Roasted Coffee Bean Nutritional Information

Every day, the scent of coffee drifting through the air wakens the senses and stimulates the happy neurons of millions of coffee lovers. More than half of Americans drink coffee daily, reports Coffee Research, and nearly a fifth drink gourmet specialty coffee daily. Another 25 percent of Americans drink coffee occasionally. Americans may not agree on which political party should run the country or who makes the best pizza, but apparently a majority can agree on their love of java. And they vote on that issue with their pocket books. On average, coffee drinkers spend more than $160 apiece a year on coffee.

Caffeine

Many proclaim they love the flavor, and they might, but it is the caffeine that probably fuels their passion for the brew. The amount of caffeine contained in coffee can vary, depending on how the coffee bean was processed, the type of bean and how the coffee was brewed. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases the activity of the central and peripheral nervous system. It enhances concentration and attention, fights fatigue, enhances endurance and improves performance in athletic and physically demanding tasks. Instant coffee has 65 mg to 100 mg of caffeine and brewed or drip coffee has 115 mg to 175 mg of caffeine. Decaf coffee, whether instant or brewed, contains 2 mg to 4 mg of caffeine.

Vitamins and Minerals

Coffee essentially doesn't contain any essential nutrients. Aside from providing about 2 percent of daily required niacin, it has no fiber and only traces of any other vitamins and minerals. The FDA doesn't require coffee to have a nutrition label because it lacks the essential nutrients posted on nutritional labels.

Calories

In its favor, coffee also doesn't have any of the bad stuff that many favorite foods and beverages contain. Coffee has no sugar, carbohydrates, fat or cholesterol. An 8 oz serving of brewed coffee has 2 calories, according to the USDA.

Positive Effects

Though lean on macro and essential nutrients, coffee still seems to have positive effects for health. Like tea, coffee is chock full of phytochemicals and micronutrients that can enhance health, particularly when consumed routinely at moderate levels. One study, described at EMaxHealth.com, concluded that three to five cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of Alzheimer's. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that moderate consumption of coffee decreases risk of Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, liver cancer and cirrhosis. Coffee may also improve your mood by increasing your brain's sensitivity to the brain messenger called serotonin.

Weight Management

The caffeine in coffee increases your metabolism and helps you burn calories. The hot brew fills you up and can temporarily reduce feelings of hunger, helping you to put off snacking and wait until your meal to eat. Of course, if you load your coffee with cream or sugar, or imbibe in a high-calorie specialty coffee, any potential gains are lost, or more accurately, any potential losses are gained. Specialty coffees, such as frappes and lattes, inflict serious caloric damage, adding as many as 400 or 500 calories and loads of artery-clogging fat. Learn to love the joe plain and simple to reap coffee's health benefits free of additional calories and fat.