Are Espresso Beans Edible? – Can You Really Eat Coffee Beans?

When some coffee lovers hear about eating espresso beans naturally, the question are espresso beans edible arises.

I could draw out an answer and have you waiting for it or scrolling deeper. I’d believe it that so, here is the answer right off the bat – Yes!  Espresso beans are edible and have a strong focused taste, like a concentrated strong shot of Ristretto.

Keep reading for a more in depth answer and find out if it is better to eat raw or roasted espresso beans or covered in chocolate.

Are Espresso Beans Edible?

Yes, espresso beans are edible and can be enjoyed when eaten whole, as they are or in their most popular form which is as chocolate-covered coffee beans.

Although still edible, green coffee beans can have an unpleasant taste due to being acidic, woody and very grassy. Regular roasted coffee beans when eaten as they taste stronger than a cup of coffee and are more like a strong shot of ristretto.

The majority of the chocolate-covered coffee beans on the market are deeply roasted coffee beans and have a more traditional coffee flavor and go well with chocolate.

The coffee beans used are also regular coffee beans and not specialty grade or of a specific location.

Read: Is eating coffee beans bad?

Edible Coffee Beans – Raw Or Roasted?

The coffee fruit comes from the coffee plant. Each coffee fruit contains two seeds, and only one in the case of peaberry coffee. These raw coffee beans, while unroasted and only dry processed, which is standard for all coffee beans, regardless of their final roast level. Eating these coffee beans when they are completely unroasted and freshly picked are what is referred to as green coffee beans. They are bitter, acidic, hard to chew and very grassy.

It is an acquired taste and some dedicated coffee fans with a serious relationship with coffee describe them as tasty, tangy and delicious. Each to their own.

They are much better once they have been roasted. When the beans have been roasted, they soften and become more brittle and easier to eat, particularly so when taken to an espresso roast level.

The taste when enjoyed when you are eating them has a more pronounced flavor than drinking coffee due to the dilution effect of the water when you are drinking coffee.

Naturally it is far better to enjoy eating roasted coffee beans. This is something I enjoy with testing out new specialty beans and eat a few to enjoy the unique notes and characteristics of the beans.

Read: White chocolate covered espresso beans

Eating Coffee Beans For Weight Loss

There is plenty of evidence and peer reviewed studies that indicate that eating coffee beans is good for weight loss. There are a number of ways in which the aid you in your task, one of which is their caffeine content and another is the chlorogenic acid.

The caffeine aids in stimulating your metabolism and leads to a higher rate of fat burning. Also, eating a few coffee beans before you work out can lead to a more energetic work out.

Just half a dozen coffee beans, when eaten, have a similar caffeine content as two cups of coffee at Starbucks.

Coffee beans, when you eat them, are very low in calories and have a high content of fiber. As a matter of fact, a cup of black coffee has no calories. Coffee only gains calories from what you put in it, from the flavored syrup, sugar, sugar chocolate topping and so on.

When taken in moderation, eating coffee beans can really get you moving.

Read: Chocolate covered espresso beans

Eating Coffee Beans For Energy

Eating coffee beans gives you a boost of energy that is more immediate than drinking coffee as the caffeine enters your blood quicker but is shorter lasting.

I eat coffee beans to maintain a caffeine boost just as I am feeling or starting to feel an energy crash. I eat only one at a time, and spaced apart to extend the effect if I need it.

The caffeine effect in coffee functions by means of the inhibition of the hormone, adenosine, which is a hormone that causes lethargy, tiredness and sleepiness.

Drinking coffee can take around half an hour for the effect to kick in and only 3 min when eating coffee beans.

As I emphasize in this article, be aware of not eating too many coffee beans and keep your caffeine in take to 400 milligrams per day, the recommended limit. More than this, you may experience unwanted side effects like increased blood pressure, anxiety attacks, panic attacks and more.

Also,

if you are dieting and want to lose weight, you will want to monitor your chocolate-covered coffee bean consumption to avoid excess fat, sugar and calories.

Do eat your espresso coffee beans in moderation, be they natural or coated in chocolate.

