Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Infrared Coffee - Leave Acid Behind

Update: Google Illy or Lavazza (two Italian Infrared Roasted coffees), then your city and it will show you where to get a hot, brewed infrared roasted espresso or cappuccino. Terrific if you're on the go and no time to brew infrared roasted coffee at home. There seems to be someplace close to ensure smooth, non-acidic coffee. Had one this afternoon on cold winter day.
 
If you're like me, as time goes on, coffee, even from local coffee shops gave me 3 day heartburn even with cream. So I gave it up thinking it was just too acidic.Coffee was such a comforting taste and smell but the smell was going to have to be enough. The pain wasn't worth it.
Then, while in Denmark, visiting relatives, I was offered coffee that I felt if I refused would be seen as rude, so I got ready for some heartburn. But it never came. Two more mornings with coffee and again, no heartburn and the smooth taste just black, no cream. Since my Danish is bad to awful, my aunt's friend who spoke excellent English, cleared up the mystery. "You Americans, you burn your coffee beans, we heat them so they're smooth and not bitter." This would explain why so many Europeans drink many shots of espresso with no "acidic issues" in the stomach.

Makes sense now. Coffee beans are plants and alkaline in raw form. Only when they are "burnt" do they become acidic. Recent research from Japan points to Infrared Roasted/Low Acid Coffee’s Healthy Benefits concluded that over cooking or over roasting coffee beans increases the acid levels of coffee which may lead to heart burn and stomach upset.(Yep, been there, done that)  Over cooking the coffee bean also cooks out the amazing antioxidant nutrients and adds health damaging radicals to the coffee bean.

Infrared roasting leads to lower acidity levels, an evenly roasted bean, and completely eliminates a burnt or bitter coffee taste. .

Now here's the rub, Infrared roasted coffee only comprises 2% of the roasted coffees in America.
Since the Infrared coffee roasters are small batch roasters, only passionate roasters prepared for lower profit margins.

My favorite domestic beans are either Buna Bean in Ennis, Texas or Toomer's Coffee in Auburn, Alabama off their websites. If you're into the convenience of canned coffee drinks, Illy Issimo is Infrared roaster that are now made in Denmark actually. Some grocery stores carry Illy Issimo in big 32 ounce plastic bottle, but these are made in the US and are not infrared roasted coffee (as I discovered after 3 days of heartburn).

If you're in Europe, most roasters are infrared which is a point of pride of many restaurants with their particular blends for outstanding smooth coffee taste and health benefits. And there's always those silver cans of Illys no matter where you travel, even on the trains.

Wishing you smooth travels in your wellness journey...