Coffee

The creation of flavored coffee is not simple at all.
There are mainly three factors that influence the production of the best flavored coffee. Two are the basic ingredients, the third one is the production method:

• ingredient no. 1: the selection of coffee
• ingredient no. 2: the quality of flavors
• the procedure used to process the above ingredients

1. INGREDIENT NO.1: COFFEE

A first key difference to highlight is about the coffee beans. The type of bean used to make flavored coffee greatly impacts the taste of the finished product. It is estimated that coffee beans contain over 800 different compounds, which contribute to their flavor, including sugars and other
carbohydrates, mineral salts, organic acids, aromatic oils, and methylxanthines, a chemical class which includes caffeine.

Arabica beans are most frequently used for creating the best flavored coffee, due to their low levels of acidity and bitterness. These top quality beans are milder and more flavorful than the harsher Robusta beans, which are used in many commercial and instant coffees.

The most experienced coffee roasters create their best flavored coffee from a blend of beans from various regions, putting in the coffee selection the same care that they reserve to the ‘classic’ coffees.

2. INGREDIENT NO.2: FLAVORINGS

The second key difference is given by the flavorings. The coffee roaster must choose between natural and artificial or ‘Nature Identical’ flavorings.

Best flavored coffee is flavored with 100% natural flavours, while commercial coffee is flavoured with artificial flavorings.

Natural oils used in flavored coffees are extracted from a variety of sources, such as vanilla beans, cocoa beans, and various nuts and berries. Synthetic flavor agents are chemicals which are manufactured on a commercial basis.

When food scientists want to make an imitation of a flavor, they extract its aromatic component from its place in nature, and use a spectograph to identify the molecular structure of the flavor.
As a result, those flavors are so-called ‘Nature Identical’. This means that they are comprised of exactly the same chemical structure as the natural flavors, but they are synthesized artificially.

Given the different sources, although the flavor name on the coffee package may be the same (‘French Vanilla’), the product inside can be vastly different. The natural ingredients are much more intense and persistent: try to flavor the same quantity of coffee with the same amount of flavorings, one sample natural another synthetic, and you will see the difference.

The natural flavors are sold in a liquid form. The not-natural are usually dust.

3. THE PRODUCTION PROCESS

The appropriate amount of flavoring to be used must be determined before flavor oils can be added to the roasted beans. The amount of flavoring required depends primarily on the type of flavor and its intensity, as well as the type of bean used and its roast level.

The quantity of flavours to be applied to the beans is established by experimental trial and error, in which test batches of beans are flavored with small quantities of oil until the desired characteristics are obtained.

Cost constraints also may play a role in determining how much flavor to apply to the coffee, because flavors are relatively expensive, or even very expensive (USD 3,000+ per unit) in case of 100% natural ingredients.

The flavors are usually introduced via a pressurized spray mechanism which breaks the oils into tiny droplets which allows for better mixing. Oils must be added to the beans very gradually to guard against areas of highly concentrated flavor called hot spots. The beans are agitated for a set amount of time to ensure the flavor is evenly spread.

The perfect roast color for flavored coffee is medium to brown.

According to some roasters, after the beans are roasted they must be quickly cooled before flavorings can be added. Flavoring the beans while they are still at high temperatures could destroy some of the flavor compounds. Vice-versa, another ‘school’ says that flavored coffee should be sprayed immediately after roasting, for the best absorption of flavor. Who is right? Every roaster has his own good reasons, experience, lies, and secrets. Nobody will ever share where he finds his mushrooms, right?

Even if the final flavoured coffee must be ground, best flavoured coffees require that flavouring is done before grinding.

And by the way, flavored coffee should never be ground in the same grinder as the not-flavored coffee.

Finally, flavored beans must be stored in a cool, dark place if they are to be used within three or four weeks.

As we have seen, the production of the best flavored coffee is a complex matter. Roaster must give the same care not only to his traditional practice, the roasting, but also to the selection of highest-quality flavoring ingredients. Furthermore, he must be very careful in the recipe of the two ingredients (coffee beans and flavor), and have the flexibility to consider the flavored coffee
not a ‘barbarian’ hybrid, but a brand new weapon to address a different market segment that he would never reach through his classic coffee blends.

Since 1940s, Coffee’IT is an Italian roaster of rare espresso and mocha coffees, marketed through importers, wholesalers, distributors, agents, and coffee professionals.
Visit Coffee’IT at Flavored Coffee for more information.

