International Coffee Day 2020: Work from home, unending chores, playing with our kids and trying new recipes are all part of our everyday lives now during the pandemic. Intake of immunity-boosting foods is more important now more than ever, to maintain overall health. This doesn't mean that we overload on healthy foods, it is equally important to take baby steps that can eventually lead us to a healthier and happier life.
The frantic work from home routine has definitely increased our reliance on coffee whether it is to stay up for long hours in the night or take charge in the morning for the entire day. But the flip side of coffee is that it can get addictive. Not only does too much caffeine prove consequential in the long run, it can end up causing more harm than good. This is where green coffee can come to the rescue. Yes, green coffee - regular coffee's cousin, can be the perfect substitute for your favorite beverage. From boosting immunity to aiding in weight management, there are multiple benefits of green coffee.
Read on to find out how green coffee can not only provide you a good caffeine kick but also help in upping your health quotient:
1. Immunity-Booster
Drinking too much coffee can harm our health; therefore, one can always switch onto a healthier version of green coffee to enjoy coffee along with maintaining good health. Green coffee, considered rich in antioxidants unlike regular coffee, is unroasted and, therefore, contains up to three times more antioxidants which is otherwise lost during the roasting process.
(Also Read: International Coffee Day: 5 Best Coffee Recipes To Celebrate With)
Green coffee is laden with antioxidants
2. Helps boost overall health
Green coffee has up to 50% CGA that is Chlorogenic acid which is a powerful antioxidant known to confer several health benefits such as regulating metabolism, and aids in weight management. Roasting process changes the composition of coffee but since green coffee is unroasted, it retains the antioxidants - since it is just a bean. Thus, it provides you with the much needed health benefits, and is tasty and low on caffeine.
3. Helps In Weight Loss
Along with exercising and eating right, one can include green coffee in their fitness regime as it plays an important role in aiding weight management. Weight management can be a tricky process since many factors pertaining to an individual are at play, but green coffee can surely help as it helps regulate metabolism to help achieve our health goals!
(Also Read: Green Coffee Benefits: Just Another Healthy Reason to Drink Up)
Green coffee may help weight loss
4. Tasty and Versatile
Green coffee can be paired with delicious flavours by brewing it at home with flowers and fruits/veggies or be bought in flavours readily available in market such as lemongrass lavender, lemon mint and ginger basil. Apart from these, if you wish to go for the classic versions, it is always available in the market.
Due to its mildness, it doesn't leave a strong aftertaste like the regular roasted coffee. Therefore, it can be easily blended with other health promoting ingredients to make for healthy drinks and food items like cold brews , herbal decoction, delicious cakes, tasty cookies and variety of cupcakes.
Here Are 3 Green Coffee Recipes That You Can Try:
Green Coffee Smoothie
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
- Fresh spinach: ¼ cup
- Almond Milk: ½ cup
- Frozen banana(small): ½
- Instant Green coffee powder: 1 tsp
- Almonds: 1-2
Method:
- Blend all of the ingredients in a blender for 40 to 60 seconds, or until smooth.
- Take a tall glass, put 3-4 ice cubes and pour the green smoothie over it.
- Serve chilled!
Ginger Basil Green Coffee
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
- Instant green coffee powder: 1 sachet
- Lemon wedges: 2-3
- Chia seeds: 1 tsp.
- Ginger: half inch
- Mint leaves: 2-3
Method:
- Empty the contents of a green coffee sachet in a glass pitcher. Pour boiling hot water over it and stir well.
- Now, add 1 litre of water (room temperature), Lemon wedges, mint leaves and 1 tsp. chia seed. Infuse it for an hour. Drink it throughout the day.
Green coffee is becoming popular among fitness enthusiasts
Herbal Green Coffee
Serves 1
Ingredients:
- Green coffee:1 sachet
- Clove: 1
- Cinnamon stick: half inch
- Cardamom(pounded): 1
- Tulsi leaves: 4-5
- Turmeric: ½ tsp
- Black pepper corn: 2
- Lemon: half
Method:
- Boil 2 cups of water and add clove, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric and Tulsi leaves. Reduce it to 1 cup, switch off the flame and strain it.
- Pour this concoction in a cup and add the green coffee sachet and juice of half lemon.
- Serve hot and relish it.
Coffee fans, what are you waiting for? Your coffee has never been healthier! Whether you've decided to try out a cup right at the start your day or in the mid of a long day, gear up for a different experience with this tasty and healthy drink!
About author: Sheryl Salis is a registered dietician, and a certified diabetes educator
(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)