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Which is Healthier – Light Or Dark Roast Coffee?
Coffee is one of the world’s favorite beverages and its consumption has many health advantages, particularly antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that may help protect against chronic disease. Your choice of roast can have a dramatic impact on its flavor, aroma and caffeine content – with light roasts often having more subtle aromas or having less. Roast times vary dramatically for each variety, which ultimately determines its final flavor as well as caffeine levels – for instance light roasts may feature lighter or darker notes depending on how long the beans were exposed to heat during roasting time but also has more or less caffeine depending on its roasting time as well.
Coffee consumers often make assumptions that darker roasts contain more caffeine than lighter ones; however, this depends on the way that beans are measured – either by weight or volume measurement. When measured by volume measurement however, light roast coffee beans will contain more caffeine per scoop than their darker roast counterparts.
Dark roast coffee is beloved for its distinctive, rich, smoky aroma and oily surface, known as an oil sheen. Additionally, dark roast beans contain polyphenol chlorogenic acid (CGA), an antioxidant shown to improve digestion, reduce inflammation, boost immunity and even help with weight loss and protect against diabetes.
Dark roast coffee contains numerous antioxidants such as CGA and vitamin E and glutathione that may protect against heart disease while simultaneously increasing energy levels and protecting against free radical damage to skin health. Together these substances offer great protection.
Dark roast coffee contains N-methylpyridinium compounds that can inhibit gastric acid secretion, helping alleviate stomach ulcers while decreasing risks associated with heart disease and gastric cancer. Furthermore, drinking coffee may lower blood pressure and enhance insulin sensitivity for additional benefits.
But if you decide to drink coffee, make sure that if using a paper filter – this can eliminate up to 95% of cholesterol-raising compounds present. Also try drinking your beverage without sugar or at least limit how much is consumed per cup. As an average daily dosage, 400 mg is the equivalent of 20 teaspoons of sugar. Caffeine acts as a stimulant and can increase metabolism to help burn more fat; however, use should be in moderation since too much coffee may cause dehydration and cause diuretic effects while stimulating nerves that regulate bowel movement.