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From a scientific viewpoint, coffee is an incredibly complex substance. It is estimated to contain more than 2000 chemical constituents, although an exact number has never been determined. Not only do scientists not know what coffee is composed of, they also don't know the effects many of the various chemical components on the human body.
The following table shows the various chemical compounds typically found in coffee:
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A summary of compositional data (in %) for green and roasted arabica and robusta coffee beans and instant coffee powder |
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| Component | ARABICA | ROBUSTA | INSTANT | ||
| Green | Roasted | Green | Roasted | ||
| Minerals | 3 - 4.2 | 3.5 - 4.5 | 4 - 4.5 | 4.6 - 5 | 9 - 10 |
| Caffeine | 0.9 - 1.2 | ~1 | 1.6 - 2.4 | ~2 | 4.5 - 5.1 |
| Trigonelline | 1 - 1.2 | 0.5 - 1 | 0.6 - 1.75 | 0.3 - 0.6 | ~ |
| Lipids | 12 - 18 | 14.5 - 20 | 9 - 13 | 11 - 16 | 1.5 - 1.6 |
| Total Chlorogenic Acids | 5.5 - 8 | 1.2 - 2.3 | 7 - 10 | 3.9 - 4.6 | 5.2 - 7.4 |
| Aliphatic Acids | 1.5 - 2 | 1 - 1.5 | 1.5 - 2 | 1 - 1.15 | - |
| Oligosaccharides | 6 - 8 | 0 - 3.5 | 5 - 7 | 0 - 3.5 | 0.7 - 5.2 |
| Total polysaccharides | 50 - 55 | 24 - 39 | 37 - 47 | - | ~6.5 |
| Amino Acids | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Proteins | 11 - 13 | 13 - 15 | 11 - 13 | 13 - 15 | 16 - 21 |
| Hunic Acids | 16 - 17 | 16 - 17 | 15 | ||
The one ingredient that has received the most scientific scrutiny is caffeine. The physiological effects of caffeine have been studied extensively. Chlorogenic acids are being investigated for possible antioxidant properties, but very little is known of the other constituents which make up 98% of roasted arabica coffee beans.
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Printed matters:
Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying by Kenneth Davids
Coffee Basics: A Quick and Easy Guide by Kevin Knox and Julie Sheldon Huffaker
Clifford M.N. and Willson K.C. (Editors) - Coffee; botany, biochemistry and production of beans and beverage. London, Croom Helm, 1985
Wrigley G. - Coffee. London, Longman, 1988
Anacafe. 1995. Hombres de Cafe. Guatemala: Talleres de Litografia Galton.
Coffee, a Medicinal Plant: All About Coffee and Its Effects on Human Health by Darcy R. Lima
Davids, K. 1991. Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing and Enjoying. Santa Rosa: 101 Productions.
Davids, K. 1996. Home Coffee Roasting: Romance and Revival. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.
Illy, A. and Viani, R. 1995. Espresso Coffee: The Chemistry of Quality. San Diego: Academic P.
Illy, F. and Illy, R. 1989. Dal Caffe al Espresso. Milano: A. Mondadoni.
Websites:
Decaf Coffee Plants Developed
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