Cancer in Coffee? Not if the Beans Are Unroasted

Good news for the java set: You can drink your coffee and not get cancer too. Unless you drink a ridiculous amount of it, in which case you should cut back a bit. 

But let’s back up a bit first. Coffee lovers in California might be seeing warning labels to the effect that the brew causes cancer, thanks to the settlement of a lawsuit over the matter.

The process of roasting coffee beans introduces a cancer risk by creating a chemical called acrylamide — but you could but you can dodge that bullet and avoid cancer treatment by going green. That’s color of coffee beans that are unroasted.

More Caffeine

Lest you worry about whether unroasted java tastes any different — or costs more —  here’s another strong selling point for green coffee beans: Unroasted coffee beans have up to 20% more caffeine than the roasted variety.

That extra kick may make the extra effort to find the raw coffee worthwhile. Yes, you have to go to a health food store or search online for unroasted beans.

And you might find that, ironically, unroasted coffee beans might cost more than the coffee you were drinking before — but it works out once you account for the 20% extra jolt of caffeine so you wouldn’t have to drink as much to wake up.

You Might Need a Coffee Bean Grinder

That said, there may be a one-time price you have to take on if you decide to switch to unroasted coffee: Based on countless product searches online, it appears that no one sells unroasted beans that are already ground. So if you do decide to go green, you may need to invest in a coffee grinder.

Fortunately, a brand new one will only set you back about $15, which is pretty cheap compared to other kitchen appliances.

You won’t need such a contraption if you find green coffee beans at a supermarket or other retail location that has one of those industrial-sized grinders you often see in the caffeine section of the store.

It’s possible that stores will start stocking more unroasted coffee beans as more people learn they are a safer alternative to roasted varieties.

Speaking of safer, that whole concept changes entirely for people with high blood pressure — these folks would need to switch to decaffeinated coffee to keep from exacerbating their health. Although unroasted decaf exists, the selection out there is pretty scant, and that may be an understatement.

So the decaf set might be better off switching to tea. And speaking of less caffeine, capping coffee consumption at a maximum of five cups a day is a good way to avoid any other health risk that might arise from the beverage.

Readers, what kind of coffee do you prefer? How much do you base your choice of food and beverages on any cancer warnings?