Every afternoon, brew a cup of coffee. The rich aroma not only refreshes the mind but also helps to relieve stress and relax your mood. Many studies abroad have also shown that coffee has certain health benefits in preventing and treating diseases. Although drinking coffee has many benefits, if you are not careful with the details, health risks can take advantage of the situation. Recently, the BBC published an article reminding people that brewed coffee should be consumed as soon as possible.
If coffee is exposed to the air for a long time, fungi present in the air will attach to the coffee cup in a very short time. Some of the organic components in these fungi are the main culprits causing allergic reactions in the human body. Professor Aldington Yake of Molecular Bioengineering at Lancaster University in the UK conducted an experiment where he placed a freshly brewed cup of coffee in an ordinary office. The test results showed that indoor air pollutants mainly included bacteria, fungi (including fungal spores), pollen, and organic components from biological organisms. After taking a few sips and shaking the coffee, coffee stains will form on the rim and walls of the cup within 10 minutes. These stains will quickly absorb fungi from the air, thereby contaminating the coffee.
In terms of taste, coffee contains a substance called tannic acid. Refined tannic acid is a light yellow powder that dissolves easily in water. If brewed but not consumed in time, the coffee will become darker in color and its flavor will not be as rich and aromatic. Therefore, it is best to drink the coffee within 10 minutes after brewing.
In addition, when drinking coffee, it is best to use a coffee pot, pouring only as much as you will drink, and keeping the lid on. If it's a single cup, it's best to finish it quickly or brew it in a covered cup. It is particularly important to note that after drinking coffee, you must clean the coffee stains promptly, otherwise bacteria will be more likely to grow. If your cup has accumulated a lot of coffee stains, the simplest way to clean it is with toothpaste and salt. First, rinse the cup with water, then use dry salt or toothpaste to scrub the walls of the cup back and forth, and finally rinse it with clean water.