Coffee doesn't invigorate. Why coffee invigorates. Video: coffee facts

If you ask various people to describe in one word the effect they get from coffee, in most cases it will be the word "cheerfulness". There are no discrepancies in the phrase “drink a cup of an invigorating drink” - everyone understands that we are talking about coffee. But not everyone knows why coffee invigorates, how it manifests itself, and why it doesn’t work for everyone?

The invigorating component of coffee

Cheerfulness is caused by the use of caffeine. It is found in various foods, for example, not only in coffee, but also in tea leaves, cocoa beans, and kola nuts. And most of all it is in a drink made from natural grains, and not in instant. For the production of instant coffee, the upper shell of the fruit is removed, which contains a large amount of caffeine, and is used separately in pharmacology, for the preparation of medicines. Therefore, instant coffee almost does not cause the effect of cheerfulness, while natural coffee, especially freshly ground and freshly brewed coffee, does.

Cheerfulness from coffee in terms of biochemical processes

The human brain contains many adenosine receptors that, among other tasks, regulate the mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness. The desire to sleep is caused by adenosine, but caffeine is similar in molecular structure, and it replaces adenosine, preventing it from binding to receptors. That is, it ceases to want to sleep.

But even after the coffee is eliminated from the body, and there are no traces of the presence of caffeine anymore (2.5 - 3 hours), the receptors still remain blocked up to 5-6 hours. This explains the recommendation to drink coffee 5-6 hours before bedtime, otherwise it will be difficult to fall asleep. After this time, the receptors return to normal, and can again combine with adenosine.

Some believe that the more coffee on a sleepless night, the more alert you will be. It doesn't work like that. Approximately 2-3 cups of coffee block almost 50% of the receptors, and the effect lasts 5-6 hours. A few more cups of coffee will not give much vigor.

How does coffee invigorate you?

Despite the fact that caffeine affects everyone differently, there are main manifestations of an invigorating effect:

• Abrupt awakening from sleep and lethargy, activation of mental processes;
• Increased heart rate and increased pressure, increased breathing - blood with oxygen arrives faster to the brain and organs;
• The gastrointestinal tract is actively working, gastric juice is secreted, appetite wakes up;
• The excretory systems of the body are stimulated, toxins are removed, the person feels fresher and lighter;
• The metabolism is accelerated.

How to boost energy with coffee

Scientists have conducted a number of studies and found that the maximum energy boost from one cup of coffee can be obtained by combining your favorite drink with grapefruit juice or a grapefruit slice. Coffee with lemon also had good performance, but orange juice did not give such an effect. However, the bright effect in any case was observed for no more than an hour.

Does coffee with milk invigorate

Milk slows down the effect of cheerfulness, but at the same time prolongs its effect. If you need to maintain concentration consistently for several hours, it is better to make coffee with milk, which will not work as sharply, but at the same time longer.

Why coffee does not invigorate, but lulls?

For some people, coffee has the opposite effect: they begin to fall asleep. The researchers concluded that gene combinations and other redistribution of receptors in the brain are to blame. It happens, albeit not too often. In this case, caffeine blocks other receptors that are just responsible for cheerfulness, so you feel unbearably sleepy.

Conclusion:

• Most people experience the invigorating effect of coffee, but not all. Some of him tends to sleep.
• Freshly ground natural coffee causes maximum vigor, especially in combination with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, and instant coffee is almost unable to increase concentration.
• 2-3 cups of coffee is enough to fully wake up for 5-6 hours, drinking more does not make sense, and it is risky for health.
• Caffeine is excreted in 2-3 hours, but cheerfulness can last for 5-6 hours, so you should not drink strong coffee in the evening.

Many of us cannot imagine a day without coffee. This drink owes its popularity not only to its pleasant taste, but also to the glory of a natural tonic. Why is coffee invigorating? Let's figure it out!

