8 no-go's for your coffee consumption

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. In Switzerland alone, around eight kilos of green coffee are consumed per capita every year. There are good reasons for this, as the invigorating effect gives us more energy and promises a good start to the day. However, few people know what factors make for good flavour and high quality. In the following blog post, we reveal all the things you can do wrong with coffee and how you can improve your coffee enjoyment in future. 

Incorrect storage of coffee beans
You can even do things wrong before making coffee. That's why you should make sure you store coffee beans correctly. Coffee beans should never be stored in the fridge, as coffee also absorbs the odours of other foods and then transforms them into flavours. Freezing is also possible, but does not always make sense. Coffee beans are also often decanted into other coffee tins - which you should definitely not do in future if you don't want to lose the flavour of your coffee. This is because oxygen gets into the coffee when it is decanted, leading to negative changes in flavour. It is best to simply keep the coffee beans in their original packaging and store them in a cool, dry, airtight place away from light. In addition, ground coffee loses too much flavour by the time it is brewed, so it is best to leave the coffee beans whole.

Drinking coffee at the wrong time
Many people are probably familiar with the fact that waking up with a coffee in the morning is a must and the best way to start the day. Unfortunately, we have to disappoint you, because scientifically speaking, the best time to drink coffee is at 10 o'clock in the morning. Our bodies produce high levels of cortisol (stress hormones) when we get up in the morning, helping us to wake up naturally. If you also drink a coffee, the ingested caffeine signals the body to produce less cortisol. So if you drink a cup of coffee every morning as soon as you get up, the caffeine disrupts our body's natural waking-up process and you actually need a coffee every morning to wake up. You should also be aware that caffeine can impair sleep for up to six hours after consumption. Therefore, coffee in the evening is not recommended if you want a restful sleep. 

Coffee enjoyment after a meal
A cup of hot coffee after lunch is probably part of everyday life for many people, but this can lead to problems as coffee contains a tannin, which can inhibit the absorption of iron from fruit and vegetables (but not from animal foods) in the stomach. Iron is a very important trace element for the body, but the iron is bound by the tannin in the blood and excreted directly. However, humans need to absorb iron, as it helps with the formation of new blood, for example. In future, it is best not to drink coffee 30 minutes before and after eating. 

Coffee on an empty stomach
Going to the coffee machine as soon as you get up can also lead to unpleasant consequences if you enjoy your first coffee on an empty stomach. Heartburn as well as stomach pain can be the negative consequences, as the roasting of the coffee beans produces acid, bitter substances and tannins in the coffee, which stimulate the production of bile and gastric juice and thus cause an increase in stomach acid. In addition, the roasted flavour of the coffee beans can irritate the stomach lining, so you should be particularly careful if you already have a sensitive stomach. What's more, coffee disrupts the body's insulin sensitivity. The body reacts with an increased blood sugar response to the food you eat if you drink coffee beforehand. In the long term, this can even cause resistance to insulin and favour type 2 diabetes. So what should you bear in mind in future? You should definitely eat something before drinking coffee, but a little milk or coffee cream in your coffee can also help to reduce the acidity. The type of coffee also has an effect on stomach tolerance; for example, slightly more expensive Arabica varieties have a lower acid content. Due to the special way in which an espresso is prepared, it has a lower acidity and can therefore be a good alternative if you have a sensitive stomach. 

Too much of a good thing
In future, pay attention to your caffeine consumption throughout the day, because caffeine is not only found in coffee, but is also hidden in cola or black tea. So why should you pay attention to this? Because too much caffeine can have a negative effect on the nervous system. Sleep disorders, irritability, restlessness, hyperactivity, anxiety and concentration problems are all possible consequences of consuming too much caffeine. For a healthy adult, an intake of 200 milligrams as a single dose (about two cups of coffee) and 400 milligrams spread over the day (about four cups of coffee) is considered safe.

Cheap coffee and the wrong type
Buying an expensive coffee machine is no guarantee of good coffee, because the quality of the coffee beans also plays a big part in the flavour. However expensive the machine may be, it can't make high-quality coffee from bad coffee beans. What exactly makes coffee of such high quality? Quality coffee is roasted slowly at a constant temperature, which is of course more complex and takes longer than the conventional quick roasting process. You can recognise quality coffee beans by the fact that they are all roughly the same size and are evenly roasted. So if you want a good coffee, you should definitely not skimp on the coffee beans. Your taste buds and health will undoubtedly thank you for it. If your coffee still doesn't suit your taste, it could be due to the type of coffee beans. In total, there are over 100 known types of coffee with different flavours. Robusta coffee, for example, generally has a higher caffeine content than Arabica coffee and is therefore somewhat stronger and more bitter in flavour. Find out more and simply try out several varieties to discover the perfect type of coffee for you personally.

Poor water quality and no cleaning
Do you think that the water you use to make your coffee is completely irrelevant? Unfortunately, we have to disagree with you, because coffee is 99% made from water and therefore also plays a major role in its flavour. Water from the tap that is too hard and contains limescale has a very high (alkaline) pH value, which cancels out the flavours of your coffee and therefore makes it taste like nothing. Water that is too soft can overemphasise the bitter notes in the coffee due to its low (acidic) pH value and make it taste very sour. If you are not sure about the quality of your tap water, you can have it tested with a test kit or in a laboratory. Water that has been sitting unused in the tank of a coffee machine for days can also result in a poor flavour. The coffee water should always be fresh and rich in oxygen, as the minerals and salts contained in the water are important flavour carriers for your coffee. This is why you should always replace the water with fresh water. Regular cleaning of your coffee machine is also an important indicator of good flavour. It is completely normal for coffee residue and limescale to build up in the machine over time, but this can have a negative effect on the flavour. To prolong the life of your appliance and always be able to enjoy perfect coffee, you should descale it every two to three months and clean it regularly.

Incorrect grinding degree
To positively influence the flavour of your coffee, you should also set the right grind. The finer the grind, the more intense the flavour, as the water takes longer to flow through the coffee powder and more flavour is released. However, if the grind is set too fine, the contact time between the water and coffee powder will be too long and the coffee will taste too bitter. If the grind is set too coarse, the coffee flows too quickly into the cup and therefore tastes less aromatic. The fineness of the grind should therefore be adjusted to the coffee bean used and the flavour.

At our coffee centre in Buchs, we know how important the right preparation is for the best coffee taste. Our house blend combines selected coffee beans and achieves a smooth, extremely pleasant mouthfeel. Other speciality beans are available from us. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.