Table of contents:
- What is civet coffee?
- The difference between civet coffee and other coffees
- Is civet coffee healthier than other types of coffee?
Luwak coffee was asked to be the most expensive coffee in the world. The reason is, this coffee is believed to be very rare and the taste is so distinctive. Because it is so unique, this coffee is often an authentic Indonesian souvenir. The price of civet coffee is expensive, but is it really worth its health benefits? To find out whether civet coffee is healthier than other types of coffee, consider the following explanation.
What is civet coffee?
Luwak coffee is produced in the Sumatra region by a method that is not at all common. Luwak coffee beans are obtained from civet droppings, which are a type of wild civet that lives in forests or coffee plantation areas. Sumatra is known as a producer of robusta and arabica coffee.
The civets roaming around the coffee plantations often eat the cherries grown from the coffee plant. The cherries will be digested by the mongoose, then the cherries (coffee beans) that are not destroyed in the civet digestive system will come out along with the feces.
The coffee beans that come out with the civet droppings will be processed further. The type of coffee beans depends on what cherries the civet eats, it can be robusta or arabica. However, most of the civet coffee available in the market today comes from the Arabica coffee plant. The beans are cleaned and sterilized, then roasted so that the coffee is ready to be sold and distributed.
The difference between civet coffee and other coffees
Other types of coffee are processed directly from the plant. The coffee beans will be separated from the fruit and processed in such a way. Meanwhile, civet coffee goes through a more complicated stage. Due to the different processes, the taste and texture of this expensive coffee is different from other types of coffee. Luwak coffee tastes lighter, not sharp like other coffees. Besides that, the brew is also more flavorful.
Some people believe the taste and aroma of civet coffee is more appetizing because the civet is very good at picking cherries from the coffee plant. Luwak is believed to be able to select only the best and ripe cherries. In addition, the enzymes that help the civet cat digest coffee are also said to reduce the acidity of coffee. This is what makes the taste less sharp.
Is civet coffee healthier than other types of coffee?
According to a laboratory test in Canada, civet coffee from Indonesia contains less protein than other types of coffee. This is because the protein in coffee has been digested and absorbed by the mongoose. Because the protein is reduced, coffee's distinctive bitter taste also diminishes.
The digestive process of the mongoose reduces its caffeine content and acidity. However, that does not mean that all civet coffee is low in caffeine and safe for the stomach. The reason is, each coffee bean consumed by the civet cat has a different caffeine content. When compared with other types of coffee such as Aceh coffee, Toraja coffee, Ethiopian coffee, or Kenyan coffee, the difference in content is not that far away.
So, you should still consume civet coffee wisely. Avoid drinking civet coffee more than 3 cups per day. Side effects of drinking civet coffee include restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, and heart palpitations.
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