5 Things About Green Coffee Beans (AKA Raw Coffee Beans)

by Natasha Nesic
Have you ever heard of a little something called “green” coffee?

If you’re starting to spend time here with us at Lardera, then you might notice that we have a whole section full of green coffees, nestled next to the traditional— and delicious, all! — light, medium, and dark roasts sourced from our farmers around the coffee-growing world.

However, the word “green” can sometimes be a little off-putting. To someone who’s never had the chance to sample a sip of green coffee for themselves, the reaction to the sound of it can be as mild as “Oh?” all the way to, “Oh, NO!”

Let’s instead say, “No!” to the “Oh, NO!” and get cracking on five reasons why you should try the good green stuff— and by the end of this article, don’t be surprised if that earlier “No!” turns into a “Now!”

Actually— hold up. Speaking of cracking, let’s open up what green coffee actually is.

Green coffee is the raw coffee bean, in all its glory. It has been first lovingly extracted from the fruity, pulpy home of the coffee berry that it spent its childhood in, then washed and dried to remove said fruity-pulpiness. However, where normally a coffee bean’s next life-cycle stage would be a trip to the heat and iron for roasting, these green beans have been saved from the roasting process.

What does that mean for the drinker?

A whole lot of new, exciting experiences!

Five Things You Need To Know About Green Coffee

1. Flavor Profile

Green coffee tastes like nothing you’ve had before. If you’re familiar with tea, the closest flavor profile it resembles would be green rooibos— and if you haven’t tried Adagio’s incredible selection of teas by now, then that’s a great one to start with!

You’d think that green coffee would be grassy or taste like errant vegetables, but the nuances are actually quite delightful. Drinkers often note accents like fruit or faintly sweet florals in the background. For such notes, definitely check out the reviews on any of the coffees you might be interested in trying! Other peoples’ comments on a coffee you’ve never tried before are a great way to satisfy your curiosity about different tasting experiences, giving you a chance to vicariously see, touch, feel, and taste— you can hear coffee, too, but that’s a little less part of the sipping process— what a coffee is like before buying a sample, or sample set yourself.

2. Preparation

Preparing green coffee is a little bit different… Okay, it’s a lot different than what you might be used to!

Regular coffee-steeping is pretty straightforward. Add a bubbling pot— or kettle! — of boiling water to a freshly-ground pile of beans, and within minutes you have your brew.

Green coffee is less straightforward. Luckily Lardera has a wonderful in-depth blog post already covering how to brew it with two different methods: ground and whole-bean.

Both are relatively simple, and luckily the major differences between green and roasted coffee preparation come down to using hot— not boiling! — water and for whole bean, having the time and space to soak the beans overnight before you brew them the next day. This allows the tough fibrous parts of the bean to disintegrate just enough to allow the bean to open up and yield its sweet flavor within.

Health Benefits

Green coffee has been the subject of numerous studies as to its possible beneficial effects on the human body.

For example, it has been shown to contain significant amounts of chlorogenic acid, which has in its turn been studied to have possible merits against diabetes and obesity. This is one case where acidity is actually good for you! Many people suffer from health problems as a result of having too little stomach acid, which means that the chlorogenic acid in a green coffee bean can soothe stagnant digestion and pep your gastric motility. Everybody— and literally, every body— wins!

Variety

Have you ever felt bored with the same coffee, every day? Trying a new blend or flavor is good for stimulating your brain and breaking out of too many habits that result in boredom.

Try this fun fact: our brains thrive on learning new things and staying out of the “usual.” Even Psychology Today has documented how “variety is the spice of life” isn’t just a metaphor— it’s real on a psychological and biological level!

You can help this by trying new gear to steep your green coffee with as well. Lardera has an amazing selection of gear including coffeemakers, filters, grinders, kettles, and pitchers to ensure that the brewing experience feels sleek and significant every time. (Highly recommend the French Press to anyone living in a tiny, hazardous apartment— it puts up with slippery fingers and limited dish rack space like a true champion!)

5. Fun!

Come on. Green coffee is just cool.

More than that, there’s something about it for everyone.

Green coffee has a low enough caffeine content for your entry-level coffee drinkers, plus the side effects of fruit and floral flavor that can tease ou tea connoisseurs from their dark— but fragrant! — lairs.

And for experienced coffee drinkers, green coffee offers a bright and new take on their favorite classic.

How’s that for a win, now?