Eating Coffee Beans – Is Eating Coffee Beans Bad For You?

Eating coffee beans is something that many coffee lovers have considered or at least tried at least once in their lives.

But,

Is eating coffee beans bad for you?

I am delighted to tell you that coffee bean consumption is entirely safe, in fact, it’s more than safe it is very healthy, just as long as you enjoy them in moderation.

Keep reading more for more details about eating coffee beans!

Eating Coffee Beans

Coffee beans are completely safe to eat, but like anything, they should be consumed in moderation and not in excessive amounts. They are loaded with:

• Nutrients.
• Dietary Fiber.
• Antioxidants.
• Phenolic Compounds.
• Caffeine.

They are very healthy and can reduce your risk of a lot of diseases, including:

• Reduced risk of melanoma.
• Delayed progression of dementia.
• Reduction in the probability of liver disease.
• Protection against type 2 diabetes.
• Improved management of Parkinson’s disease.
• Aids cardiovascular health.
• Improvement in overall health.
• Lower mortality risk.
• And more!

However,

excessive consumption can lead to some unpleasant side effects which are associated with too high a caffeine intake.

• Anxiety.
• Headaches.
• Stress.
• Sleeplessness.
• High blood pressure.
• Panic attacks.

A common way of eating coffee beans are the chocolate covered coffee beans, which you may be familiar with as they are available at Starbucks. These have excess fat, sugar and calories and thus must be enjoyed in moderation for these reasons alone.

Coffee beans and the idea of eating them is not new. Consuming coffee beans was common centuries ago, long before we even thought of brewing and drinking coffee. They were often cooked and mixed with mixture of animal fats and enjoyed as an energy boosting snack.

In modern times we eat coffee by cooking and baking with coffee grounds and even make tasty chocolate covered coffee beans which is something you may have seen in your local coffee shop, Amazon, Walmart and even at Starbucks.

Read: How much caffeine is in chocolate covered espresso beans?

Is Eating Coffee Beans Bad For You?

Yes, eating coffee beans can be bad for you, only if you eat them in excessive amounts.

Unfiltered coffee and eating of coffee beans will raise your cholesterol levels due to the presence of diterpenes which is an oil that gives coffee a fuller body, more flavor but also raises cholesterol.

If you have high cholesterol, it is best that you have a second thought about eating coffee grounds or coffee beans and consider enjoying filtered coffee.

Coffee beans also contain myocotoxins which are toxic for human consumption. The myocotoxins are filtered out when you are drinking coffee. It is due to the presence of this compound that I encourage the use of the brand LifeBoost coffee for eating coffee beans in all forms be it direct consumption, cooking or baking with them.

Then there is the risk of excessive consumption of caffeine intake and the associated side effects.

Each coffee bean has on average 12 mg of caffeine. This is a ballpark figure that the exact amount varies for each individual coffee bean based on their size, roast and variety (robusta coffee bean or arabica coffee bean).

How Many Coffee Beans Can You Eat?

Based on the general rule of 8 coffee beans having the equivalent of 100 mg of caffeine, 32 whole coffee beans should be the maximum daily amount of coffee beans that you eat in a single day.

This number reduces by 8 for each 8 ounce (240 ml) cup of brewed coffee that you drink. Thus, if you have two cups of coffee, each 8 ounces (240 ml), you can enjoy only 16 coffee beans to remain within the 400 mg daily recommended maximum limit of caffeine per day.

If you are pregnant, your limit is reduced to 200 mg of caffeine per day. At Latte Love Brew we encourage you to live a happy and healthy life and to respect those limits.

How Many Coffee Beans Can You Eat Before You Die

Caffeine toxicity, severe effects such as seizures starts in the 900 to 1200 mg which is the equivalent of eating 88 to 100 coffee beans.

Fatal dose of caffeine starts at around 4,000 mg of caffeine, which is approximately 333 coffee beans.

Under no circumstances should you consume such extremely high levels of caffeine in any form. If you are suffering from the toxic side effects of caffeine, seek medical attention immediately.

Eating Coffee Beans For Energy

You can eat and enjoy coffee beans in moderation for energy and are careful with your consumption. You can and will get a caffeine boost when you eat coffee beans. The effect due to entering your blood stream in a more direct manner is faster acting and more amplified.

Due to being easy to consume, just having some beans in your pocket makes them easy to access when you need. You can also spread out your consumption.

By eating two beans every 20 mins you can spread out your energy boost throughout the day and avoid a caffeine crash.

Eating Coffee Beans Vs Drinking Coffee

A cup of coffee, regardless of the brewing method, is diluted with water to varying amounts depending on the coffee to water ratio.

This alone means that the nutritional profile, and the amount of caffeine, antioxidants, phenolic compounds, fiber, vitamins and minerals, is lower when drinking liquid coffee than when you eat coffee beans.

By the very definition, eating coffee beans produces a concentrated form of getting caffeine, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, phenolic compounds and dietary fiber.

Thus, be mindful with your consumption of coffee beans and coffee grounds in all formats be it baked goods, cooked foods with coffee and chocolate covered espresso beans.

What Does Eating Coffee Beans Taste Like?

To be clear, while other websites and coffee experts may recommend the consumption of raw unroasted green coffee beans, it is not something that we suggest you do at Latte Love Brew.