However, in regular coffee drinkers, researchers from the universities of Bristol, Münster and Würzburg determined in experiments on a group of nearly 380 volunteers that this effect disappears over time: the body adapts to the drink and produces additional receptors. But it is worth the effect of caffeine to weaken a little (for example, during a night's sleep), as previously blocked receptors are released again. That's why coffee drinkers tend to feel more tired and overwhelmed in the morning than other people: they suffer from a mild form of withdrawal.

Decreased tone, headaches and decreased attention can be observed already after a short time after stopping drinking coffee. All this, however, does not mean that coffee gourmets are sick with some kind of addiction. Coffee is not a drug. Real drugs act differently - under their influence, a special “reward system” is activated in the brain and neurotransmitters are released, while nothing like this happens when drinking coffee. In the case of caffeine, the negative side effects go away on their own after about a week of abstinence.

The effect of coffee is very individual. Recently, scientists from Zurich found out several interesting features:

1. Coffee doesn't work for everyone—about 8 percent of subjects who had a particular type of caffeine-binding receptor didn't respond to it at all.

2. In some subjects with a certain genotype, drinking coffee caused a state of fear. Professor Katharina Domschke, a stress specialist from Würzburg, explained this by saying that in such cases the body seems to “confuse” the effect of the drink with a reaction to danger, as a result of which some people may even panic. Over time, this genetic feature weakens as the body becomes accustomed to caffeine.

3. As it turned out, sometimes coffee helps ... fall asleep. This can happen when a person has trouble sleeping due to too low blood pressure. In this case, coffee brings blood pressure back to normal and thus can help you fall asleep.

Here are some facts in favor of this invigorating drink:

1. Good source of antioxidants.

2. Helps to cope with stress.

3. 1 cup of coffee a day significantly reduces the risk of various diseases: liver, Alzheimer's disease, skin cancer and even diabetes.

It is worth noting that it is not the consumption of coffee that can harm health, but an overdose and abuse of it.

My last cup of coffee was accompanied by a strong heartbeat and trembling in my hands. It was both scary and very funny at the same time. It seems like I’m sitting in a cafe, drinking coffee on a date, and my heart is pounding in my ears and everything falls out of my hands.

When I stopped trembling, along with this trembling, the desire to indulge in coffee disappeared. For several years I have not taken a single sip of this drink and have never missed it. I like its smell, and I would not refuse coffee-scented perfumes, but as a drink for me, coffee is too strong and not a necessary stimulant at all.

With coffee, it is important to understand how this drink affects you and whether it is worth it. Coffee invigorates, stimulates, relieves drowsiness and often helps those who have severely low blood pressure. True, this effect is short-term, and when it disappears, a second and then a third cup is needed. Dependence is gradually formed when, without morning coffee, the head either hurts or “does not work well”. Perhaps it would be more correct to sell coffee in pharmacies and write out strictly according to the prescription, because the dosage and the reaction of a particular organism are important here. A burst of energy is often followed by irritability and increased anxiety, and in the long term, nerve cell depletion and a problem with the adrenal glands.

Like alcohol, coffee dehydrates and acidifies the body. Regular consumption of coffee interferes with the absorption and washes out calcium, magnesium, potassium and other trace elements from the body. By dehydrating, coffee can dull the feeling of thirst, so you should always drink one or two glasses of water for every cup of coffee. The love of coffee is also bad for stomach health and can lead to gastritis.

There is also another side to this. There are interviews with some centenarians who started every morning with a cup of coffee and so got to their centenary. Coffee can also improve memory and concentration due to the effects of caffeine. In some cases, coffee works as an analgesic, relieving headaches. And good coffee has a whole collection of antioxidants.

Coffee does not strike me as the worst of modern evils. I am sure that those who drink a cup of coffee every day, eat in moderation and enjoy life, will live longer and happier than those who suffer from loneliness and overeating every day, even if they fill their stomach from morning to evening with only healthy and natural products. There is a general picture - a state of balance or imbalance, in which a cup of coffee may not be the decisive factor.