Author: Andrea Tonacchera
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you are a coffee lover but you are worried about the bad effects of coffee on your health, then gano coffee may perhaps be just the ideal solution for you. Well there are people who drink coffee feel that it is an unhealthy habit. Indeed, many medical research show that although drinking coffee in moderation does not appear to have harmful effects on your body; it is important that people do not forget that the main ingredient in coffee is caffeine, which can be abused even when taken in very small doses and can become an addiction.

In fact, everyone and anyone who drinks coffee regularly will attest to the fact that they simply cannot function a day without a cup of hot coffee. So can drinking coffee in moderation helps prevent addiction? Well, that’s another thing that is beyond the control of coffee bean lovers. What may be moderate drinking according to one person may be well over the limit as far as the harmful health effects are concerned. And even though people know this, no one seems to be in a hurry to give up coffee. But, with the availability of gano coffee, you may not need to.

Gano healthy coffee beans are actually not real coffee beans. They are made from the extract of Ganoderma. This coffee is cultivated and processed using natural and organic methods. Hence no harmful chemicals, artificial enhancers, or pesticides are used in growing gano coffee. The main ingredient in this coffee is Ganoderma Lucidum, which is a substance that has been used since ancient times for its health benefits.

Gano coffee is an alternative type of a coffee only and is not any kind of coffee substitute. It is not a flavored beverage that gives you the taste of coffee but without the added caffeine. Instead, it is a drink that has the natural coffee taste, which is in fact richer and more flavorful than the regular coffee.

Gano coffee also provides you with a ‘kick’, which does not come from caffeine like in regular coffee, but from its main component – Ganoderma. This substance also provides energy which is absent from the caffeinated variety.

Gano coffee has a lower content of caffeine as compared to other types of coffee. It is also better than decaffeinated coffees. This is one good reason why gano coffee is gaining in popularity around the world. So try it yourself now to experience the goodness of gano coffee.

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Christopher Wen is the webmaster for [http://www.greenhealthcoffeeclub.com/] where he provides you articles, info, and news on coffee and coffee related info.

Author: Chris Wen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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You’ll be pleased to learn that many of the foods and drinks you love are not just “okay” as an occasional indulgence–they’re good for you! Let’s begin with coffee and tea…and I invite you to read my related articles on wine and beer, and on chocolate.

Coffee is made from the roasted and ground seeds of several tropical trees or shrubs of the genus Coffea.

An Arabian legend tells of a goatherd who made a beverage from berries growing on strange shrubs, and after drinking it experienced extraordinary lucidity and wakefulness. The shrubs were said to have been planted by the descendants of the Queen of Sheba, who came from Ethiopia, where Coffea arabica originates.

Nearly 20,000 scientific studies to date have been conducted on coffee or caffeine. Here, in a nutshell, are the results: not only is drinking coffee in moderation no threat to health, it actually can be a boon. It is harmless even during pregnancy, and children are no more sensitive to caffeine than adults.

The average American consumes about 200 milligrams of caffeine daily, roughly the equivalent of two cups of coffee (a figure that of course includes those who drink none at all). “Moderate” consumption is generally defined as 300 mg daily–two to five cups of coffee, or four to eight cups of hot tea, depending on the size of the cup.

Which has more caffeine, coffee or tea? It depends. On a pound-for-pound basis, tea has more. But because less tea is required to make a cup of tea, generally a cup of coffee has more caffeine–approximately twice as much. There are also significant variations in the variety of coffee or tea and the brewing method used. Dark-roasted coffees may contain less caffeine than more lightly roasted beans; arabica beans tend to have less caffeine and milder flavor than robusta.

“Decaffeinated” coffee and tea contain about 5 mg per cup.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. While individuals vary in their sensitivity to caffeine, some generalizations apply. Caffeine can increase the speed of rapid information processing, alertness, energy, endurance, motivation, and concentration. All this has important implications especially for night shift workers and for drivers, as well as for anyone wanting to remain productive on the job after lunch. This alertness-enhancing effect also can relieve the malaise associated with the common cold. (Now, that’s good news for those of us who prefer coffee but feel obligated to switch to herbal tea with the onset of a sore throat or stuffy nose!)

Caffeine soothes headaches by constricting blood vessels in the brain, which in turn reduces cranial pressure. So it’s no surprise that it’s an active ingredient in headache relievers.

Some studies have linked caffeine consumption to a decline in levels of depression and anxiety.

