Espresso, Latte and Cappuccino Whats your flavour today

In my Office we have a couple of Vending machines; One of Cafe Coffee Days and one of Lipton's. The Lipton's gives out Malt, Bombay coffee, Chocolate, and Tea. CCD dispensor gives out a few varieities of Coffee. Espresso, Latte & Cappuccino. For a person who is not a big beverage drinker; Coffee for me was a plain cup of coffee Bru, Nescafe or Sunrise types. With the influx of Java greens and the CCDs and vending machines at office I did get to hear a bit of fancy roasts, flavored coffees, and custom blends from all over the world. Having discovered the names wanted to explore how each one was different, a bit of googling and enquiry at CCD helped me out.

What is an Instant Coffee?

Bru & nescafe are quick alternatives to our traditional filter coffee where the coffee seeds are roasted grinded and filter it to get a tasty decoction. Mixing sufficient milk and sugar mixing the same in davara-tumbler (the special cup saucer of TN), one can create a frothy kaapi too.

In instant coffee, to the powdered roasted Coffee beans Chicory is blended in. Chicory is a vegetable being cultivated mostly in Europe (Belgium) and Latin America. Roots of Chicory plants are dried, grinded and being consumed as substitute of coffee or mixed with coffee to make a bend. Aroma and test of any coffee will depend on the proportion of chicory in it.

What is Espresso?

Espresso is an Italian way of forcing hot water through slow-roasted, finely ground coffee beans. The result is a thick, intense drink which is popular in Italy.

In the U.S. it is more often the base for other coffee drinks such as:
Cappuccino: Espresso with some milk and a lot of milk foam, sometimes with cinnamon or cocoa powder sprinkled on top
Latte: Espresso with a lot of milk in it
Mocha: Latte with chocolate and (often) whipped cream on top
Americano: Espresso shot with enough hot water to fill the cup
Macchiato: Espresso shot with a small amount of frothed milk

For me at least the regular coffee (i.e.) Espresso tastes like burnt wood mixed in hot water so keep myself away from it. Prefer Cappuccino and mostly Latte.

Advantages of drinking coffee:

1. Coffee can increase the metabolism rate up to 30% .

2. Coffee with exercise when taking 300mg, averages a 20% increase in energy and fatigue, while burning fat increased 107% greater than without caffeine.

3. Caffeine in coffee keeps our brains alert and receptive of new information.

4. Regular consumption of coffee decreases the risk of type II diabetes and many other health risks.

5. Bru & Nescafe especially comes with nice free gifts! Jars and bowls

Disadvantages:

1. Coffee when consumed in excess can be addictive, stimulate, and a mood charger.

2. A large amount of caffeine consumed all at once can have a negative affect on blood sugar levels that influences fat burning that could change into storing fat.

3. Too much coffee over time can stain your teeth.

How Many Carbs and Calories Are in Coffee Drinks?

The nutritional information for coffee drinks that are mainly espresso and milk don’t vary that much, but depends on the additivies like sugar, whipped cream, and chocolate, there is more variation.
Cappuccino –
16 oz – 15 grams carb, 100-180 calories (more for half and half)
Latte –
16 oz – 21 grams carb, 160-260 calories
Mocha –
16 oz - 33-42 grams carb, 210-433 calories

Other flavorings can add varying amounts of carbohydrates and calories. Fancy drinks like caramel whip extravaganzas can add many more carbs and calories. Even flavored syrups take their toll. One “pump” of flavoring from syrups with sugar has about 5 grams of carb and 20 calories.

Whatever flavour, whatever blend, whatever method its made for a non-Addict like me, Coffee signfies two things, one to unwind and keep me alert at work when headache creeps in and secondly the Premium blend is a style statement and means to treat a small team or an intimate one. Hope you have a great Coffee day.