Coffee + sandwich

The less heavy foods (meat, refined flour products, refined grains and fried foods) in the diet and the more fresh vegetables and fruits, the more clearly the effects of caffeine are felt. At the same time, the more heavy foods are consumed, the more often there is a need for stimulants such as coffee or alcohol in order to “cheer up” after a hearty, “soporific” dinner. Often, those who change their usual hearty breakfast for a smoothie or a portion of fruit notice that after a couple of days the habit of drinking coffee in the morning, which was usually washed down with porridge or a sandwich, simply disappears.

coffee substitute

The role of coffee in the morning for me is exercise, yoga or trampolining to the music. When the exercises accelerate the blood well, there is a surge of vivacity without any energy drinks and further side effects. You become your own energy. And you can recharge from yourself at any time.

My second replacement for a cup of coffee is my daily freshly squeezed juice from vegetables and herbs. Or a green smoothie with chlorophyll instead of caffeine. Unlike coffee, juices and smoothies are not addictive, there are no withdrawal symptoms, headaches and loss of energy when you are left without a juicer or blender for a couple of days. No juice - okay, smoothies. No, and smoothies - okay, you can just eat fresh fruits or vegetables.

If coffee has become a habit that you want to get rid of, this will also help:

• Hot water laced with lemon and ginger will invigorate and help improve digestion, but without the caffeine effects.
• Freshly squeezed juices from vegetables and herbs. Take celery, cucumbers, parsley, add an apple, carrot or ginger, and you will get a great invigorating cocktail with a generous set of vitamins and minerals.
• Chicory drink is suitable for those who love coffee for its taste and aroma. Chicory is similar to coffee, but it doesn't contain an ounce of caffeine. If you like coffee with milk, add some almond or hazelnut nut milk to your chicory drink.
• Green tea can help break your caffeine addiction. It contains caffeine, but in smaller amounts. Even better, choose a decaffeinated herbal tea, such as rooibos or a mix of spices and herbs.
• Hot drinks with cocoa are very satiating and also stimulating, but much softer than coffee. Use natural cocoa, without added sugar and milk powder.

We owe the appearance of coffee on our tables to the people of Ethiopia. It was in this African country that they noticed that goats that eat "berries" from the branches of a mountain bush become surprisingly energetic. Following artiodactyls, people also decided to try amazing fruits. Through trial and error, they learned how to make a fragrant drink from berries that restores strength to tired travelers. Missionaries from Europe learned about coffee from Ethiopian shepherds, and the fame of this drink spread throughout the world.

To drink or not to drink?

Coffee has always had its detractors. At one time, the church ranked drinking coffee as a deadly sin. However, modern scientists do not always talk about coffee as a completely safe drink. True, now researchers agree that the main thing for any coffee lover is to observe the measure, then your favorite drink will not bring any harm to health. Scientists believe that 2-3 cups of coffee a day will not bring any harm to your health. About 4 cups a day is considered moderate by nutritionists, and according to recent research, even 6 cups is likely to be safe. However, exceeding this dose can adversely affect health.

Caffeine makes the heart beat faster and raises blood pressure. Therefore, those who suffer from hypertension should not abuse the invigorating drink. In addition, people who drink more than 6 cups of coffee a day increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by approximately 70%. It is worth remembering that strong coffee drunk on an empty stomach increases the acidity of gastric juice and interferes with the absorption of vitamins. Therefore, it is better not to start breakfast with a cup of coffee, but to end the meal with a fragrant drink.

And in no case should you combine coffee with a cigarette. Scandinavian scientists have found that the level of cholesterol in the body rises due to the interaction of coffee and tobacco smoke. Agree with the Scandinavian researchers and their colleagues from Greece. Studies conducted by doctors from the Athens Institute of Medicine showed that with the simultaneous action of coffee and cigarettes, the harm to the heart is not even two, but several times stronger than with the action of one of them. The appearance of caffeine in the blood leads to a decrease in the elasticity of the aorta, an increase in blood viscosity and narrowing of small blood vessels, which together leads to an increase in the load on the heart. As for nicotine, it also causes constriction of blood vessels. And in combination, the effect of these two substances does not just add up, but increases several times!