Caffeine has long been known to help asthmatics, many of whom have found regular consumption of coffee to have a moderating effect on attacks. That’s no surprise, either, thanks to the ingredient theophylline–a drug prescribed for symptomatic relief of bronchial asthma.

Higher caffeine intake is associated with a significantly lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease. That’s because caffeine intake reduces the amount of dopamine depletion, one of the characteristics of Parkinson’s.

Last but not least, caffeine stimulates metabolism.

Caffeine aside, coffee has a complex chemical composition. A characteristic of many plants is the abundance of compounds with antioxidant properties, and coffee is no exception. Flavonoids are particularly widespread in plants and likewise important in disease protection.

Antioxidants reduce the risk of cancer and prevent good (HDL) cholesterol from turning into bad (LDL) cholesterol, a cause of heart disease. Antioxidants neutralize the effect of “free radicals,” highly reactive molecules that travel around the body causing chemical chain reactions that can damage cells, by binding with the extra electrons. Free radicals also have been implicated in strokes, cancer, and the aging process. Substances with antioxidant activity are found to be generated in the roasting process.

Coffee is a good dietary source of potassium. That makes coffee a good choice as a diuretic; potassium loss is an undesirable side effect of most diuretics. Coffee can reduce the risk of cirrhosis of the liver.

Tea is made from the leaves of a shrub of the Camellia genus.

The Chinese first gathered tea leaves in the wild, and have cultivated the tea plant at least as far back as 350 AD. The court of England’s Charles II in the 17th century established tea as a fashionable drink for the elite.

The firing, fermenting, and/or oxidizing that is done to the leaves determines whether the tea will be green, black, or oolong.

Tea is a source of vitamins A and B6, thiamin, and riboflavin; nicotinic, pantothenic, ascorbic, and folic acids; manganese, potassium, and fluoride.

Flavonoids are found in all types of tea; green tea has the highest concentration. Tea is being studied for its benefits in enhancing immune function, lowering LDL and raising HDL levels, reducing blood pressure, thinning blood, reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer, increasing longevity, aiding digestion, and promoting dental health.

There is convincing evidence for a protective effect of both coffee and tea against colorectal cancers, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. High coffee intake decreases the excretion of bile acids, which are suspected carcinogens to the colon. Because of its diuretic properties, caffeine may help lower the risk of bladder cancer.

Greater intakes of coffee and tea, both regular and decaffeinated, were associated with a decreased risk of kidney stone formation, significantly more so than water. (A slight advantage was found in caffeine-containing coffee over decaffeinated.) Interestingly, increased consumption of apple and grapefruit juices correlated with increased risk of stone formation.

One study has found that people who drink coffee are less likely to suffer heart disease than are tea drinkers. This may not, however, be a straight cause-and-effect relationship: possibly people who choose to drink coffee have more youthful/healthful lifestyles in other respects.

Science has debunked the dark myths that caffeine contributes to breast cancer, bladder cancer, ulcers, indigestion, and osteoporosis.

Is there any reason not to consume caffeine? In some patients, caffeine is associated with temporary rises in blood pressure, so people with high blood pressure might be advised to avoid caffeine during high-stress times.

Moreover, those more sensitive to caffeine may not be able to drink coffee or tea late in the day because caffeine delays the onset of sleep. Worse, some people may not be aware that they are not as rested the following day as they should be, and thus may be more prone to fatigue-related accidents.

Is it possible to become addicted to caffeine? Coffee drinkers do not exhibit the behaviors that define addiction–severe withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, the need to consume the addictive substance at all costs, and antisocial behavior including crimes. Neither coffee nor other products containing caffeine are classified by drug dependence experts as addictive.

Nevertheless, giving up caffeine suddenly can be unpleasant. The most common withdrawal symptoms include headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, irritability, depression, and flu-like feelings. Weaning oneself gradually–say, over a week–should minimize the discomfort.

So drink up–without the guilt.

About The Author
Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer with a specialty in business and marketing communications. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching, and has a particular interest in health matters. She is also a graduate of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI), Americas leading course on copywriting. Contact Lisa J. Lehr Copywriting www.ljlcopywriting.com, for help with your business writing needs. This article Lisa J. Lehr 2005.

Author: Lisa J. Lehr
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Creating the perfect cup of coffee is not easy. Sometimes, it is burned or the grinds are not brewed long enough. In the United States, millions of people start their day with a simple cup of black coffee. Some individuals prefer their coffee black, others like sugar and cream, but different recipes and coffee beans are necessary to have a more invigorating coffee experience.