Pros And Cons Of Eating Coffee Beans

There are a lot of plus points regarding the consumption of coffee beans and naturally there are some drawbacks also. Let’s start with the benefits of eating coffee beans.

Eating Coffee Beans Benefits

There are a lot of benefits to eating coffee beans, here are just some:

• May support brain health.
• Could help to reduce the risk of depression.
• A possible reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Supports heart health.
• An energy boost and enhanced energy levels.
• Protection against liver disease.
• Can help with weight management.
• May help with longevity.

All of these are backed by countless research studies.

The Cons Of Eating Coffee Beans

Here are some of the downsides and cons of eating coffee beans.

• May lead to calcium deficiency and depletion.
• Consuming too many chocolate-covered coffee beans regularly may lead to weight gain.
• May lead to poor sleep patterns if you eat too many or too late in the evening.
• May lead to heartburn.
• You may lead to anxiety attacks when eating too many.
• Might lead to increased bowel movements.
• Eating too many can cause an upset stomach.

Frequently Asked Questions About Are Espresso Beans Edible

How Can You Eat Espresso Beans?

You can eat espresso coffee beans in a number of different ways. You can simply eat them directly, suck them like a breath mint, coat them in chocolate, grind them or crush them and add to keifer, yoghurt and other desserts.

Types of chocolate that you can cover them in include, but are not limited to, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, regular chocolate, mint chocolate, chocolate cream, orange chocolate and any other combination and recipe you can think of.

Don’t try to eat green coffee beans as they are grassy, acidic and woody in taste and very hard and difficult to eat directly.

Is Espresso Edible?

Yes, espresso is edible, more accurately espresso beans. When it is difficult, or not possible for you to grab a cup of coffee, having a few beans at hand can give you a caffeine boost with a great taste.

Is Eating Espresso Beans The Same As Drinking Coffee?

The average arabica coffee bean contains 13.33 milligrams of caffeine and thus eating 6 espresso beans is the equivalent of drinking a shot of espresso coffee at Starbucks. The way in which your body processes coffee beans when eaten gives you a more direct caffeine kick than drinking a cup of coffee.

A single serving of a dozen espresso beans will give you a caffeine content that is on par with a double espresso.

Do You Get Caffeine From Eating Espresso Beans?

Yes, espresso roasted beans have on average 6 milligrams and 13.33 milligrams of caffeine. The range varies due to the different weight of each bean individually, the type of coffee bean and how they were processed.

Wet or washed beans have less caffeine than others. The caffeine effect of eating coffee beans is greater than drinking coffee.

Does Sucking On Coffee Beans Do Anything?

Yes, sucking on coffee beans can help your halitosis and help you to deal with bad breath. Their function is easy to understand: coffee is an excellent absorber of odors and helps to neutralize the stronger and worse of odors, including garlic. The odor in your mouth will be absorbed by the coffee beans that you are sucking on and thus help you to eliminate bad breath.

As a bonus, it is cheaper than breath mints. If you are going to suck coffee beans, you might as well high quality specialty grade beans from the best coffee shop you can find.

Can You Eat Raw Espresso Beans?

Yes, even though raw coffee beans are dense, acidic and hard to eat, you can absolutely eat and enjoy raw espresso beans.

Can You Eat Espresso Beans As A Snack?

Yes, espresso beans are a safe snack for most people to eat. Just be careful of how many due to the caffeine content.

Is Eating Espresso Beans Healthy?

Yes, espresso beans are absolutely healthy and can form part of a healthy diet due to the nutritional profile and the fact that they are loaded with a high level of antioxidants like chlorogenic acid which is only found in coffee.

Enjoy your espresso beans in moderation due to the caffeine content.

Final Thoughts – Are Espresso Beans Edible?

It is no longer a question of are espresso beans edible as you know the answer to that. You can now, if you so decide to eat espresso beans, suck on them to freshen your breath, enjoy them as they have the exquisite tastes of high quality specialty grade roasted beans, or bake with them and coat them in dark chocolate, milk chocolate or get really really creative and add shavings of coffee beans to your ice cream.

Use your culinary creativity; personally, I love crushing them and adding to yoghurt and keifer.

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Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location