Coffee

Coffea spp.

drink

Roasted seeds of a shrub from the forests of Ethiopia, taken from red or purple berries with sweet pulp, the “cherries”; arabica, less bitter than robusta, makes up 60% of production. Its tannins hinder iron absorption: best drunk away from meals.

Origin

Highlands of Ethiopia

Season (United States)

all year round · grows in your region

Preparation

Paper-filtered rather than boiled or French press: the filter retains the diterpenes, which raise cholesterol. Its tannins hold back plant iron: better away from an iron-rich meal than during it.

Molecules

Phenolic acidsWhat slows things down Tannins (iron brake)

Did you know?

Legend says a shepherd discovered it when he saw his goats dancing after grazing on the berries.