What Are Coffee Beans?

The coffee beans you use to brew your good quality coffee beans are actually seeds of a fruit known as a coffee cherry. The coffee plant is perennial, meaning that it is able to return year after year.

Consuming coffee beans in moderation is recommended as they are high in caffeine and other substances. Learn more about this well-known seed.

Origin

The seeds of the coffee plant are used to create coffee, a drink that is brewed. The beans are among the most popular and lucrative commodities in the world. The coffee plants are evergreen, woody shrubs that flourish in tropical climates. The Bean Belt includes the areas that surround the Tropic of Cancer, and the Tropic of Capricorn.

The most widely-known myth of coffee's origin is that of the goat herder Kaldi in Ethiopia. He noticed that his herd was particularly energetic after eating the bright red berries of certain coffee plants. Kaldi shared his findings with an abbot at a nearby monastery, who made a drink using the berries. The positive energy of the berries spread.

Today, coffee beans are derived from two major varieties of the Coffea plant: Arabica and Robusta. Robusta is most commonly found in Africa and Indonesia and is generally less expensive than arabica. In addition to the main varieties, there are smaller, specialty beans that are a mix of arabica and robusta. They are known as peaberries and are much more flavorful than regular beans.

During roasting, beans can lose their moisture, which can cause them to become stale or bitter. To avoid this, it's crucial to use only fresh, premium beans for your coffee.

Flavor

The four components of flavor- acidity, bitterness, saltiness, sweetness and acidity- are influenced by the bean type, climate, and the method of processing. The amount of these components can create a wide variety of flavor profiles that range from fruity and sweet to nutty and even smoky.

When coffee beans are heated they react with amino acids in their seeds to create hundreds of unique aromatic compounds that alter the taste of the beans. This process is known as the Maillard Reaction and it is the same chemical reaction that happens in all cooking. The result is that the scent of coffee that is roasted reflects these chemical compounds.

While the Maillard Reaction affects the overall flavor of roasts, nonvolatile and volatile compounds are also a part of a coffee's taste. The flavor of a unroasted or green bean could be earthy fruity, floral, or chocolaty. Bitterness can be a result of roasts that are full-bodied and contain more caffeine. However, it could also be due to improper processing or storage.

Flavored coffee beans come with flavor oils that preserve the beans and give them a distinct scent and flavor. These flavored oils are a combination of natural and chemical flavors that can include everything from vanilla to cinnamon to chocolate. The flavors bond to beans with the help of a chemical compound that is called polyphenol.

Health Benefits

Coffee beans arntain the natural stimulant, caffeine. The amount of caffeine in coffee varies based on how it is roasted, prepared and brewed. There are a few guidelines that can help you pick the right coffee.

The average online coffee beans bean contains around 2 milligrams of caffeine. However, the exact amount can vary depending on its size and the intensity at which it has been roasted. There is a widespread misconception that coffee beans roasted in darker roasts contain more caffeine than lighter-roasted ones. This is not true. A dark roast coffee bean has less caffeine than lighter roasts due to its lower density, however the total amount of caffeine will be the same.

The daily limit recommended for caffeine is 400 milligrams. A typical cup of coffee has 95 milligrams. If you are not sensitive to caffeine keeping within this range should not have any negative consequences. Caffeine does not cause harm to people who aren't sensitive. However, it is important to monitor how much caffeine you consume and to be cautious about overdoing.