7 Benefits Of Cold Brew Coffee You Should Know

In recent years, more and more coffee drinkers have been switching from hot to cold-brewed coffee, and this is not only so during the hot summer days but also for their regular morning cup of coffee in other times of the year.

Besides the refreshing taste and that cold coffee is stronger and bolder than regular hot coffee, many coffee lovers seem to prefer cold-brewed coffee as it is easy to make even for inexperienced individuals.

But, besides the ease of making this coffee beverage, it also packs a myriad of other benefits which you should know if you are still contemplating on whether to make the switch or not. And here we highlight some of these benefits that come with cold-brewed coffee.

What is Cold Brew Coffee?

Before you even get to the potential benefits that you will get from drinking cold brew coffee, it is important to know what it is because some coffee enthusiasts tend to mistake it with other drinks like iced coffee.

Cold brew coffee is a type of coffee beverage that is made from steeping coarsely ground coffee using cold water. Because cold water is not as effective at extracting coffee from the cold brew coffee bean as hot water, the process is usually slow and can take up to 24 hours.

However, the slow brewing process also makes the coffee stronger given that the water gets more time to extract all the rich flavor oils from the coffee grinds.

Variations of Cold Brew Coffee

Cold brew coffee is also available in different variations because just like hot brewed coffee, coffee drinkers will tweak their brews in different ways such as adding milk, cream or flavored syrup.

But, one of the most popular cold brew variations is nitro coffee which entails infusing nitrogen gas into the coffee to create a smoother, silkier and creamier drink. The nitro coffee is slowly becoming quite popular as more and more coffee drinkers prefer it over other coffee types due to the sweater taste that comes without adding sugar, low acidity and a higher dose of caffeine.

Cold Brew Is Not Iced Coffee

Another important point that coffee lovers need to keep in mind before we get to the benefits is that cold brew is not iced coffee. Many coffee drinkers including those that have been drinking coffee for many years will use the two terms interchangeably to refer to the same beverage which is not correct.

While cold brew is coffee made by steeping coffee in cold water for several hours, iced coffee is simply regular hot coffee that is served cold by adding ice.

Benefits of Cold Brew Coffee

While most of the research out there on the benefits of coffee is based on hot coffee, the cold brew also comes with many benefits and some experts even believe it is even more beneficial than hot coffee. And if you are contemplating to switch to cold brew coffee, here are some of the potential benefits you can expect.

1. Provides Some Extra Caffeine Kick

It is not always clear which between hot and cold brew coffee has more caffeine as many factors determine the amount of caffeine that you get.

While hot water will extract more caffeine from the coffee beans, the high coffee to water ratio involved in cold brewing means that you can end up with a lot of caffeine in your cold brew.

Hence, if you are looking for an extra caffeine kick without having to drink some bitter-tasting hot coffee, cold brew is a perfect choice. But, just make sure you do not dilute it too much as this will reduce the amount of caffeine you end up with on your cup.

2. Aids in Weight Loss

Anything that promises to help with weight loss is bound to be a favorite of many people. If you are trying to shed off some extra kilos, you should consider replacing your regular hot coffee with a cold brew.

The high caffeine content in cold brew coffee can help with weight loss for those that work out a lot, and this is more so if you take it in the form of nitro coffee. And it helps by enhancing the after-burn effect or post-exercise energy expenditure.

3. It Is Less Acidic

A typical cup of cold-brewed coffee will have a pH of around 6.31 while for hot brewed coffee the pH is around 5.48 which means that cold brews are significantly less-acidic than the hot brews.

The lower acidity means that cold brew coffee will be more ideal for individuals that have more sensitive stomachs and are prone to common acidity issues like heartburns and acid reflux.

Also, low acidity in food is often credited with improving bone health, reducing muscle wasting and can benefit cardiovascular health.

4. It is a Powerful Antioxidant

Coffee beans are rich in phytochemicals that make them great antioxidants. However, roasting causes them to lose some of these antioxidants and brewing with hot water can cause further loss.

Hence, by cold-brewing your coffee, you will be able to preserve most of what is left after roasting such as chlorogenic acid which is a powerful antioxidant that can be very beneficial to the body.

5. Lasts Longer and Flavor Does not Change

Most of us hardly have any time to spare given the ever-busy schedule, and so even a few minutes for making coffee can be hard to come by.

However, with cold coffee, you can make a large batch that will serve you the entire week because it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

But, the biggest benefit that cold brew has over hot brewed coffee is that it does not lose the flavor and when properly stored in an airtight container, the taste remains basically the same.

Since this coffee is not subjected to heat at any point, the chemistry does not change, unlike hot coffee whose taste becomes horrible once it cools down.

6. It Generally Tastes Better

The taste might be subjective but many coffee drinkers will agree that cold-brewed coffee generally tastes better than hot-brewed coffee even without adding any sweeteners and lighteners.

When hot brewing coffee, subjecting the coffee grounds to the high water temperatures causes them to release their acidic compounds which then results in bitter coffee.

But, with cold brewing, little to none of the acidic compounds in the coffee beans will be released, and so the bitter flavor will be suppressed by the tastier flavors in the beans. With cold brews, you can even experience the fruity and chocolaty notes that characterize most coffee beans.

7. Cold Brew is Super Easy to Make

Besides lasting longer than hot coffee, cold brew coffee is also super easy to make and you will not require any coffee making machine or special skills.

With this coffee, you will only need to measure your water and coffee grounds, add them to your mason jar or any other larger jar (coffee first), mix everything well before covering with the lid and leave it to brew for at least 12 hours.

And once the brew is ready you only need to sieve out the coffee grounds and enjoy. In the entire process, the only thing that can take some little effort is grinding the coffee beans but you can also avoid this step by buying pre-ground coffee.

Conclusion

A cup of cold brew coffee can be as refreshing as hot brewed coffee, but what makes it even better is that it comes with a myriad of benefits from ease of use to providing an extra caffeine kick and aiding in weight loss.

But, how you take your cold coffee also matters a lot and can affect the benefits you get. For example, adding sugar and cream to cold brew coffee increases the number of calories you take in greatly, and so it might not be very beneficial for your weight loss.

If you are still not sure whether to switch to cold brew or not, just give it a try for a few days and judge for yourself how it stacks up against your regular hot coffee.

Sources

1. 9 Impressive Benefits of Cold Brew Coffee - Healthline
2. Is Cold Brew Coffee Actually Healthier for You? - Livestrong