However, coffee also has a number of advantages. Caffeine stimulates the activity of the central nervous system, increases efficiency and improves brain function. Just 1-2 cups of coffee a day can help you concentrate and get in the right business mood. Dentists also unanimously advise not to neglect coffee. The drink contains substances that prevent staphylococcal bacteria from attaching to the surface of the teeth and protect against caries.

Another argument in favor of coffee is its high content of antioxidants. These substances slow down the aging process, protect against cardiovascular and oncological diseases. Just one cup of coffee contains a quarter of the daily value of these substances.

What to choose?

There are several varieties of coffee, but there are only two varieties from which an aromatic drink is prepared - Arabica and Robusta. The first has a mild taste with light notes of chocolate. Robusta is more bitter and contains more caffeine. It is unlikely that you will be able to brew good coffee from Robusta alone, so most often manufacturers mix both varieties. The label must indicate the proportion of the content in the bag of grains of both varieties. The more robusta, the bitterer the drink.

However, guessing the taste of coffee, knowing only its composition, is unlikely to succeed. The taste of Arabica can vary greatly depending on where the coffee was grown and how the beans have been processed.

For example, if you are going to brew coffee in a Turk, beans that are almost ground to dust are suitable for you, and if you have a coffee maker or coffee machine in your kitchen, choose a coarser grind. Well, for those who are used to buying coffee beans and grinding it on their own, you should know that the time for grinding beans for brewing in a Turk is 15-20 seconds, and ideal coffee for a coffee maker needs to be ground for about 10-12 seconds.

In a bank and in a package

When choosing coffee, pay attention to the packaging. The aroma of ground coffee is best preserved in vacuum bags.

Just do not be greedy and buy a large package. As soon as you open the package, the coffee smell will slowly disappear. Sometimes manufacturers supply the bag with a special membrane that lets air out, but does not let it inside the bag. In this case, you have the opportunity to evaluate the aroma of the drink without opening the container.

As for instant coffee, it can be stored either in glass or tin containers - plastic coffee containers are not suitable.

Soluble or bean?

Many people opt for instant coffee not only because it saves time, but also because they believe that instant coffee has less caffeine. In fact, the difference is not that big. A cup of "natural" coffee contains 80 mg of this alkaloid, while instant coffee contains 60 mg.

To reduce the caffeine content, you can do this: pour freshly ground coffee with boiling water, heat it just once until it boils and immediately pour it into cups. With this method of preparation, caffeine will not completely pass into the drink.

As for "naturalness", ground coffee will give instant coffee a hundred points ahead. The content of coffee beans in an instant drink, alas, rarely exceeds 15%. Everything else - preservatives, dyes and flavors. Yes, and on the gastric mucosa, instant coffee acts much more aggressively than ground coffee.

Apr 21, 2018

If there are no questions about the strength of alcoholic beverages (this indicator has an absolutely clear designation in the form of degrees or percentages), then with coffee (it is also, although, of course, in its own way, a strong drink) the situation is different.

We will not find any indications that the grains or the ground product belong to a strong variety, either on the packages or on the labels, except for the dubious advertising slogan that this coffee is “the very best”, including “the strongest” .

Believe it or not. Is it possible to objectively evaluate the strength of an invigorating drink?

What determines the strength of a coffee drink?

Manufacturers would be happy to provide us with comprehensive information, but that's bad luck - there is no concept of "fortress" in professional coffee circles.

Therefore, a compromise was chosen - coffee strength began to mean the amount of caffeine contained in it. Based on this, the product is considered the strongest, in which the proportion of caffeine is greater than in other varieties. About where there is more caffeine: in tea or coffee, you will learn from.

However, this is an oversimplified and insufficiently complete answer to the question of which coffee is the strongest and what makes it so.

