Something a little different here... I was contacted by the content manager of www.littlecoffeeplace.com after she came across my article on Food Additives and Aspartame.  After exchanging a few emails and checking out the website I agreed to posting a short article about eating coffee beans, and here it is...

 

Written by Sally @ www.littlecoffeeplace.com

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Is Eating Coffee Beans Actually Good For You? A Myth Debunked

There is a common theory that circulates in the coffee-drinking world that eating the beans is more effective than drinking them brewed. Chewing those tiny brown beans may seem strange at first, but many people additionally use them as food toppings. If you are a coffee addict and enthusiast, you probably want to get your fix in the quickest way that you can, so why not try this hand-to-mouth technique? 

It may seem questionable to eat coffee beans, and many wonder if this is actually a healthy thing to do. The answer is that consuming coffee beans can be good for you, but only in moderation. Because coffee beans have a high content of antioxidants called phenolic compounds, they provide us with some much-needed nutrients for the benefit of our overall health. Some positive effects of eating the beans include:

• Increased energy - this one is obvious, but eating coffee beans instead of drinking them gives you a direct, undiluted rush of caffeine that can be lost in a brewed cup that's mixed with milk, water, or sugar. You will absord caffeine much faster this way without having to drink multiple cups.
• Decreased pain - coffee beans can help us reduce muscle and joint pain and inflammation by blocking adenosine in our body.
• Contains less calories than drinking brewed coffee--think, the more natural and concentrated the bean, the better for you.

Though all of these benefits are undeniable, an important fact to keep in mind before you snack on some beans is that any negative effects you have while drinking coffee will be amplified. If you ever have heartburn, trouble sleeping, or digestive issues from coffee, all of these symptoms will get much worse after eating coffee beans because it is a purer form of caffeine. Moderation, therefore, is the best way to go.

Eating coffee beans is healthy for us, so next time you decide to brew your morning cup of joe, try munching on the beans instead. Knowing the benefits of eating coffee beans will surely inspire you to use them in creative ways, such as sprinkling them on some ice cream or yogurt!