In the Dark

I hear people say all the time that they prefer dark roast coffee over medium because they get a bigger caffeine jolt from it.

Score another one for the urban legend files. Right up there with Big Foot and giant alligators living in storm drains is the myth that the darker the roast, the more caffeinated the coffee.

In actuality, caffeine is burned off during the roasting process. So, the longer a bean is roasted, the less caffeine it has. A darker roast coffee may indeed have a more robust, concentrated flavor than its blonder roasted counterpart, but the caffeine boost will be slightly less.

The grind of the coffee also affects the caffeine content to your cuppa Joe. Finely ground coffee exposes more of the bean to water, thus allowing more caffeine to leach out. Also, the longer the water stays in contact with the grinds, the more caffeine is extracted from the ground. So, use those French Presses if you want a more powerful jolt from your java!

In truth, most people are just in the dark when it comes to America’s favorite brew!

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