Coffee’s health benefits have long been established. From weight loss to lower cancer risks, regular cups can have a tremendously positive impact on one’s quality of life. What many don’t realize, though, is that the quality of beans has an impactful on this outcome: freshly-ground options contain far higher concentrations of beneficial compounds than pre-ground options; to get maximum satisfaction out of each cup it’s best to grind your beans shortly before creating your next brew!

Pre-ground coffee that has been sitting on the shelf for an extended period has had its oils begin to evaporate over time, diminishing its flavor significantly. This process, known as oxidation, occurs faster the longer it’s exposed to air; no matter if you use an inexpensive or high-end grinder; once ground the oils will start leeching from beans into the beverage and it won’t taste quite the same anymore.

Are Freshly Grounded Coffees Healthy? Comparing freshly ground to pre-ground beans will show that their taste and aroma differ considerably. Freshly ground beans possess more complex and intriguing flavors with stronger and fragrant aromas due to the oil being transferred more quickly by carbon dioxide; something which does not occur as quickly when left sitting on supermarket shelves for too long.

Freshly ground coffee offers another advantage over pre-ground: more selection. When selecting pre-ground, your choices are often limited by what’s available at local grocery stores or cafes; but when opting for whole beans instead, there’s more opportunity to explore single origin varieties or experiment with various roast types.

For the optimal cup of coffee, it is ideal to combine high-altitude beans with light roasting and fine grinding techniques in order to reap maximum polyphenol benefits attributed to coffee consumption. Lighter roasts also tend to produce higher concentrations of chlorogenic acid which has been shown to protect against inflammation while potentially decreasing risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Aiming to drink four to five 8-ounce cups per day for optimal coffee health requires sticking within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recommended limit for caffeine intake; black is recommended. When adding milk or cream, look for skim or low-fat varieties and opt for honey/stevia instead of processed white sugar as your sweeteners of choice.