Organic Chemistry In Coffee. Pros and Cons of Consuming Coffee.

Coffee and what it contains
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Introduction
Coffee is among the most consumed beverages in the world. Over the last few decades, the consumption of coffee has increased drastically with most people living in Europe having to consume between two to four cups of coffee each day. Most college students in America consume coffee just as they consume water, especially during the examination period to keep them awake. In addition to the college students, there are other people who are coffee addicts and cannot go about their daily activities without having to consume the drink. The demand for coffee has therefore created various business opportunities. There are several companies which are involved in the sale of coffee and other coffee related products. Starbucks Coffee Company has been doing tremendously well in although it has been receiving stiff competition from Costa Coffee, Dunkin Donuts, MacDonald’s Coffee and many others.
The big companies shifted their attention to the idea of value addition where they make other products from coffee an example being the coffee ice cream. Coffee lovers are therefore spoilt for choice because they have a variety of coffee products to choose from. The stiff competition in the industry is what pushes the coffee companies to come up with creative ideas of making different coffee products. The demand for coffee products is simply because of the stimulant it contains called caffeine. It is important for one to identify the products that are found in coffee before they can consume it because through the information one can make the right decision.
The Chemical Composition in Coffee
Coffee contains a significant number of chemical compounds which are responsible for the bitterness and aroma in the coffee taste. There are phenolic compounds that exist in coffee with the most liberal being the chlorogenic acids (CGA). The acids contribute to an equivalent of up to 12% of each green unroasted coffee bean’s dry weight. Evidently, coffee’s bitter taste comes from the chlorogenic acids. The acids are just but a representation of the large family of esterified compounds which are present in the coffee beans (Khan, p 4399). When the acids are exposed to very high temperatures during roasting the acids, gradually decompose to form the quinic and caffeic acids. More than half of the original CGA’s acids are destroyed during the process.
Caffeine is also another chemical found in coffee and it exists as an alkaloid with a bitter taste. The caffeine concentration in coffee depends on the brewing method used as well as the type of coffee used. In most cases over 90% of caffeine can be extracted within the first minutes of brewing. Unlike the phenolic compounds, the caffeine concentration remains unchanged after the roasting process. Darker roasts in caffeine may result in a more caffeine concentrated coffee which is an advantage to the coffee sellers as many prefer coffee with high caffeine levels.
Pros of Consuming Coffee
Coffee has a number of health benefits if it is consumed in the right quantities. Consuming the beverage regularly has a possibility of reducing type 2 of diabetes. Coffee reduces the glucose leve...