Turn up the heat: Cold brew coffee may not be as healthy as initially thought

05 Nov 2018 --- Cold brew coffee has seen a surge in new product development, finding popularity among many health-conscious consumers. However, a recent Jefferson University study, published in Scientific Reports, has found that hot brewed coffee appears to be a better option. Not only are their pH levels similar, but hot brewed coffee is richer in antioxidants compared to cold brew, which makes it healthier.

The rise of cold brew coffee
Cold brew coffee became popular as a less “invasive” way of making coffee than traditional brewing techniques. There is no heat involved in the preparation process of cold brew, instead, it is produced through a long-steeping method. This method allegedly makes the coffee less acidic and, therefore, better suited to people with gastrointestinal issues.

In the US alone, consumption of cold brew has risen dramatically since 2011, with the US market seeing 580 percent growth from 2011 to 2018 (year to date), according to the researchers. There has never been any substantial evidence that cold brew offers these benefits and generally, there is little research on the matter. 

The study
Researchers from Jefferson University (Philadelphia University and Thomas Jefferson University), carried out research to see whether the cold brew craze has a solid foundation. 

Niny Rao, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry, and Megan Fuller, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry, tested which way of preparing coffee is more beneficial to the drinker and concluded that hot brewed coffee has more antioxidants than cold brew due to a higher level of total titratable acids, while the pH levels of both cold brew and hot brewed coffee are similar, ranging from 4.85 to 5.13 for all samples of coffee tested in the study. 

“Coffee has a lot of antioxidants, if you drink it in moderation, research shows it can be pretty good for you," Fuller says. “We found the hot brew has more antioxidant capacity.”

The aftermath
Since it has been established that the pH levels of cold brew do not differ significantly from that of the hot brew, what should people with gastrointestinal issues opt for?

“Epidemiologists and medical researchers will have to lead the way on determining the best beverage for people with gastrointestinal discomfort, but this research helps them understand the chemical differences between hot and cold brew coffee,” Rao and Fuller tell NutritionInsight. 

“As cold brew and other boutique coffee trends grow, research on the health effects of the beverages is likely to follow. We are interested in understanding the role of roasting on the development of antioxidant compounds in coffee extracts, and how brewing temperature influences the chemistry of the coffee. As we learn what specific compounds are responsible for the antioxidant capacity of coffee, the correlation between coffee drinks and health effects can be better investigated.”

As the coffee industry has invested heavily on the cold brew trend and one can’t help but wonder what this could mean for cold brew marketing and sales. If there are no clear benefits to choosing cold brew, then the beverage possibly loses its unique selling point.

“Taste and enjoyment drive profits, although coffee enthusiasts are curious about the health implications of their beloved beverage. This research is not meant to encourage consumers toward or away from a product, but just to inform them of the differences between the various brewing methods,” conclude Nao and Fuller.

By Kristiana Lalou