If you have had the chance of traveling around the world, and you appreciate drinking a cup of coffee, then you know that there are a large variety of ways to brew it. The taste of a coffee in Turkey, Italy and Cuba, might easily be too strong for an American. In turn, any European visiting America will believe they are drinking hot water instead of coffee, in any American city. So, what makes a French coffee press so special? As you will read below, it may be the healthiest way to drink coffee.
The Various Methods to Brew Coffee
Studies over the last decade have enlightened the many health benefits of drinking coffee. It is the caffeine found inside that acts as a stimulant, which is good for the brain, but also for cardio-vascular functions. That said, there are many ways of brewing coffee. All of them are not as equally good for your system. A Turkish coffee is heated over and over again, which burns it, removing some of its health benefit. If you try an espresso, in Northern Italy, you will wonder why there is barely anything in your cup, until you ingest it. Then, your heart will start beating faster as these few droplets of coffee are filled with pure caffeine.
At the other end, a coffee cup in North America (what is called “Americano” elsewhere around the world) is usually brewed in a coffee machine. Here, water seeps through coffee placed in a paper filter, before ending up in large pot, kept on a heated surface. No risk of an elevated heart beat with this method, as this is the most watered-down version of coffee. Though it still possesses some of the health benefits found in coffee, it is not as potent as when brewed in other ways. The French coffee press is unique and offers more benefits than most other brewing methods, which we will now explain.
Benefits of Brewing Coffee with a French Press
As you will read below, there are many benefits of brewing coffee from a French coffee press. However, we should start by what is surely the most important element: The taste. If you buy quality coffee, the French press will bring out all its flavour. The process is quite simple. You place the ground coffee inside the glass container, while you start boiling water. Once it has reached ebullition, you pour it over the coffee and you place the press on top of it, without pressing it down just yet. Once the water has really mixed well with the coffee, after 5 minutes or so, press gently until the filter gets all the way down to the bottom of the container. What it will hold is a strong coffee with as much flavour as you can get.
Ideal Amount of Caffeine to get the Most Health Benefits
As we explained before, caffeine is what plays an important part in the health benefits you get from coffee. It decreases the risk of cardio-vascular diseases while raising your neurological state. Indeed, it has been proven that drinking coffee protects from cognitive decline caused by aging. Because the French press does not burn the coffee for too long, it keeps a good level of caffeine, and there are no minerals added from the container, which can happen with an Italian Moka pot, for example.
A great antioxidant
If you use a French press and you drink the coffee without adding anything else to it, you will benefit from its antioxidant properties. It fights free radicals inside your body, protecting you against deterioration illnesses such as Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, as it strengthens your neurones. It also plays a part in keeping your skin healthy.
A Protection against Cancer
By drinking coffee from a French press, every morning, you ingest methylpyridinium, which protects you from cancerous agents. It is particularly helpful against oral, pharyngeal and esophageal cancers.
Choosing to drink your coffee by brewing it through a French press will help you make the most of the health values that are found in coffee. You will benefit from all that is mentioned above, and it will also reduce the risk of dental cavities, type two diabetes and gout.
Eco-friendly and Economical
Many other coffee brewing methods use bleached filters, which are not ecological. When you choose to brew your coffee with a French Press, there is absolutely no filter or any other waste to get rid of, afterwards. If you really want to make the most of your coffee, you can recycle it in your garden as a fertilizer.
Making coffee through a French press will provide you with all the flavour of an espresso machine, without the cost of buying one. You won’t need to get your daily fill at the coffeeshop anymore, since it will be even better at home!
