Is it safe to drink a day-old coffee?
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Every day, millions of people consume it to help increase productivity and improve alertness. But what about when coffee is left out for a day or two? Is it safe to drink a day-old coffee?
The answer is not a simple yes or no. It appears that day-old coffee is generally safe to drink, but there are a few potential risks associated with it.
Can You Drink Old Coffee?
Coffee is usually made from ground coffee beans that have been steeped in hot water. As coffee sits or is left out, its flavor and aroma begin to degrade. This is because the oils in the coffee beans become oxidized and give the coffee a stale taste. The longer the coffee sits, the more bitter it becomes as its flavor molecules dissipate.
The main concern with day-old coffee, however, is not its flavor or aroma, but its safety. Ingesting large amounts of caffeine can be hazardous and lead to caffeine poisoning. This is why it is important to understand the safety implications of day-old coffee before drinking it.
The Benefits of Aged Coffee
Despite its questionable safety, there are some potential health benefits of drinking day-old coffee.
Aged coffee has considerable amounts of antioxidant properties when compared to freshly brewed coffee. Antioxidants are known to help boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and improve cardiovascular health.
In addition, it has been suggested that day-old coffee contains a higher concentration of beneficial compounds than freshly brewed coffee. This is because the longer-term exposure to oxygen can break down plant compounds, allowing the body to more easily assimilate beneficial compounds from the coffee.
Risks of Drinking Day-old Coffee
As beneficial as aged coffee may be, there are still some risks associated with it.
When coffee is left out, it can become colonized with bacteria and mold. These organisms can cause food poisoning, which can cause an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and, in severe cases, even death.
Furthermore, coffee is a source of caffeine, and ingesting large amounts of caffeine can be dangerous. Drinking too much caffeine can lead to caffeine poisoning and symptoms such as headaches, jitteriness, difficulty sleeping, rapid heart rate, and increased blood pressure.
Expert Take on Day-old Coffee
Experts are divided on the safety of day-old coffee. While some experts believe the risks associated with aged coffee are overblown, others suggest that coffee should be consumed within 24 hours of being made for maximum safety.
Michelle Smith, a dietitian at the University of California-Berkeley, believes that day-old coffee is generally safe for most people. She states, “If you’re not someone who is sensitive to caffeine and you’re using filtered water to make your coffee, then you should feel relatively safe drinking day-old coffee.”
On the other hand, some experts believe that day-old coffee can be dangerous. Dr. Charles Gardiner, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, states, “I would not recommend drinking a day-old cup of coffee. The amount of caffeine and the overnight oxidation may increase toxins that could make you sick.”
How to Make Day-old Coffee Safe to Drink
Fortunately, there are a few ways that you can make day-old coffee safe to drink.
The first is to heat it up. Reheating day-old coffee can help destroy any bacteria or mold that might be living in your cup of coffee.
In addition, you can add a small amount of lemon juice to your cup of day-old coffee. Lemon juice has properties that can help eliminate any bacteria or mold that may be present in the coffee.
Finally, you can use cold extraction methods such as cold brewing and cold steeping. These methods don’t require the use of hot water and don’t expose the coffee grounds to oxygen, which makes them much safer than traditional methods of making coffee.
The Chemical Reactions caused by Aged Coffee
When coffee is left out, a number of chemical reactions occur that alter the flavor and aroma of the coffee. As the coffee sits, the coffee grounds begin to oxidize. This causes the flavor molecules to break down and creates new ones, resulting in a more bitter taste. The oil from the coffee beans also begins to evaporate, resulting in a decrease in the aroma of the coffee.
In addition, the caffeine content of the coffee begins to degrade, leading to a decreased caffeine content. This is why day-old coffee generally has less of a stimulating effect than freshly brewed coffee.
The Impact of Temperature on Day-old Coffee
The temperature of the environment in which the day-old coffee is stored can also have an impact on its safety. If the coffee is stored in an environment that is too hot or too cold, it can increase the number of bacteria and mold present in the coffee.
The best temperature to store day-old coffee is between 40°F and 80°F (5°C and 27°C). This is because most bacteria and mold can only thrive in environments outside of this temperature range.
The Impact of Oxygen on Day-old Coffee
The amount of oxygen that is present in the environment in which the day-old coffee is stored can also have an impact on its safety.
If the environment is too oxygen-rich, this can cause the beneficial compounds in the coffee to degrade, resulting in a decrease in the health benefits of the coffee. On the other hand, if the environment is too oxygen-poor, this can lead to an increase in the number of bacteria and mold that can colonize the coffee, potentially making it unsafe to drink.
Tips for Storing Coffee Properly
The best way to store coffee is to keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. This will prevent the coffee from being exposed to oxygen, which will help preserve the flavor and aroma of the coffee.
It is also important to make sure that the container is clean. Cleaning the container with hot water and soap can help reduce the number of bacteria that can colonize the coffee.
Finally, it is important to keep the coffee container out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can speed up the oxidation process, resulting in a decrease in the flavor and aroma of the coffee.
