All types of coffee containing roasted beans contain some acrylamide. Coffee substitutes, such as cereal and chicory root coffees, also contain acrylamide if they have undergone a roasting process. The only type of coffee that does not contain acrylamide is that which contains unroasted, or green, coffee beans.
Is there anything I can do to reduce the acrylamide in my cup of coffee? Darker roast coffees are thought to have less acrylamide than lighter roasts, and higher quality Arabica coffees roasted at high heat and brewed for shorter duration are thought to have less acrylamide, too.
Based on data provided by the FDA, Folgers and Taster's Choice had the highest levels on average–both in their instant and non-instant products. Yuban Coffee (a brand of Kraft Foods) stood out by having an exceptionally low acrylamide content in this analysis.
The link between acrylamide in food and cancer is not clear. The only studies to show a clear link between acrylamide and cancer are animal studies. These involved very high levels of the chemical. Studies that followed people over time did not find a link between eating foods with acrylamide and cancer.
The US National Toxicology Program (NTP) has classified acrylamide as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies acrylamide as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans.”
Oats have the second highest acrylamide forming potential of rye, wheat, barley and oats. Several studies have found high levels of acrylamide in oat products that exceed the benchmark limits within the EU. These limits might be strict limits in future which every food producer needs to follow.
The Perfect Cup
The healthiest way to take your coffee is hot-brewed and black. One cup has virtually no calories or carbs, no fat, and is low in sodium. Black coffee also has micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, and niacin.
The major food sources of acrylamide are French fries and potato chips; crackers, bread, and cookies; breakfast cereals; canned black olives; prune juice; and coffee. Acrylamide levels in food vary widely depending on the manufacturer, the cooking time, and the method and temperature of the cooking process (5, 6).
While acrylamide is not an added ingredient, it is a result of frying food, one of the most common methods of cooking at McDonald's. Acrylamide levels are particularly high in fried potatoes.
Acrylamide-free coffee options
Coffee substitutes, such as cereal and chicory root coffees, also contain acrylamide if they have undergone a roasting process. The only type of coffee that does not contain acrylamide is that which contains unroasted, or green, coffee beans.
Once in your body, acrylamide enters your body fluids. Acrylamide and its breakdown products leave your body mostly through urine; small amounts may leave through feces, exhaled air, and breast milk.
Tests with antioxidants
Even rosemary in small quantities – in one per cent of the dough – was enough to reduce the acrylamide content significantly. Flavonoids are another type of antioxidant found, among other things, in vegetables, chocolate and tea.
Histopathological evidence of acrylamide-induced peripheral neuropathy has been observed in rats receiving oral doses as low as 1 mg/kg/day for 3 months; the observed degenerative effects in peripheral nerve fibers at such dose levels have been shown to be completely reversible within a few months following the ...
How can acrylamide affect my health? The main targets of acrylamide toxicity are the nervous system and reproductive system. Nervous system effects such as muscle weakness, numbness in hands and feet, sweating, unsteadiness, and clumsiness were reported in some acrylamide workers.
Bread often contains what may be considered to be low amounts of acrylamide. However, due to its high consumption rate, its contribution to dietary exposure is still considerable.
Evaluation of the acrylamide content levels in end-consumer cocoa and chocolate products revealed that 57% of the examined samples contained acrylamide levels above the limit of quantification. The range of acrylamide content levels determined came to between < LOQ and 400 µg kg−1.
Acrylamide forms from sugars and an amino acid that are naturally present in food. It does not form, or forms at lower levels, in dairy, meat and fish products.
So, there you have it. The absolute healthiest cup of coffee uses high-altitude beans, a lighter roast, a fine grind, a filter, hot but not boiling water, and is served black. Most of the health benefits that have been studied resulted when people drank four to five 8-ounce cups of coffee daily, Arnot says.
Or maybe you're just bored and want to shake up your morning routine. No matter the reason you want to make a (fair) trade, there are plenty of coffee alternatives including mushroom coffee, tea, juice shots, matcha, chicory, and other functional concoctions that are good to the last drop.
The formation of acrylamide in both banana varieties was enhanced with an increase in both reducing sugars (glucose and fructose). This research demonstrated that the formation of acrylamide was strongly dependent on the concentration of, both glucose and fructose.
Acrylamide is abundant in cocoa and chocolate products because the processing requires the beans to be roasted. It is the process of browning the bean that creates the compound acrylamide, a neurotoxin and carcinogen.
The contents of acrylamide in breads ranged from below the limit of quantification to 695 μg kg−1 and the mean acrylamide content was 225 μg kg−1. The highest mean level of acrylamide was detected in whole wheat bread.