What Are the Drawbacks of Coffee Like Americano for Health?

Americano is espresso diluted with hot water, usually one or two shots, made from medium-dark to dark roasted blend beans. Coffee itself supplies niacin, a B vitamin that rises with roasting, along with free fatty acids and caffeine. The drawbacks of coffee center on caffeine intake and how the body responds to it.

The drink traces to World War II, when American soldiers in Italy diluted strong espresso with hot water, and a later version spread through Starbucks as a lighter-tasting option. Iced and hot Americano differ mainly in temperature and drinking speed, so anyone weighing iced americano or hot americano for weight loss should watch added sugar and total caffeine rather than the ice.

Americano is the most common category in coffee shops and the daily first choice for many coffee lovers. It is quick to make and clean in flavor, especially suitable for office workers with tight schedules to refresh themselves. In the hot summer of Guangzhou, many customers who visit Front Street Coffee stores and do not want milk coffee choose an iced Americano. But where exactly did Americano come from? What are its benefits and drawbacks for the body? Why do some people find it hard to swallow? This article will sort out the full picture of Americano one by one, from historical origins, health effects, brewing parameters to the causes of bitterness, and share Front Street Coffee's espresso blend and extraction experience.

Americano is almost a standard item on every coffee shop menu and is also a frequent order for coffee fans when they visit a store. It is fast to serve, clear in flavor, and clean in mouthfeel, so office workers in a hurry often choose Americano first, as it saves time and refreshes the mind. In a hot summer like Guangzhou's, customers who come to Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) stores and do not want milk coffee but cannot make up their minds mostly order an iced Americano. However, are you clear about the origin of Americano?

The History of Americano

One widely circulated saying is that during World War II, American soldiers in Italy were not used to the strong taste of espresso, so they diluted it with hot water. This practice was teased by Italians, hence the name Americano, meaning "American's coffee."

Another saying is that after Schultz introduced espresso to Starbucks in Seattle, in order to cater to Americans' lighter taste preferences, hot water was added to espresso to dilute it. As Starbucks expanded globally, this way of drinking gradually became accepted by the public.

Americano belongs to the category of espresso coffee, usually using medium-dark to dark roasted blended beans. With the pressure of an espresso machine, hot water passes through ground coffee powder to extract espresso. Generally speaking, a cup of Americano is made by diluting one to two shots of espresso with hot water.

What Are the Benefits of Drinking Americano?

1. Coffee itself contains certain nutrients. The niacin in coffee contains vitamin B, and roasted coffee beans have a higher content. In addition, there are free fatty acids, caffeine, tannic acid, and other substances.

2. Coffee is good for the skin. It can promote metabolic function and activate the digestive organs, with an obvious effect on relieving constipation. Bathing with coffee powder is a kind of thermotherapy and also helps with weight loss.

3. Coffee has a sobering effect. Drinking coffee after alcohol can promote the accelerated oxidation of acetaldehyde converted from alcohol, breaking it down into water and carbon dioxide to be excreted from the body.

4. Coffee can eliminate fatigue. To relieve fatigue, it is necessary to supplement nutrition, rest and sleep, and promote metabolism, and coffee happens to have these functions.

5. Coffee helps with weight loss. Magnesium and potassium in coffee can help the human body use insulin, regulate blood sugar levels, and reduce cravings for sweets and snacks. Caffeine can also promote fat cells to break down body fat, making it fuel during exercise.

Why Is Drinking Americano Considered Relatively Healthy?

Americano can not only promote digestion and have a diuretic effect, but also speed up the body's metabolism. In addition, it helps reduce bad breath. A cup of Americano while chatting with friends after a meal also makes the atmosphere more relaxed and harmonious.

Americano is the lowest-calorie coffee, almost bar none, and its calories can even be ignored. Even at Starbucks, a large Americano is quite low in calories, which is exactly why many celebrities and artists prefer Americano—it satisfies the appetite without worrying about taking in too many calories.

How to Make a Cup of Americano?

Having said so much about the benefits of Americano, how exactly is it made? Simply put, it is espresso plus water. Below, Front Street will introduce Front Street's method for making Americano.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)'s parameters for making espresso are: 20 grams of coffee powder extracted into 35 grams of coffee liquid, taking 28 to 29 seconds.

The espresso beans used by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) are its own blended Sunflower Warm Sun blend, composed of 70% Honduras Sherry and 30% Yirgacheffe sun-dried Red Cherry. Among them, 70% Honduras Sherry brings whiskey aroma and vanilla cream notes, while 30% Yirgacheffe sun-dried Red Cherry provides berry-like acidity. Front Street's concept in designing this blend is that it can be used for both espresso and pour-over. When used to make espresso, it gives off an obvious fermented wine aroma. After entering the mouth, the acidity of citrus and berries immediately emerges, accompanied by whiskey aroma, and the finish is dark chocolate.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Sunflower Warm Sun Comprehensive Blend

Region: Ethiopia & Honduras

Variety: Caturra, Catuai, Heirloom

Processing Method: Sun-dried & Wine Barrel Fermentation

After the espresso extraction is completed, the remaining steps are simple. Just pour the extracted espresso into water, and a cup of Americano is complete.

Is Americano Hard to Drink?

When this question comes up, in most cases the concern is actually bitterness. There are two main reasons why Americano tastes bitter: ① the taste of the coffee beans themselves; ② over-extraction.

[The Taste of the Coffee Beans Themselves]

Americano is nothing but water and coffee, so the flavor of the coffee beans themselves has the greatest influence on the taste of the whole cup. Therefore, the first reason Americano tastes bitter may be that the coffee beans used to make the espresso already have a rich and heavy flavor.

The rich flavor of espresso beans comes from regional flavors and a darker roast level. For example, the specialty blend beans used by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) for espresso contain 30% Colombian beans mixed with 70% Brazilian beans. Colombian beans give this blend a main tone of dark chocolate, while Brazilian beans bring nutty notes and higher body. Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)'s roaster roasts this bean to a medium-dark level, giving it good balance, medium-low acidity, and medium bitterness.

[Over-Extraction]

In addition to bean selection, the bitterness of Americano can also come from extraction mistakes, such as uneven extraction caused by channeling, or over-extraction caused by grinding too fine.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) often shares with everyone that, calculated by the weight of coffee beans, only about 30% can be extracted, and this portion is not better the more it is extracted. According to the range recommended by the Golden Cup standard, an extraction yield between 18% and 22% is most suitable. Below 18% is called under-extraction, showing sharp acidity and a thin taste; above 22% is called over-extraction, commonly known as over-extraction, usually showing rich bitterness.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.