According to experts, the strength of the drink depends on:

What is more invigorating: coffee beans or instant?

If caffeine is taken as the main strength criterion, then the answer to the question of which coffee invigorates more is unequivocal - instant. The content of caffeine in it is higher than in natural ground grains.

It is no coincidence that during pregnancy, in the second, most physiologically calm trimester, doctors can allow the expectant mother, who has a strong craving for such products, some coffee, but natural, with milk.

Soluble pregnant women still should not drink during this period of their lives, including due to the high content of caffeine in this product.

When compared in terms of strength, powdered, in granules and freeze-dried instant coffee, then the last one is the strongest of this list.

Granular is average, and powder contains less caffeine than other types of instant product.

What is the strongest coffee in the world?

Robusta holds the record for caffeine content.: This type of coffee contains from 2 to 4 percent caffeine, while in Arabica this figure is half as much (1-1.7 percent).

Interestingly, the word "robusta" in Russian means "strong". True, this has nothing to do with the strength of the drink.

The fact is that the so-called “Congolese tree” (another name for Robusta) turned out to be more hardy than other coffee trees and successfully survived acclimatization in areas where other representatives of the coffee flora did not take root.

Today, the strongest Robusta is obtained in the states of Africa, the Caribbean, and also in the Middle East. The most caffeinated raw materials come from Uganda, while the soft ones come from Brazil and Colombia.

Over time, the situation, however, may change: breeders are working on breeding varieties of Robusta that would contain less caffeine (in large quantities it still harms the human body), but would approach Arabica in taste, while Robusta lags behind in this indicator. . Read more about what Robusta and Arabica are, as well as their differences in material.

If we compare the standard drinks that the barista prepares for us in terms of strength, then the leader here is ristretto, ahead of classic espresso in this indicator by about two times. You will find information about what ristretto is at.

As for the influence of the method of roasting beans on the strength of the future drink, the most invigorating effect is given by the coffee raw materials of Italian and urban roasting (in English, this method is called “full city roast”).

The most invigorating varieties and brands of coffee

What varieties should be preferred by lovers of brewing natural grain coffee in a Turk, coffee machine, French press?

Robusta Uganda is a variety with a very high percentage of caffeine. At the same time, Uganda also has good taste characteristics (unlike most types of Robusta), so it is used not only as an additive to coffee blends, but also as a self-sufficient product.

Monsoon Malabar is one of the varieties of Indian Arabica, and the species got into the list of the “most invigorating” due to the special processing of raw materials - an unusual fermentation method almost doubled the caffeine content in grains.

Fans of Malabar appreciate it not only for its strength, but also for its special flavor. The variety owes its expressive taste to the monsoon oceanic wind, which is used during the fermentation of grains.

This coffee is distinguished by the taste of nutmeg, citrus fruits and oriental spices. Before being exported, coffee beans are artificially aged, keeping in warehouses for up to 4 months.

Sulawesi Toraya comes from Indonesia, it got its name from the island of Sulawesi, where the main coffee plantations are located.

The variety is fermented, the processing of beans is carried out exclusively in a dry way, which helps to preserve a large amount of caffeine in the coffee raw materials.

Toraya espresso, made from Sulawesi, is an unusually strong, viscous drink in consistency. It, like most Indonesian varieties, is distinguished by a fresh, tart aroma of moist earth and thick nectar.

Kubito (optional - Kubita) produced on the Island of Freedom, and two types - with dark roasted beans and with light.

The difference in technology allows you to cook in the first case - a wonderful espresso, and from light roasted beans - a classic Americano (you will find out what it is).

Drinks are so strong that they are served in small cups, slightly larger than a thimble. Fortress adds a high content in Cuban varieties of natural alkaloid. Kubito has a pleasant bitter taste and delicious aroma.

Blue Mountain coffee from Jamaica. This drink is sometimes called pirated, because it has long been customary to transport batches of grains in rum barrels.

