Differences of Instant Coffee vs Ground Coffee

Which one do you prefer to choose between instant coffee vs ground coffee?  When deciding which one you prefer, the differences below can help you to choose. 

Ground Coffee

Ground coffee means it is whole coffee beans that need to be grinding to serve. The kinds of coffee beans used to serve coffee will decide how good the coffee taste will be. The ground coffee was served by picking the coffee cherries, drying the beans, and roasted to a certain degree. After that, ground coffee is packaged and sells in the market. It is a process of ground coffee where you find in the supermarket to buy coffee. The ground coffee grinds result in different sizes, from the coarse, medium, fine, and very fine. The various size grind allows it to make different coffee drink types such as coarse grind for cold brew or fine grind coffee for making espresso. The overall coffee taste will be affected by the coffee bean grind size and brewing method. 

Instant Coffee

Most instant coffee is made from the extract of dried coffee. The brewed coffee is turned into coffee powder or coffee crystal. The instant coffee usually comes in a single-serve coffee sachet and it is easy to find in-home or office. Because of its convenience of serving, instant coffee is easily found in the coffee market. There are two main processes in the manufacturing of instant coffee; freeze-drying and spray drying. Spray drying is a technique by spray the coffee extract into a hot air stream, and dry the droplets quickly and turn into a fine powder. In the freeze-drying method, the coffee beans are extracted and freeze in the machine and then turn into coffee granules. The coffee granules then proceeded to dried under vacuum and low temperatures to turn into coffee crystals. 

Differences between instant coffee vs ground coffee

Caffeine Content

Ground Coffee has higher caffeine than instant coffee. The caffeine is extracted from the actual bean of your instant coffee or ground coffee. When the coffee bean is exposed to heat, the liquid will draw the caffeine out. It means, longer time coffee stays in the water this means more caffeine will be more extracted. That’s why coffee types such as Turkish ibric, French, or the coffee drip filter produce strong coffee brew to have better caffeine and even taste. With ground coffee, you can adjust the coffee brew and tweak it to your taste. 

When you make instant coffee you are unable to control the amount of caffeine extracted from the coffee. Sometimes, the manufacturer strives to make strong coffee but this has a lack. As instant coffee is limited to the caffeine amount, the manufacturer manages to extract in coffee before it dries. When you add more instant coffee powder, it tastes bitter. This condition will make you need more sugar or milk which is not healthy in the longer term. 

Price

Instant coffee is cheaper. However, it is often lacking in quality and taste. Mostly, instant coffee uses Robusta coffee beans and makes it so bad. Robusta has higher caffeine than Arabica coffee and it is also cheaper. Most ground coffee is made out of Arabica and sometimes added with a small portion of Robusta to add more caffeine or stronger taste. Robusta has twice the caffeine amount from Arabica and half of the fat and sugars that Arabica has. It means bitter coffee has a stronger kick than Arabica. That becomes the main reason people who are unable to drink black coffee mix it with cream and sugar to drink their coffee. It becomes the reason why Robusta is used in a mixed coffee drink such as latte or cappuccino. Robusta has a strong flavor and is able to mix with bulk quantities of sugar and milk and other additional flavors. The worst thing about instant coffee tastes too bad because the instant Robusta is worse than the brewed Robusta. 

Robusta is also queen for coffee production. The coffee cherries of Robusta double than Arabica. Robusta is also highly resistant to diseases and pests that means the plants are easy to grow. It is the main reason for the lower rate of Arabica production and makes many coffee companies make a compromise with the condition. Using cheaper coffee cherries also means cutting the production cost since Arabic becomes very expensive. 

Brewing Time and Methods

When it comes to convenience, then instant coffee has its advantage. One of the most significant differences between ground coffee and instant coffee is brewing. When you make your instant coffee, you need to pour the coffee powder into a cup and add hot water and thecoffee ready to enjoy. The direction to make instant coffee can vary depending on the brand.  

For ground coffee, it will take a complex process and a longer time to make a cup of coffee. You need to wait few minutes, cleaning the machines and 

Instant Coffee Dissolves Easily in Liquids

Instant coffee will dissolve into water or liquids easily. It is best to add fewer liquids from the instruction on the packaging. It is because instant coffee tends to taste flat and if you add too much water it will get worse. You can find instant coffee with additional sugar, creamer, or powdered milk and flavors. Instant coffee is the perfect solution for busy people to enjoy coffee. The ground coffee will not dissolve in water even when you add boiled water. You need to grind it in fine powder. The ground coffee is made from large fiber amounts and it is not easily dissolved in water. It is much like when you try to dissolve cinnamon or cocoa powder with water. It will not dissolve in water but sink in the bottom. 

Taste

Meanwhile, taste becomes a personal subject. In order to the caffeine content and the method to make, instant coffee usually has a lighter flavor. The ground coffee will deliver you a different taste of instant coffee. Most of the ground coffee is made from high-quality coffee beans. The type of brewing method and coffee becomes the most decisive factor to the coffee taste. It means the same ground coffee can deliver you different tastes depending on the amount and how you brew. Ground coffee has higher acidity, more flavors, and a wider body range to extract. Meanwhile, most instant coffees taste bitter no matter what, either it is a light or dark roasting method. The beautiful aroma from fresh coffee beans is also lost when instant coffee is processed. 

Which is healthier?

Coffee is a thing of life and you will never feel bad after drinking it. The caffeine in coffee is like sugar-heavy drinks that bring you energy. It is full of antioxidants; boosts mental alertness and low calories. In both instant coffee vs ground coffee, there are a small number of differences in minerals, caffeine levels, antioxidants, and vitamin content. However, the main differences are the potassium levels. Ground coffee has twice the potassium level as instant coffee.

A cup of instant coffee has 60-80 mg caffeine meanwhile the ground coffee has 60-120mg of caffeine in a cup. As the positive impact of drinking coffee above, it also has side effects. Caffeine in coffee can cause insomnia, irritability, headaches, nervousness, and rapid heart rate. Caffeine has an impact of around 4-6 hours and the effects will last for hours after we consume it. 

How much can you drink? It depends on your tolerance to caffeine. The amount of coffee depends on several factors such as how often you drink type of coffee, medications, and your genetics. The moderate amount of coffee consumed daily is less than 4 cups for a day. You also need to consider the additional artificial sugar and preservatives in instant coffee. This can lead to the unhealthy issue. 

Which do You Prefer Much?

It is not an easy answer if you are a coffee lover. When you are busy, make instant coffee as simple as adding hot water and sip it. Instant coffee will save you from caffeine cravings when you are in a hurry and busy. However, with instant coffee, you can’t beat the fresh bean taste from ground coffee. Which one you prefer depends on your personality. You may prefer to enjoy ground coffee in-home and instant coffee at the office. The differences between instant coffee vs ground coffee above can help you to make better consumption of coffee and preferences. 

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