One thing that always kick-starts the day for many of us is instant coffee. Coffee is the most traded food product in the world. Well, perhaps you have no clue about the history of this dark water-soluble powder that you keep feeding your system with.
For hundreds of years, people have been relying on regular coffee, but over the years that were past, instant coffee has now the order of the day. Today, more than 200 billion cups of instant coffee are taken daily.
Instant coffee is pretty simple to prepare and is cheaper compared to regular coffee. Adding a teaspoon of instant coffee granules seems to work best for coffee consumers.
However, as you wake up looking forward to enjoying the instant coffee aroma, ever wondered if there are any health scares associated with these water-soluble dark granules. The truth of the matter is that health concerns revolving around instant coffee have been controversial over the years.
There are claims that instant coffee increases the likelihood of suffering from heart-related diseases and cancer. Nevertheless, we all know that coffee is one of the greatest sources of antioxidants.
In other words, instant coffee has a number of potential health benefits but won’t lack a few cons too. Let’s dig deeper and find out whether it is healthy to take instant coffee.
The Good Part of Taking Instant Coffee
Cognitive Effects
Caffeine is the first thing that hits our minds when we think of coffee. However, there is more than that. Scientific studies have established a relationship between instant coffee consumption and cognitive abilities.
This is because coffee produces cortisone and adrenaline hormones both of which have stimulating effects. Those who take more cups of coffee per day in old age have better cognitive abilities.
Prevents Liver Cirrhosis
Several previous studies have established a lower likelihood of suffering from liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and other non-alcoholic fatty diseases among high-caffeine consumers.
For instance, a study by A.L Klatsky from the California Medicine Department has shown that alcoholic cirrhosis cases were 80% less among persons who drank four or more cups of coffee compared to those who didn’t.
Lowers Cholesterol Levels
All types of coffee contain cafestol, a substance that elevates cholesterol levels in our bodies. Instant coffee, however, contains less of cafestol when compared to regular coffee. Another coffee option that contains less cafestol is filtered coffee.
It is highly advisable to take more instant coffee if there is a history of high cholesterol or heart disease in your family. Avoid French press or Turkish coffee and opt for the easy-to-prepare instant coffee.
Lower Heart Disease Rate
This is one area that has raised the heat in the instant coffee health benefits debate. Several studies have proved that there are lower chances of suffering from heart disease among high coffee consumers compared to those who don’t drink it.
However, other studies have also contradicted the above claims. A study from the American Medical Association also discovered that heart diseases were more likely to occur if coffee was taken by individuals with a specific gene mutation.
Other Health Benefits of Instant Coffee
If you take more than 3 cups of coffee per day, you can be sure to benefit from the following nutrients
- Lower risk of Type-2 diabetes
- Source of chromium and potassium
- Source of magnesium that plays a major role in blood sugar management
The Bad Side of Instant Coffee
Lower Levels of Antioxidants
Instant coffee goes through various processes such as heating, mixing with water, and freezing under vacuum conditions. This reduces the number of antioxidants contained in instant coffee. Coffee is unique in that it is the only food substance that contains Methylpyridinium, a type of antioxidant.
It enhances cardiovascular health and prevents cancer and liver diseases by combating harmful chemical reactions. Unfortunately, instant coffee contains a low level of these powerful antioxidants.
Causes Hallucination
Excess drinking of instant coffee increases the production of cortisone, a stress hormone. When we feed our body with excess coffee, higher caffeine levels overload the brain neurons affecting the entire nervous system. Therefore, instant coffee addicts have a higher likelihood of suffering from hallucinations.
Contains Cancer-Causing Acrylamide
This is a potentially harmful substance that has been known to cause cancer in animals for years. It also destroys nerves. Unfortunately, instant coffee contains high levels of acrylamide.
This chemical is measured in parts per billion (PPB) and in a Nescafe Instant coffee, there are 471 ppb while regular roasted coffee only contains 13 ppb.
