Coffee beans contain a number of phytochemical antioxidant that may be of interest nutritionally. However, during roasting the antioxidant profile of coffee changes somewhat and so roasted coffee may have different properties to green unprocessed coffee. In green coffee, the main antioxidants fall into two main categories, and these are polyphenols and diterpenoids. The main polyphenol in coffee is chlorogenic acid. The main diterpenoids in coffee are kahweol and cafestol. When coffee beans are roasted some of the chlorogenic acid converts to other chemicals in a process called the maillard reaction. The main maillard reaction products during coffee roasting are melanoidins, and these have oxidant properties of their own. The diterpenoids in coffee survive the roasting process. Therefore, while roasted coffee may lose some chlorogenic acid, it gains some melanoidins, but both are antioxidants. Therefore roasted coffee, both filter and instant, may still be high in total antioxidant capacity.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
