What is American coffee?
American coffee is a specific type of coffee consumed mostly in the United States of America and more in other English-speaking regions. It is prepared with a special machine. Unlike the coffee made with mocha and espresso you drink it in a cup (one dose is about 25-35 ml for espresso and 50 ml for brewed coffee with mocha), American coffee is served in doses of about 200-250 ml).
What are the nutritional properties?
100 ml of coffee contain approximately 2 calories and:
- 99 g of water
- 0.3 g of protein
- 0.23 g carbohydrates
- 2 mg of calcium
- 0.02 mg of iron
- 4 mg of magnesium
- 3 mg of phosphorus
- 50 mg of potassium
- 1 mg of sodium
- 0.02 mg of zinc
- 0.02 mg of vitamin B1 or Thiamin
- 0.8 mg of vitamin B3 or Niacin
When to avoid coffee?
Coffee can also interfere significantly with the absorption of alendronate (drug used for osteoporosis) and may reduce the effectiveness of iron-based supplements. The quinolone antibiotics may instead increase the absorption of caffeine: in all these cases it is therefore good to seek medical advice before consuming this drink. Coffee is also contraindicated if you suffer from hyperthyroidism and glaucoma or medical conditions in the intestine, stomach, liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, or nervous system.
Availability of coffee
Coffee is one of the most commonly found beverages in almost every country. Coffee is found on almost every menu of restaurants, bars, hotels and of course cafes. You can also prepare it at home: coffee machines can be purchased at appliance stores, and specialty shops as well as larger supermarkets sell all types of coffee blends.
Possible benefits and contraindications
It should first be noted that American coffee contains less caffeine than coffee prepared with mocha and espresso. Despite this, American coffee as mentioned before is served in much larger servings thus resulting in the same amount of total caffeine being ingested.
Coffee stimulates the central nervous system and reduces the feeling of sleep while increasing the feeling of well-being. Its tonic and stimulant effects are perceived at the level of psychic functions, with improved memory performance and an increased ease at reasoning. The stimulating effect of coffee is also felt in intestinal activity. It can also work as an analgesic against the headache.
The tolerability of this drink varies from person to person and when it exceeds the tolerance threshold the negative effects range from palpitations and heart rhythm disorders, with tremors, insomnia, stomach acid and hyper excitability. Too much coffee can also lead to depression and hypertension. It can give or exacerbate problems such as gastritis and gastric reflux. Given its Neurostimulant action, this drink is unsuitable for consumption by children.
