Ever heard of green coffee? Here’s all you need to know 

The aroma of freshly brewed steaming cup of coffee is enough to entice anyone! Well, all of us love our cuppa, especially at the end of a stressful day. Have you ever wondered what’s the secret behind the taste and aroma of our favourite beverage? Well, it’s the deliciously roasted brown coffee beans. But do you know that there is green coffee too? No, we aren’t talking about green tea, we are talking about green coffee. Well, green coffee beans are the unroasted raw ones that differ from the roasted ones in look and taste. While traditional roasted coffee beans are light to dark brown in colour, the unroasted raw ones have a bluish green hue. As opposed to the roasted beans the unroasted ones have a grassy, acidic and rather unpleasant fragrance. Read on to know more about this recently popularised form of coffee.  

Raw coffee vs. roasted coffee 
As already mentioned, the major difference lies in look, flavour and taste. However, there are other differentiators between the two as well. The acidic content of green coffee is much higher than the regular roasted ones. However, coffee made from green beans is fresher as the beans can be roasted immediately before brewing which is not the case with traditional roasted coffee beans. The average shelf life of green coffee beans 12-18 months if stored in the right manner while that more roasted ones isn’t more than a month. With the former, you have the flexibility to add your own flavours post roasting. Roasted coffee beans come with pre-added flavours. Lastly, and most importantly, the caffeine levels are much higher in green coffee beans than the regular ones.  

Green coffee around the globe 
It is available in various parts of the world, the most famous being Kenyan green coffee. These are flavourful and highly rated. The second in rating is the Ethiopian variety, which grows slowly and fruity in taste. Sumatra, Columbia and Brazil are among the other countries that produce green coffee beans. The green coffee from Columbia and Brazil has a mild taste. In contrast, the Sumatran variety is known for its complex flavours.   

What made green coffee the talk of the town? 
Green coffee can be consumed in two forms: The usual hot drink like your regular coffee and in the form of an extract, which can be added to other drinks and foods. The extract comes in both liquid and powdered forms. Turns out that green coffee bean extract was portrayed as a magic pill for weight loss in a famous American TV show hosted by its extremely popular host Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Turkish–American television presenter, author, politician, professor emeritus, and retired cardiothoracic surgeon. This is what made unroasted green coffee beans famous all over the world. However, there is no scientific evidence to prove the weight loss benefits of green coffee bean extract.  

Risks vs. benefits 
Well, green coffee beans are believed to come with many health benefits starting from controlling blood sugar and blood pressure to increasing energy levels and boosting mood. However, if you go overboard on it, you may end up with anxiety, caffeine overdose, irritable bowel syndrome, and more.