What is Green Coffee?

Coffee is the world’s most popular beverage after water and holds multiple functional properties. Coffee serves great taste along with nutrients like minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds(, ).

Green coffee beans refer to regular coffee beans that are raw and not roasted. It is known to supply several important polyphenols with chlorogenic acids being abundant. A substantial amount of bioactive compounds are lost while roasting the coffee beans. However, being completely raw and not roasted makes drinking green coffee better and healthier than regular coffee().

Chlorogenic Acids: A Powerful Bioactive Component in Green Coffee

Green coffee is a reservoir of natural antioxidants. The active component behind the beneficial effects of green coffee beans is the presence of chlorogenic acids().

In general, 100 g of green coffee beans have about 5 to 12g of chlorogenic acids. Chlorogenic acids are cinnamic acids exhibiting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Hence, green coffee extracts are also used in the production of nutraceuticals.

Caffeoylquinic acids, dicaffeoylquinic acids, feruloylquinic acids, and coumaroylquinic acids are the major chlorogenic acids found in green coffee. Species like Coffea canephora (Robusta) have minor chlorogenic compounds like caffeoylferuloylquinic acids().

A study evaluated the presence of phenols in green coffee based on their location and types. Results revealed that Robusta green coffee had a higher total phenol content of 35.67 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalents) per gram when compared to Arabica coffee().

Green Coffee Benefits

Extensive research has highlighted some important health benefits of green coffee consumption. Drinking green coffee or consuming green coffee extracts as supplements may help in regulating blood sugar, maintaining healthy blood pressure, lowering cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation, managing Alzheimer’s disease, and preventing cancers and heart disease().

Meta-analysis revealed that chlorogenic acids from green coffee significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure and may aid in the management of hypertension(, ).

Green coffee extracts may be an efficient insulin resistance and blood glucose lowering supplement. However, studies have shown conflicting results with regard to reducing homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). When studies were stratified based on the dosage administered, it was found that consuming >400mg of extracts per day displayed positive effects(). The presence of lactones in green coffee beans also helps enhance insulin activity().

Supplementing green coffee extracts for >8 weeks may help lower fasting blood glucose levels. A significant reducing effect with green coffee supplementation was observed on serum insulin concentrations in a few studies().

Green coffee bean extracts also aid in turning down serum concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Limited evidence state that administering >100mg/day of chlorogenic acids presented augmentation in HDL-cholesterol levels().

Green coffee also showed to be fruitful in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Animal studies have shown that extracts from green coffee act upon glutamate, acetylcholine, and insulin signaling pathways to reduce amyloid-beta proteins and tau proteins, thereby shrinking the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Chlorogenic acids reduced neurotoxicity in animal models by modulating dopamine metabolism and thereby may help prevent Parkinson's disease. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities exhibited by green coffee beans help halt the progression of such diseases().

How to use Green Coffee for Weight Loss?

Green coffee's benefits in weight loss and obesity are widely discussed and the results have posed green coffee to be a potential supplement for weight management. Reviews on green coffee investigations have indicated that consuming chlorogenic acids (dosages varied from 81 to 400mg) significantly reduced body weight.

A clinical trial analyzed the impact of green coffee on body weight among 62 volunteers for four weeks. The treatment group received Coffee shape (81mg of chlorogenic acid/serving) every day, while the placebo was given Nescafe espresso. The results showed significant weight reductions in the treatment group and minimal changes in waist, hip, and bust circumferences().

Another study that administered 200mg of green coffee extract daily for 12 weeks along with regular diet and physical activity found a mean weight loss of 5.4 kg and mean fat loss of 3.6%().

Green Coffee Side Effects

The adverse effects encountered with the intake of green coffee and its extracts are due to the presence of caffeine. Prolonged use and large shots of caffeine may spark gastric distress, headache, diuresis, insomnia, vomiting, nervousness, agitation, anxiety, irregular heart rate, and ringing in the ears().

Animal studies showed that long-term administration of green coffee portrayed harmful effects on the bones by reducing calcium levels.

People diagnosed with disease conditions like anxiety disorders, diabetes, bleeding disorders, glaucoma, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoporosis, and diarrhea are advised to consume green coffee only after consulting a Dietitian or their Physician().

Green Coffee Price

The price of green coffee may vary with brands, locations, and bean variety. Green coffee powders and beans are available in different brands like Nespresso, Nescafe, Nutracita, Neuherbs, Coffee Bean, Vokin Biotech, Nutriwish, and many more with prices starting from approximately Rs. 80/100g for powders and Rs. 90/100g for beans.

Green Coffee Recipes

A hot cup of green coffee can be prepared using either whole beans or powder.

Using Green Coffee Beans

Ingredients:

Green coffee beans- 1 cup
Water- 2 cups
Sweetener of choice

How to make?

Soak the green coffee beans in water overnight. Boil the mixture the next morning for 15 minutes on high flame and another 15 minutes on low flame with continuous stirring. Remove from heat; let it cool for 1 hour and filter. The mixture can be stored in a pet jar in the refrigerator. Mix 1/2 tsp of the filtrate with hot water, add sweetener and enjoy a cup of refreshing green coffee

Using Green Coffee Powder

Ingredients:

Green coffee powder- 1/2 tsp
Hot water- 1 cup
Sweetener of choice

How to make?

Take the green coffee powder in a cup and add hot water to it. Let it stand for 5 minutes, and filter the mixture. Add sweetener like honey for better taste.

Go Green to Grab the Goodness of Green Coffee

Unroasted, raw green coffee exhibits to be a host of health benefits and has carved its niche in the health community. A cup of coffee may be refreshing and simulating beverage, but they are never a replacement for medical therapy. Green coffee benefits have been reported by several studies, and so are their adverse side effects. Relish this green beverage in required amounts for a green lifestyle.