Americano vs Coffee – History, Caffeine Content, Side Effects

Americano

It is also known as Caffè Americano and is a type of espresso which is a watered-down form of a regular espresso. Espresso is a blend of dark roast coffee beans finely ground and tightly packed together.

You get the best flavor with 1 oz of espresso and 4 to 5 oz of hot water.

History

According to the most popular belief, this type of coffee was invented in Italy during WWII by the US soldiers who had the habit of adding water to the Italian espresso, which was too strong for their taste.

However, some people dispute the fact that this drink was developed in Italy, and believe that the coffee was 1st created in the city of Seattle, US.

Thanks to many TV series, films, and detective literature, most coffee lovers think of this drink Americano as ”drip coffee” which is kept warm in a flask and served when needed. Nevertheless, this isn’t true, instead, this coffee is a far more diluted version.

But this drink is not just for people who can’t handle strong coffee. It is also an excellent method to test your espresso because “watering” it down a bit can allow you to get a better idea as to the quality of your espresso.

This type of coffee can be produced from lighter roasted coffees and roasts not usually with espresso, like – Sumatran or Ethiopian origins. Also, the strength of the coffee varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added.

Another coffee similar to this one is called the ”Long Black” and instead of adding hot water into Espresso, it is made by adding Espresso into hot water, that breaks up the crema.

Caffeine content – on average 12 oz contains 154mg of caffeine.

Regular Coffee

It is also known as brewed coffee and is produced by pouring boiling or hot water over ground coffee beans, generally contained in a filter. Brewing is the most common method to make coffee in Europe and the United States.

The general rule for coffee-making is 2 tbs of ground coffee for every six ounces of water.

Tips

  • the water you use is vital to the quality of your coffee. It is recommended to use bottled or filtered water if your tap water has a strong taste or odor.
  • even though you don’t need a coffee maker, you will still require freshly roasted coffee beans since the quality of your coffee is largely influenced by the quality of the coffee.
  • it is essential to observe that if you are using any type of container to store water in, it is crucial to thoroughly clean the container daily.

Storage

To keep the coffee you buy fresh for a longer amount of time, make sure you are storing your coffee correctly, meaning in an airtight, opaque container. However, it is not recommended to store your coffee in the freezer or refrigerator, as it will remove some of the flavors that are present.

Caffeine content – 8 ounces (237 mL) 95-200 mg.

Note – according to specialists, even the same type of coffee from the same coffee shop can vary in caffeine content. For instance, if an extra scoop was put into the coffee maker, or the beans were ground differently, the caffeine content can fluctuate notably.

Verdict – Americano vs Coffee

These two types of beverages have distinct tastes since they are prepared differently, therefore, regarding consumption, it is up to personal taste.

Side Effects Of Caffeine

About 90 percent of all the people in the United States over age 18 drink coffee daily (with 50 percent about three cups per day) with an average intake of 227 mg of caffeine.

However, caffeine is a potent chemical stimulant and the world’s most popular psychoactive drug most frequently used to help people stay mentally alert. Caffeine works by blocking adenosine (a neurotransmitter that acts as a central nervous system depressant), that ultimately prevents drowsiness.

Basically, after ingesting caffeine, your body thinks that there is some emergency, and it floods itself with epinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine, and cortisol.

Furthermore, this chemical easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and enters every tissue, organ, and bodily fluid in the human body. Also, daily coffee drinking increases insulin resistance, a negative situation in which the human body cannot properly deliver glucose (sugar) into the cells of the body.

Also, excessive consumption of foods and drinks that contain caffeine can result in some minerals or vitamins which have been consumed as food being excreted from the body instead of being absorbed into it by the digestive system.

Note

Caffeine starts to affect the human body very quickly. For example, caffeine reaches the highest level in the blood within 30 to 60 minutes and it has a half-life of about four hours.

Image credit – Shutterstock

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References

https://www.starbucks.com.au/menu/25/

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