sick. It is extremely harmful to drink really strong coffee. Large doses of caffeine can cause high blood pressure and disturb the heart rhythm. In order to get a similar negative effect from the drink, you need to drink at least 4-6 cups of strong coffee a day. If you drink no more than two cups, then the caffeine from this aromatic drink, on the contrary, will support the cardiovascular system and even bring the pressure back to normal. This magical drink is especially useful for those who suffer from low blood pressure. This is an easy way to normalize it. But with migraines and hypertension, small doses of caffeine will help to cope with a headache.

Effect on the liver

Information about how coffee affects the liver is quite contradictory. Some believe that nothing but harm can be expected. Others see only positive effects. This is where the amount of caffeine comes into play. A high dose of caffeine and its long-term use can indeed cause toxic hepatitis. But in order for it to develop, you need to drink simply unimaginable doses of coffee for a long time. At the same time, liver cells will also destroy other drinks, such as strong black tea, alcohol, and nicotine. But moderate doses of caffeine will even prevent such a terrible disease as cirrhosis. And for those who already suffer from this disease, caffeine may even be a medicine that can prolong their lives.

Influence on the gastrointestinal tract

Instant coffee can negatively affect the digestive tract. This is due to the fact that it often uses additives that irritate the gastric mucosa. With excessive use of instant coffee, especially low quality, you can even provoke the development of gastritis or ulcers. After it, heartburn and disruption of the stomach are often observed. To avoid negative effects, it is better to add milk to the drink. It prevents irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Cholesterol level

Among nutritionists, there is an opinion that coffee can increase blood cholesterol levels. But this effect will be observed only if ground coffee is really abused. It contains the substances caveol and cafestol. They can indeed increase the degree of absorption in the large intestine of cholesterol. Because of this, its level in the blood plasma may increase. But in instant coffee, these substances are not at all. Therefore, it cannot provoke an increase in cholesterol levels in any way.

As you can see, 2-3 cups of instant coffee a day can even provide some benefit. The main thing is not to forget about the sense of proportion. Remember that caffeine is classified as a medicinal substance. As with any medicine, it is strictly forbidden to exceed the recommended dose. Otherwise, the medicine can quickly turn into poison. Instant coffee combines both harmful and beneficial properties. The main thing is to buy a quality product. Experts, however, still recommend using natural coffee beans, and brew instant coffee only when it is simply not possible to brew coffee from beans.

A fragrant instant drink has firmly entered the lives of thousands of people. Until now, disputes have not ceased about what is more significant: the benefits or harms of instant coffee. This product can hardly be called natural, although it is obtained from ordinary coffee beans.

Instant coffee production technology

Its benefits and harms partly depend on the method of making instant coffee. Initially, coffee tree grains are roasted, then crushed and treated with boiling water. The resulting concentrated composition is dried.

The drying process divides instant coffee into 3 types:

  1. powder - a concentrated drink is sprayed with hot air, the product dries quickly in the form of a powder;
  2. granulated- dried powdered coffee, again moistened with water to form coffee granules;
  3. sublimated- the concentrate is frozen, the resulting crystals are dehydrated in a vacuum.

Powdered coffee is one of the most inexpensive, the price of a granular drink is slightly higher, the sublimated type of invigorating liquid is the most expensive of the soluble ones.

Which type to choose

The best instant coffee is sublimated coffee. Its taste is closest to natural grain.

A "frozen" warming drink, due to the method of preparation, is more expensive than other varieties. The maximum benefit and slight harm of freeze-dried coffee compared to powdered and granulated coffee is explained by the fact that more natural components remain in the ground grains during the freezing process.

Why instant coffee is not good

After all the manipulations with coffee beans - roasting, grinding, turning the mixture into powder, treating with hot water, drying or sublimation - they are deprived of aromatic oils that give the drink a persistent aroma and pleasant taste. To restore the characteristic odor, the resulting composition is enriched with additives and synthetic components.

For the manufacture of everyone's favorite drink, mainly cheap varieties of grains and low-quality raw materials are used - the Robusta variety. Natural coffee beans, as a rule, in the package no more than 15%.

Harm from drinking

Instant coffee, when consumed daily, can adversely affect many systems in your body.

  • Nervous system. The coffee lover cannot wake up without a cup of freshly prepared drink, without it he feels tired, overwhelmed, sleepy, irritated, there is a feeling of anxiety. It becomes addictive, a person is prone to depression.
  • Urinary system. Coffee is considered a diuretic. It dehydrates the human body, washes out calcium.
  • Gastrointestinal tract. The product has high acidity, which can lead to gastritis, ulcers and other stomach diseases. It is advisable to drink it 30-50 minutes after eating.
  • Heart. With the abuse of an invigorating liquid, a healthy person can turn into a "core", especially when a strong drink and a cigarette are combined.

For the male body, coffee is more dangerous than for the female. It negatively affects the process of childbearing.

Who should not drink a warming drink

  • Pregnant and lactating women - coffee negatively affects the development of the fetus, neuralgic problems appear.
  • People with heart disease - increases blood pressure, leads to shortness of breath.
  • Children - emotional instability, aggressiveness, imbalance and excessive excitement are possible.

For older men and women, a refreshing drink can cause insomnia.

Are there any advantages?

The impressive negative aspects of drinking a coffee drink do not prevent it from gaining popularity every year. The advantages include:

  • long-term storage;
  • ease of preparation;
  • brewing speed;
  • pleasant aroma and invigorating taste.

Caffeine has a short stimulating effect on the body.

Rules for reducing the harm from coffee

There are several tricks to reduce the negative impact of instant coffee on the human body.

  • It is better to drink it with milk - this is how calcium leaching is compensated, the acidity of the drink will decrease, the taste will improve, and the enamel of the teeth will be less stained.
  • Do not drink a grain product on an empty stomach, and after each cup of fragrant liquid, drink a glass of clean cool water.
  • Limit consumption rates, you can replace large cups with smaller ones.

The most correct decision would be to prefer freshly ground natural coffee beans to an instant drink.

How to choose

Good coffee should be packed in glass or tin containers. The integrity of the packaging is important.

To check the quality of an instant drink, you can resort to two tricks.

  1. Add a teaspoon of coffee to cold water. If the product is of high quality, then the grains will completely dissolve, without unnecessary impurities.
  2. Prepare some coffee, add a few drops of iodine to it. By turning it into a blue liquid, you can be sure that additives are present.

A quality product made from coffee beans cannot be cheap.

3 in 1: benefit or harm

Coffee three in one is a mixture of instant coffee, sugar and dried cream. Such a portioned product is convenient, stored for a long time, quickly and easily prepared. In addition to the obvious advantages, there are also disadvantages of this semi-finished product.

  • As part of a low-quality drink, coffee is present either in negligible doses, or is replaced by chicory, barley,. This type is perfect for people who are contraindicated in caffeine.
  • The presence of a large amount of vegetable cream in bags, which significantly increases its shelf life, unlike natural dry cream. Formulated with vegetable fats, milk protein, creamy flavors, milky colorants, emulsifiers and stabilizers to give the flavored liquid the right consistency.

As you can see, there is definitely no benefit in such a drink. But with an infrequent replacement of natural coffee 3 in 1, there will be no harm to health. The main thing is to buy not the cheapest packaged product, carefully inspect the wrapper and study the composition before purchasing. One-piece packaging without damage, with a clearly readable composition, in which coffee is in the first place - a quality drink three in one.

Instant coffee is a fragrant and invigorating liquid, which can only be harmful to health in large doses. It is worth observing the measure and not drinking more than one or two cups a day.