Caffeine is the primary ingredient in coffee; an ingredient that heightens our senses and rejuvenates our body. However, to create your own personal favorite cup of coffee you need to know the basics. It all starts with the bean. Unlike teas, there is a virtually unlimited amount of different coffee beans available around the world.

Beans are grown in Asia, Africa, South America and a variety of other places. Although you can purchase coffee beans already ground, the best cup of coffee comes from freshly roasted beans. The Arabica coffee plant produces one of the most popular coffee beans in the world. Many coffee experts suggest using the Arabica coffee bean for a premium gourmet coffee. The Arabica bean is considered to be superior in quality when compared to virtually all other types of coffee beans. In addition to the Arabica bean, the Robusta is also a very popular type of coffee bean. If you prefer a higher caffeine content coupled with more acidic taste, then the Robusta coffee bean is perfect for you. It is also inexpensive and will save you money when making your personal gourmet coffee.

Once you have chosen the right coffee bean it must be roasted at the perfect temperature. If it is not roasted correctly, the beans will lose their freshness and taste. A perfectly roasted coffee bean batch will bring out the rich and full flavors. Their are two methods of roasting coffee: light roast or dark roast. Lightly roasted coffee beans hold their original, unique and natural taste. Darkly roasted coffee beans expose the taste of the actual roasting, rather than the natural taste of the bean itself.

Once the right coffee bean and type of roast has been chosen, one must remember to always grind the coffee beans immediately before brewing the coffee which helps maintain the freshness of the beans.

Now that you have your personal favorite type of coffee bean, selected your type of roast and just ground the coffee, you have a variety of recipes to make a gourmet coffee. Recipes include cakes, alcoholic drinks, desserts, ice cream, cookies and of course coffee drinks. Coffee is a versatile ingredient in a variety of recipes. However, if you prefer just the coffee, you can make iced coffees, mochas, espressos, cappuccinos and my favorite, Irish coffee.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Coffee [http://coffee-guides.com]

Author: Michael Russell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Caffeine is the single most important ingredient in one of the most consumed beverage in the world. For millions around the world, coffee is the drink that jump-starts the day. It is a combination of the addictive nature and the energy rush that keeps people loyal to their “joe”. Why is coffee so popular?

It is theorized that coffee originally began in Ethiopia. However, Ethiopians did not actually drink coffee. Rather than grind and dilute the beans, Ethiopians used animal fat as a wrap and consumed the beans as a meal. It was the Turkish who were first to grind the beans and consume coffee as a drink. In Arabia, the exportation of coffee was considered illegal because they so highly valued their coffee beans and wanted coffee circulated only within their country. It wasn’t until the 1500s that coffee entered Europe. It is John Smith who is credited with importing coffee to North America during 1607. In 1773, the infamous “Boston Tea Party” left all of America without tea leaving only coffee as the main beverage.

Currently, coffee is grown in a variety of different locations, including up to 50 various countries. Brazil is the number one supplier of coffee worldwide. Columbia is the second largest supplier of coffee. America drinks, consumes and purchases more than one third of all of the world’s coffee. Hawaii is the only American state that grows coffee. Because a warm and humid temperature is necessary to grow coffee, all of the world’s coffee is grown close to the Earth’s equator. Regions close to the equator growing coffee include: Latin America, Africa, Arabia and Asia/Pacific.

There are some coffees that are a multi-regional blend, which combine regions such as Latin America and Africa to create a unique mixture of coffee. Among the many variety of coffee beans, the two most popular and commercially cultivated are the Arabica and Robusta bean. It is the Arabica bean that is more valued yet contains less caffeine. The Robusta bean is more commercially valued, contains more caffeine and produces a less valuable form of coffee because it is inexpensive.

While it’s a widely known fact that the main ingredient in coffee i.e. caffeine, is a stimulant, it also contains an unknown chemical factor that produces cortisol and adrenaline. Additionally, some people are allergic to caffeine. But there is hope. Decaffeinated coffee has most of the caffeine removed from the bean. It should be noted that caffeine is an addictive agent. So be careful and drink your coffee in moderation. There are some healthy advantages to drinking coffee. Drinking coffee in moderation can help prevent some types of cancers: colon, bladder and even cirrhosis of the liver. Although there are benefits to drinking coffee, be sure to note that coffee is by no means a replacement for other medication or supplements that help provide nutrition to the body.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Coffee [http://coffee-guides.com]

Author: Michael Russell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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