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Hello, guys!
I'm back with my next blog, giving my thoughts on one of the most common drinks – coffee. I will briefly talk about the nutrition facts and then present some insights of three of the coffee types. Of course, there are much more than just three varieties of coffee, but I will be mentioning my favorites.
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We are all familiar with this drink, called coffee, but first, let's check its official definition, stated below:
Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, which are the seeds of berries from the Coffea plant.
Over the years many different types of coffee appeared, and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. The type of coffee, which is most widely spread also depends on the cultural diversity within a country and the current trends. Varieties differ in the amount of water, milk or creamer, added to the beverage. The ingredients can include chocolate and even a few drops of liquor in some cases. 
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I am a devoted coffee drinker. Usually, I have at least three cups of coffee a day, which is not healthy at all, but that's how I am. I don't believe one can get a strong addiction to coffee. Even though it contains the substance caffeine considered addictive, I tried giving up coffee for a week, and that didn't have any negative impact on my physical condition. Except, I couldn't stop sleeping. Nevertheless, that's another story. The main reason I love coffee so much is because this is one of the few things that can keep me awake, besides energy drinks.
Is coffee healthy or not?
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Well, from what I've read so far, there doesn't seem to be an agreement among health experts about the usefulness of coffee. Some say drinking coffee in large amounts can lead to insomnia and/or increased heart rate. On the other hand, small portions boost your energy and help for better concentration. Coffee is also included in many diets with the purpose of losing weight. One very important rule is that one shouldn't drink coffee on an empty stomach. Ok, I admit, this is a rule I don't follow. Coffee is the first thing I have in the morning, and then I have breakfast.
In general, I believe coffee is rather healthier than not, but of course, we should consider the individual needs of a person. For certain medical conditions, the use of coffee can even be dangerous.
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As promised, I will take a look at some of the types and recipes of preparing coffee. Here they are:
Greek Frappé
This is one of my favorites, and whenever I go out for a coffee, I order frappé. It is a drink that can even be made at home, with intensive stirring or by using a special mixer. The drink is particularly good during the summer because it contains ice. So, what is the recipe? Coffee is mixed with sugar and a little milk (for a white frappé) or water (for a black frappé). After that, the mixture is stirred in a shaker or with a frappé machine to form a thick foam. At the end, you can pour additional water or milk in the glass and put a few ice cubes. Check the video below for the exact steps.
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It is served in a high glass so that the foam constitutes approximately 50 to 80% of the drink. That surely looks delicious, and it indeed is. The ice melts slowly while you drink the beverage. For me, frappé is really strong. Usually, I have it when I need to work at night to keep me going. The origin of frappé is Greek, but I got to tell you, the Greek frappé has nothing to do with the one we consume in Bulgaria. From my visits to Greece, I noticed they drink it with a glass of water, and the coffee doesn't have so much foam.
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Frappé can be prepared with flavors as well. It can contain hazelnut, caramel, chocolate scents for an even more exotic style.
Coffee drinks 3 in 1
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Those drinks appeared on the market in my country in the last years. Many different brands produce them, but the concept is the same. This is the regular instant coffee which everyone can make, but the ingredients are added in advance, so you don't need to do that manually. They are basically portions of coffee for immediate consumption after mixing with just water. 3 in 1 stands for the three ingredients – coffee, milk (or creamer), and sugar. There are also 2 in 1 without sugar, 4 in 1 with added guarana for even more energy. The exact taste depends on the manufacturer and the quality of the product. Those drinks are so common in Bulgaria that they are offered in most cafeterias.
Coffee vending machines
Another type of coffee is the one from vending machines. They can usually be found on the streets and in public buildings. So, you can easily choose your preferred drink and insert the respective amount of coins. In a few minutes, you hear a signal indicating that your coffee has finished preparing. What are the advantages of vending machines?
- The coffee is ready in minutes and is cheap compared to cafeterias.
- There is a wide variety, such as long coffee, cappuccino, mochaccino.
- Vending machines are easily accessible; some of them operate 24/7.
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These machines don't offer only coffee, but also milk, tea, hot chocolate, and you can buy an empty plastic cup if you need to. There are five grades of adding sugar – one can pick a coffee with fewer amounts or an extremely sweet drink. The coffee prepared by machines has very particular taste and also plenty of foam.
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Considering the types of the coffee products, I prefer instant coffee over ground one. The reason is that instant coffee is completely soluble and doesn't require a filter or a specific machine to be made. One type of instant coffee I find really interesting is the green coffee. It is widely advertised as being healthier than the regular product. Every now and then, I see new flavors or limited editions of coffee products that really look great – creamy coffee, coconut coffee, hazelnut coffee, etc. Some of them don't stay long on the market, but others become popular among people.
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Coffee shops use strategies like creating art out of a simple cup of coffee – like drawing shapes on the top of the drink through combining the colors of white and brown. Alternatively, they serve their coffee with a biscuit, candy or a gum. Both tactics are indeed very attractive for the customers.
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That is all for now, and I'll see you in my next blog!
Thanks for reading!
-NinaB