It is completely safe to eat green unroasted coffee beans; I just don’t recommend them due to being very grassy and very hard and difficult to chew.

Roasted beans, of any level, particularly dark roasted beans are much better due to being softer, and easier to enjoy and much better tasting with nutty, woody, caramel and smoky flavors emerging from the roasted beans.

They are bolder and more robust. The texture is grittier, which is to be expected; they are after all coffee beans!

The actual flavor of the beans that you eat will depend on the coffee beans that you eat, their roast level and their quality, which is why I suggest that you eat premium quality beans for the most enjoyment.

6 Ways You Can Eat Coffee Beans

The most common and popular way of enjoying coffee beans is to simply just eat them as they are. It’s the quickest and most fuss-free way of enjoying them.

A great way of enjoying raw coffee beans as they are is to grind them and sprinkle them on your smoothies. Or just add a few coffee beans into your smoothie mix and blend well in your blender.

Adding ground coffee beans to your yoghurt is another way of eating coffee beans or coffee grounds. Any flavor goes well with coffee.

You can also add coffee grounds that are finely ground on to your ice cream for a new dynamic flavor and health boost.

You can also bake some tasty brownies, cookies, chocolate and fudge cake and more.

This is not to even mention making your own homemade version of Starbucks chocolate covered espresso beans.

Pros And Cons Of Eating Coffee Beans

Let’s talk about the benefits and the drawbacks associated with the consumption of coffee beans.

The Pros Of Eating Coffee Beans

Eating raw coffee beans for the health benefits is possible but is not advised due to the rather harsh taste and difficulty in eating them.

Eating roasted coffee beans as opposed to raw unroasted green coffee beans will get you almost the exact same benefits without the grassy tasting rock hard raw beans.

All the same healthy benefits that are associated with drinking coffee are enjoyed when you eat the roasted coffee beans, just in a more concentrated form.

There is a greater quantity of nutrients and powerful antioxidants in coffee beans than liquid coffee.

You will also experience the effects of caffeine in a more concentrated format, which is something to be careful of if you want to eat coffee beans.

The Cons Of Eating Coffee Beans

For the majority of coffee lovers that decide to eat coffee beans, the consumption of them will have little adverse effect on them.

However, you must always treat them as a treat and enjoy them in moderation as there are risks, particularly when consumed excessively.

Bloating, heartburn, excessive stomach acid, heart palpitations, excessive bowel movements, panic attacks, stress, increased anxiety, sleepless nights are all side effects that you may experience when you eat too many coffee beans.

Frequently Asked Questions About Eating Coffee Beans?

How Many Coffee Beans Should I Eat?

You should eat no more than 33 coffee beans in a single day. This calculation is based on the 400 mg per day recommended limit as set by the Food and Drug Administration.

A single Arabica coffee bean has 12 mg of caffeine and thus 400 / 12 = 33 whole coffee beans per day.

If you are pregnant or suspect that you may be, your limit is half as much, 16 coffee beans per day.

What Happens If You Eat One Coffee Bean?

The caffeine content of a single roasted coffee bean has 12 milligrams of caffeine and thus an energy boost will be experienced, but it will be very little and almost unnoticeable. You will also get a little nutrient boost and benefit of the small amount of antioxidants, again unnoticeable – it’s only one bean!

Can You Eat Coffee Beans Raw?

Eating raw coffee beans, by which I mean raw green coffee beans, is very different from eating roasted coffee beans as they, the green coffee beans, are highly acidic, very grassy tasting and harder, a lot harder and more difficult to chew and enjoy.

The darker a coffee bean is roasted to, the softer they are and easier to chew. Espresso beans are the softest and best to enjoy for such reasons. Raw coffee beans are very hard on your teeth in my opinion and experience.

Why Do People Chew Coffee Beans?

There are many reasons for eating coffee beans, some being the convenience factor and not having the time to brew a cup of coffee.

The concept of eating coffee beans is not new; it has been around for centuries, long before we started to brew coffee. Our forefathers would eat coffee beans mixed with a variety of animal fats and eat them as an energy boosting snack.

Is It OK To Chew Coffee Beans?

Yes, it is perfectly safe to chew coffee beans. Coffee beans and coffee grounds have been eaten for decades and even centuries. They are loaded with powerful antioxidants, phenolic compounds, fiber and nutrients.

Due to the caffeine content, don’t consume coffee beans in excess.

Does Chewing Coffee Beans Give You Caffeine?

Yes, coffee beans contain caffeine and the caffeine content will get the same caffeine kick no matter how you consume them as the beans with all their nutrients, phenolic compounds, antioxidants and caffeine will get into your body – just via a different pathway.

The effect of the caffeine will happen, only quicker. As a rule of thumb you can safely calculate each individual coffee bean has having 12 mg of caffeine. Using this rule, eating eight coffee beans has approximately the same amount of caffeine as an 8 ounce cup of coffee.

Final Thoughts – Eating Coffee Beans

Eating coffee beans is healthy, enjoyable, and very good for you due to the concentration of powerful antioxidants, nutrients, fiber, and other great healthy compounds.

There are a number of ways of enjoying eating coffee. You can get crafty and easily add a few beans to your smoothie, yoghurt and sprinkle them on your dessert. They are literally effortless to add to your diet.

Join our active, fun and vibrant coffee community on Facebook/Meta and share with us how you eat your coffee beans!

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