Are you a coffee drinker? Connoisseur? Or not a fan at all but the big deal has intrigued you?
Learn not only about all the different types of coffee, but their health benefits, drawbacks, and some other quirky facts.
Similar to cocktails, you can brew and mix this drink with a multitude of flavors, spices, and syrups that make each beverage different. This is why coffee makers are called Baristas, which is Italian for “bartender”. What most people don’t realize, is that the drink and all its related variations are just espressos prepared in different ways.
Espresso is made from the roasted beans, which are for the most part, taken from the Arabica plant grown in countries like South America, Ethiopia, and the Middle East. There are over 900 different flavors of Arabica. Coffee makers flavor these beans with oils, like mint, cocoa, and amaretto.
After the beans are roasted, they are finely ground and water is forced (brewed) through it. The length of time and the strength the beans are roasted under are what determine the intensity of the espresso.
When we grind the beans and brew water through it in a standard drip maker, the beverage becomes coffee.
Baristas serve espressos in shots, which is why when people order a coffee, they ask for extra “shots” of espresso in their drink. Espresso shots contain as much caffeine as a small cup of coffee, which explains why some just order a shot of espresso instead.
Different variations of espresso and coffee
Café Au Lait: Strong espresso and scalded milk.
Latte: 1 or 2 shots of espresso topped with steamed milk (no foam on the milk). Served hot or over ice.
Caramel Latte: A latte with caramel sauce. Served hot or over ice.
Mocha: A latte with chocolate syrup and cocoa powder. Served hot or over ice.
Café Americano: Equal parts espresso and hot water. Served hot or over ice.
Cappuccino: 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 milk foam. Served hot or over ice.
Macchiato: 1 or 2 shots of espresso, vanilla powder and milk foam.
Red Eye: Coffee with 1 shot of espresso.
Studies have shown that coffee, if consumed in moderate amounts, can aid in lowering your risk of Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Although caffeine can sometimes cause headaches, the caffeine can also abate them once they’ve begun. Sometimes caffeine can even cause headaches due to withdrawal.
Coffee is also a thermogenic, which means it can help to speed up metabolism just as much as spicy foods; however, drinking it too much can give you the “jitters” and speed up your heart rate.
The one major drawback is that it is extremely acidic. For people with acid reflux, it is not a good beverage. Instead, you can try drinking cold brewed, which is not as harsh. There are also different makers on the market that remove acidity before brewing.
So what’s the big deal? We have no idea, but here is some trivia to liven up this awful craze stemmed from the beginning of mankind.
- Apparently when you sprinkle old coffee grounds around the base of your garden plants, it will stop snails and slugs from chewing the plants.
- Major plotting of both the French Revolution and the American Revolution took place in coffee houses!
- Ever wonder why people call it a “cup of Joe”? American soldiers in World War II used to consume large amounts of the brew, such as Maxwell Instant. These soldiers called themselves G.I. Joes.
- Why do we call an Americano an Americano? American soldiers in Italy would order an espresso and dilute it with hot water, to taste more like the drip style. Of course coffee shops served it in huge cups, the American way! Needless to say, we’ve caught on to this term worldwide.
- A coffee tree has a lifespan of about 50 to 70 years.
- Voltaire, the famous philosopher, drank up to fifty cups in one day.
Now that you’ve armed yourself with the difference between an espresso, coffee, and its variations, its health benefits, and some useless trivia, enjoy your obsession! My favorite is the iced latte. If you really enjoyed this coffee banter, check out my own personal take on the weird drink we all love.