We Answer the 11 Most Googled Coffee Questions of 2016

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Click and see if your coffee searches made the list.

1. What is coffee? What is green coffee?

Coffee is a magical bean that brings people to life every morning. Just kidding (kind of). According to Merriam-Webster, the actual definition of “coffee” is “a beverage made by percolation, infusion, or decoction from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant”.

Green coffee refers to unroasted coffee beans -- which is how they arrive at Royal Cup from their place of origin.

2. Is espresso coffee?

Yes! Espresso can be made from any type of coffee bean – it actually refers to a type of fine grind used for making espresso shots.

3. Is there caffeine in decaf coffee? How much caffeine is in a cup of regular coffee?

There are trace amounts (2-12 mg) of caffeine left in decaf coffee. It shouldn’t be enough to keep you up at night or harm your health, but always ask your doctor what's best for you before consuming. Regular coffee has anywhere from 95-200 grams of caffeine in an 8 oz. mug.

4. Is coffee bad for you?

It depends. Studies have shown that coffee drinkers can experience benefits like a decreased risk of dementia, protection against a specific type of skin cancer, and even a longer life span. Other studies say that caffeine can do more harm than good.

This article from TIME does a really good job of explaining all of the pros and cons. As always, check with your doctor to see what’s best for you.

5. Does coffee make you poop?

For about 30-40 percent of people, yes.The Washington Post says coffee has a compound called chlorogenic acid that triggers higher stomach acid levels and also higher production of gastric acid. That increased acidity could make the stomach dump its contents out more quickly than usual. Something in coffee may also trigger the release of hormones that aid digestion, which would speed up bowel movements. But it's still unclear which chemical compound causes that reaction.

6. How many calories are in coffee?

The USDA estimates that for every eight ounces of black coffee, there’s about one calorie. Milk, cream and sugar can also up the calories, depending on how much you use.

7. What’s the difference between cold brew and iced coffee?

This is a great question, and we seem to get it a lot at Royal Cup! Iced coffee is made hot with more (sometimes double) the amount of coffee grounds. Then, it’s poured over ice, which dilutes the coffee.

Cold brew is different because coffee grounds are soaked in cold water for hours at a time (our H.C. Valentine cold brew sits for 20 hours), and eventually drained. This process makes the coffee less bitter and acidic, and cold brew has more caffeine than other types of coffee because water has longer contact time with the grounds.

8. Is coffee vegan?

Yes, unless you add milk or cream to your coffee.

9. Will coffee help me lose weight?

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Caffeine may slightly boost weight loss or prevent weight gain, but there's no sound evidence that increased caffeine consumption results in significant or permanent weight loss."

There are two theories behind this:

  • Appetite suppression -- Caffeine may reduce your desire to eat for a brief time, but there's not enough evidence to show that long-term consumption aids weight loss.
  • Calorie burning. Caffeine may stimulate thermogenesis — one way your body generates heat and energy from digesting food. But this probably isn't enough to produce significant weight loss.

10. What is bulletproof coffee?

Bulletproof coffee is black coffee with butter and sometimes MCT (Medium-chain triglyceride) oil. Some low-carb dieters say it fills them up at breakfast sans carbs, others say it’s a crock of butter. Read more on Bulletproof coffee here if you’re interested.

11. What’s the best type of coffee?

Royal Cup, of course. But we may be a little biased.