During the journey, the beans absorb the aroma of the pirates' favorite drink, adding it to their own, no less interesting - coffee trees in Jamaica grow at an altitude of 1300 m above sea level, on special soil (there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world), blown by fresh sea winds .

Mam - Colombian Arabica. The grains were subjected to wet processing. This strong variety is distinguished by a balanced taste, a slight sourness gives it a special piquancy.

Yemen Mocha is a type of Arabica, native to Southeast Asia. Methods for processing grains have not changed for centuries. The prepared drink is distinguished by high strength and excellent taste.

Peaberry is a strong Tanzanian coffee. The grains of this variety are small, reminiscent of the shape of a pea. Taste qualities are estimated by experts very highly.

Harrar is from Ethiopia. A drink made from these grains is well suited to start the day. Not only is it very strong, it has a chocolate flavor and delicate citrus notes.

In addition to individual varieties, there are specially selected mixtures that allow you to brew a strong drink. One of the most striking examples is a coffee called "Death Wish" (in English - Death Wish).

His recipe is a professional secret of the New York coffee house of the same name. The drink contains one and a half times more caffeine than the strongest espresso. Many experts say that in terms of strength it has no equal in the world.

Other strong mixtures include:

• Paganini - the mixture is intended for making espresso, robusta is about ¼ of the total number of grains;
• Italian espresso(the second name of the mixture is espresso IR) - real black coffee, based on very dark (Italian) roasted grains, high caffeine content, original taste - nutty;
• Blaser Opera is an ideal brand for making coffee in an oriental way, the blend is based on Javanese Robusta;
• Lavazza Grande Ristorazione is a robusta over arabica blend that is very good for coffee machines, but not quite suitable for Turkish coffee. Others can be found here.

Strong coffee recipes

A coffee classic, if you look at it from the point of view of the fortress, looks like this: the strongest drink is ristretto, followed by softer ones - espresso, americano, cappuccino, macchiato, latte, raff coffee.

The secret of the strength of ristretto lies in the fact that only 20 or 25 ml of water is consumed for the traditional, in general, volume of coffee for one serving (7 grams or a little more).

Sugar is never put into ristretto, but cream can be added, which, by the way, will not make the drink less invigorating.

Served in a glass, without a handle, a cup for a couple of sips. And they also pour water into a glass, the benefit of which is that, after drinking it, you can prepare the taste buds for coffee enjoyment.

Ristretto is very fond of Italian men, they can drink 2-3 servings at once.

At home, this drink is best prepared in a coffee machine.. The standard laying of ground grains is used, which is necessary for making espresso (from 7 to 11 g), water - 25 ml.

The drink will be prepared in 15 seconds, and in order for it to be saturated, it is very important to ensure the correct grinding of the grains.

A large one is not good, because such coffee simply does not have time to transfer all its aromas to the drink, which means that the coffee will be watery and not as strong as it was expected.

Too fine grinding can make the drink too bitter. The ideal grind is slightly finer than what is used for brewing espresso.

If a drip coffee maker is taken to prepare ristretto, it must be borne in mind that the process of preparing a drink in this case is longer, which means that more caffeine will pass into it from the grains and it will be stronger than from a coffee machine. We wrote about what a drip coffee maker is and what its principle of operation is.

In addition to ristretto, strong Black Insomnia coffee is prepared in the home kitchen. You will need a Turk, three teaspoons of ground coffee and 200 ml of water.

But that is not all. After the drink is brewed, it is filtered and three tablespoons of coffee are poured into it again. They put the Turk on fire.

Ready coffee is filtered again, but through a sieve into which freshly ground grains are poured (also three teaspoons). "Black insomnia" is ready.

Doctors warn that a drink of such strength should not be drunk more than twice a day, but it is better to limit yourself to one serving.

Strong enough to get Turkish coffee cooked in hot sand. And also - the so-called "double coffee".

It is boiled in two steps: pour 1.5 teaspoons of ground grains with a glass of water, bring to a boil.