Light Roast vs Dark Roast coffee. Which one should you drink?

What flavors do each have, and more importantly, which one is healthier? Find out now.

If you drink coffee regularly, you will find that contrary to popular belief, there are many different flavors and aromas.

Many think of coffee as "dark and bitter," but that's not true! Some taste light and citrusy. Others have a deep and roasted flavor profile. Some taste like maple syrup or dark chocolate or even flowers. When it comes to coffee, there are many mysteries to uncover.

But the main reason for the differences in coffee flavor, especially intensity, does not lie in origin or climate. The most important factor is determined by how the beans were roasted.

What exactly is the coffee roasting process?

Coffee roasting is a crucial step in making our favorite beverage. It turns green, unripe beans into the delicious, fragrant beans we all know and love. The process begins by heating the beans, which causes them to change color and soften. Then they are roasted to get that specific taste and aroma we associate with coffee.

You may be wondering what the difference is between roasting methods?

There are different ways to roast coffee: from light to dark. The darker the beans, the more bitter flavor they will have. Light roast beans tend to have a softer taste and a more complex flavor profile, while dark roast beans tend to have a firmer and bitter taste. So, coffee roasting is an important step that determines how your coffee tastes and smells. Know which method best suits your taste!

Light roast coffee beans

Lighter-roasted coffee simply means that the beans have had less time and heat during roasting. This makes them lighter in color and milder in taste, with more of the beans' natural flavors and aromas retained. This coffee is usually softer in flavor and has less bitterness than darker roasted coffee, with more subtle notes. In short, it is simply a milder version of the usual coffee.

Medium roast coffee beans

Medium roasted coffee is coffee in which the beans have undergone more time and heat during roasting than lighter roasted coffee, but less than darker roasted coffee. This gives them a medium-brown color and a balanced flavor, which includes both notes of natural flavors and aromas from the original beans and the flavors and aromas obtained during roasting. Medium roasted coffee usually has a medium level of bitterness and is a popular choice among coffee lovers.

Dark roast coffee beans

Dark roasted coffee means the beans have had the maximum time and heat during roasting. As a result, they are dark brown to black and have a firm, bitter taste. Many of the beans' natural flavors and aromas are gone, but the flavors and aromas obtained during roasting are often intense. This is a go-to for people who like a hearty, bitter cup of coffee.

In short, dark roast stays in the roaster longer than its lighter counterpart and reaches a higher internal temperature. As a result, the bean's original flavors are lost and become more bitter and smoky, unlike lighter roasts that retain much of their original flavor.

The Wakuli Roast

That's why we roast lighter, allowing for more flavor profiles and adventures to be discovered in your mug.

Is lighter roasted coffee healthier?

But that's not the only reason! A study by the Journal of Medicinal Food from Korea shows that a lighter roast is much healthier than a darker one. The team of researchers analyzed all the different factors in the different roast styles, such as the content of chlorogenic acid, which is known to be an effective antioxidant with high anti-inflammatory qualities.

The study specifically focused on Arabica coffee beans that were roasted in the light, medium and dark styles. What was found: the lighter the coffee was roasted, the higher the chlorogenic acid content.

• Higher chlorogenic acid = higher antioxidant properties

Moreover, the light roasted coffee was found to help protect against inflammation and cell damage better than the dark roast coffee.

What does it mean for your health?

It is known that nutrients high in antioxidants protect against health problems; while substances with strong anti-inflammatory properties can protect against chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and several major neurological diseases.

So, if you really want to taste the bean you are drinking while extracting higher nutritional value, a light roast like ours is the way to go!