Good Coffee: Arabica Coffee
Why is Arabica coffee known as good coffee?
Every day there are more of us who ask ourselves what good coffee is, in fact, in recent years people are talking about good coffee or good coffee. Is there a good coffee and a bad one?
We could say that this is true, there are many coffee plants in the world, although only beans from 4 different species reach us. These four species have different properties which makes one, especially, the true good coffee or good coffee.
We are talking about the Arabica species,
Arabic
This type of coffee stands out from its sisters for its nutritional values, aromas, fragrance and caffeine levels, which makes it attractive to more people every day.
And if you can choose, why not choose a coffee full of aromas, with less caffeine and that feels good to us ?
Arabica currently represents approximately 70% of global coffee production, as Gonzalo Hernández, president of Coffea Diversa, says for Perfect Daily Grind magazine:
“ There is no recipe or general description in terms of the flavor profile of Arabica, depending on the variables. The flavor profile could be chocolatey, spicy, floral, caramel, bright acidity, dry or low acidity, juicy, fruity, etc. ”
This coffee plant from Ethiopia already has more than 90 varieties, all of them arise from the original Typica variety, the other varieties have been natural mutations or genetically selected.
Some of the varieties cultivated today are: Typica, Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Caturra, Catuai, Maragogype, Geisha or Pacas among others.
Harvest periods extend throughout the year depending on the adaptability of the plant to the climatic characteristics of its environment. This is used in the world of specialty coffee roasters to know when to invest in some beans or others .
When roasters refer to Seasonal Blend, this is what they are talking about. although this depends on the business model and its character.
The harvesting period is a critical point in the process . It has been shown that grains harvested at their optimal time taste much better, they have a greater balance between acid, sweet, salty and bitter tones; therefore better aroma.
For this reason, to get good coffee , we choose to harvest it by hand .
It is collected by the kilo, so producers must be especially careful with the collectors. Harvesting by hand takes up a large part of the production costs.
But the process does not end here, after harvesting you have to separate the good seeds from the chopped seeds. There are two methods: by hand or in water tanks, as with olives, the chopped seeds float.
Once separated we come to the processing methods.
We know that processing methods dramatically interfere with the result in the cup , but this does not concern coffee growers as much as the weather when choosing the type of processing.
What does concern coffee producers is that the beans suffer as little as possible during processing, causing the quality of the beans to decline.
Now that we know the background of good coffee, it is time to talk about its benefits.
Benefits of good coffee: Arabica
Many companies use the term 100% Arabica to show the quality of their coffees, but we cannot confuse it with specialty coffee. Likewise, by consuming Arabica beans we are already obtaining benefits for the palate and our body.
This is because good coffee, Arabica coffee, contains less caffeine, better fragrances and aromas, softer and sweeter flavors, helps our metabolism and has other benefits for our body.
Caffeine in good coffee
Studies carried out on different coffee species have shown that Arabica coffee contains less caffeine than its sisters Liberica, Robusta or Excelsa. And if we compare these good coffee beans with those of their closest competitor on the market, robusta, they contain up to 50% less caffeine . And a cup of good coffee contains between 0.8% and 1.4% of caffeine, which gives us that point of energy that keeps us alert and concentrates without the caffeine altering us or causing other problems. .
Caffeine, according to many studies, in moderate doses helps us improve various aspects of our brain such as memory, mood, and increases our cognitive performance and reaction capacity.
Aromas and flavor of good coffee
In the cup, the flavors and aromas of good coffee are quite characteristic since these are usually softer for our palate . The beans of the Arabica species are characterized by having different aromatic tones, these are given for three reasons: their origin, their processing and their variety.
These three variables mean that good coffee beans contain a greater number of intrinsic sugars in their cells that, when broken down during roasting, become an aromatic symphony.
“ But, be careful! We should not confuse 100% Arabica coffee with specialty coffee; Specialty coffee is made up of high quality Arabica coffee, that is, with an SCA score greater than 80 ”
Helps our metabolism
Good coffee not only gives us a tasty pleasure for our palate but also helps us stay healthier for several reasons, for example:
- The caffeine present in beans helps us burn fat , this is because by increasing our adrenaline levels, this hormone makes our body prepare for action, causing the breakdown of body fat.
- Its nutritional value is exceptional as it contains essential minerals and vitamins for our body, such as magnesium, potassium and manganese; or vitamins B2 and B3 . It is also a rich source of natural antioxidants.
- Good coffee and diabetes , many studies affirm that a balanced diet, a healthy exercise routine and a correct weight help us prevent type 2 diabetes. These studies correlate this way of life with the consumption of good coffee (less caffeinated). ) at a risk of up to 50% less likely to suffer from this disease.
- Good coffee and neurodegenerative diseases , other studies show positive results in the prevention of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It is not yet clear how, but it seems that caffeine helps prolong the onset of these diseases.
- Protects our liver , good coffee by acting as a fat burner and natural antioxidant helps neutralize harmful radicals for our liver.
- Finally, good coffee, being a natural stimulant, helps us combat depression due to its contribution of caffeine and the pleasures that consuming coffee gives us.
So why have we eliminated coffee from our diet?
Many of us have been recommended to eliminate coffee from our diet, this is because traditionally coffee has deteriorated. That is to say, the increase in the price of coffee beans and the continuous search to reduce costs have made us move from 100% natural coffee to roasted coffees (sugar, glucose and other components).
These coffees, in addition to the use of the robusta species, which is cheaper and has a high caffeine content, have caused many of our doctors to eliminate coffee from our diet because high levels of caffeine cause an increase in cortisol levels.
Furthermore, taking into account that traditional coffees come in a mixture with a high percentage of roasted coffee, we have no doubt that the high concentration of sugars in these coffees causes poor digestion.
Conclusion
When we talk about good coffee, we are referring to 100% natural Arabica coffees, which due to their low caffeine content, aromatic and beneficial properties for our body, as we have seen previously, help us maintain a healthy lifestyle. healthier, feeling better both inside and out.
If we have already moved on to specialty coffees, which is more than good, high-quality coffee due to its characteristics and potential, we are definitely collaborating with ourselves and with the rest of the global coffee community to improve our quality of life. and of coffee growers and coffee producers.
Betting on a fairer market, on competitive prices for coffee growers and on sustainable development that is conscious of the means we have at our disposal to conserve the environment.
For Hortelano Coffee Roasters it is essential to take care of our customers by offering them natural coffees, of the Arabica species, with a score greater than 80 on the SCA scale.
Good coffee, of which we know its origin, its journey and its destination.
