What Is Coffee Cherry? 3 Insightful Tips

You have to admit that we were a bit confused about it at first. When we talk of coffee, we always think of those dried beans we use to make our favorite espresso. We hardly speak of the coffee cherry in everyday conversations.

The coffee cherry typically contains two coffee beans inside and If you split this fruit, you will see the coffee beans sitting side-by-side. Each coffee seed is covered with a thin membrane called silver skin.

Consider the anatomy of the coffee fruit which consists of a few layers of skin. The coffee beans are at the innermost portion of the coffee cherry.  

A small portion of the coffee population in the world holds only one coffee bean inside. This kind of coffee cherry with a single seed inside is called a peaberry. The bean is believed to be sweeter and very flavorful than regular coffee beans.

What is even more interesting is that coffee can be considered as a fruit bearing tree, where the fruit is coffee cherry. The trees can grow as high as 30 feet but are usually pruned for easy harvesting.

The entire plant has a very delicate sprout and It takes almost a year after the trees start to blossom for the fruit to mature. It needs another five more years to produce more fruits.

An average coffee tree makes only 10 pounds of cherries each year. That yields about 2 pounds of green coffee beans.

What is Coffee Cherry Good For?

If you enjoy a cup of freshly brewed organic coffee beans, then you may find coffee cherries equally desirable. The coffee fruit offers similar health benefits as the seeds in it.

But it doesn't stop there! If you've heard of coffee berry juice extract which is the pulp that is produced when coffee beans are dried, roasted or even brewed. This juice extract can be made into a wonderful tea that is consumed by many around the world.

So, what is coffee cherry good for? Although further studies still need to be made, researchers have already discovered that coffee cherries are just as good as coffee beans. 

• A small group of athletes took 800 milligrams of coffee cherry extract every day for 4 weeks. The results of their medical tests show an increase in antioxidants in the body.
• Fifteen studies revealed that patients with Alzheimer's disease show improved brain function after taking 100 milligrams of coffee fruit concentrate.
• Chlorogenic acid in coffee fruit extract promotes fat burning and weight loss. You may want to shift the habit of drinking a cup of espresso to a shot of coffee cherry extract. A group of 150 people has tried it.

Just drinking brewed coffee has its own benefits and risks, so does taking the coffee cherry extract. It is still helpful to listen to your doctors on these health matters.

How Does Coffee Cherry Taste Like?

Have you ever tried eating a coffee cherry? You would be surprised at how it tastes like. It does not have the same bitter taste as the roasted coffee bean.

A fresh coffee cherry tastes more like peach fruit. As someone describes it, the fresh fruit tastes like a mix of watermelon and apricot. Others say it tastes like raisins.

You wouldn't enjoy eating ripe coffee cherries as much as drinking brewed coffee beans. The fruit doesn't have much meat to chew. All it has are skin, seeds, and a watery substance.

The taste of coffee cherry actually varies according to its kind. Some taste like mangoes. Others smell like jasmine. Still, others are like red berries.

The amount of coffee cherry pulp affects the taste of your cup of coffee. The pulp makes your favorite coffee brew taste a bit more fruity. If you like sweet, fruity flavors on your brewed coffee, use honey-processed coffee beans.

Like roasted coffee beans, the coffee cherry pulp can also be dried to make cascara tea. If you want to know what fresh coffee cherries taste like, take a sip of this cascara tea. Its taste is closer to the flavor of the tea than roasted coffee beans.

Do Coffee Cherries Have Caffeine?

There is no denying that coffee cherries have caffeine. After all, it houses the coffee beans known to fix your craving for caffeine. The fruit must contain the same elements as the seed in it.

Coffee cherry is the fruit of the coffee plant. It is not surprising, therefore, that it contains caffeine. The coffee pulp is simply a by-product of the process of making roasted coffee beans.

The amount of caffeine in the pulp is significantly less than in the coffee bean. The dose also depends on the product made out of the coffee cherry extract. You can say that coffee cherry tea is a healthier alternative than brewed coffee beans.

Coffee growers have been drinking coffee cherry tea through the ages. The herbal health drink is made with dried coffee cherry pulp. A cup of coffee cherry tea contains only a quarter of the level of caffeine in the regular brewed coffee bean.

Brewing coffee cherry tea also comes easy and quick. There is no standard measurement of the dried pulp, but 5 grams can make you a good cup of tea.

Dried and ground coffee cherry pulp makes a dark red tea in 4 to 8 minutes when properly brewed.

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Final Thoughts to What is Coffee Cherry!

Coffee cherry is the fruit of a coffee plant. The roasted coffee beans that make your favorite cup of brewed coffee are actually seeds of this pulpy fruit.

Coffee cherries grow in several kinds. Most coffee cherries fruit holds a pair of coffee beans. Peabearries are a special kind because it only has one bean inside.

The coffee fruit extract can be used as an ingredient in food supplements. It offers similar health benefits as coffee beans. It may be a healthier caffeine alternative, but further studies still need to be made.

Fresh coffee cherries are not like roasted coffee beans. They don't have a bitter taste. Instead, they are sweet and juicy. You can drink coffee cherry tea to know what it tastes like.

Coffee cherry tea is a herbal health drink made from dried coffee cherry pulp. It contains a lesser amount of coffee than your regular cup of roasted coffee beans.

Caffeine is present in the entire coffee fruit but, the amount contained in the brew depends on the brewing method. If you want to cut down on your try, you can try drinking brewed cherry tea instead.