What is lupin coffee?
Lupin coffee is a coffee alternative made from roasted lupins. It is caffeine-free, has a nutty taste and can be prepared like coffee. Due to its many health benefits, more and more people are opting for this coffee substitute.
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The idea of making lupin coffee from lupins is not new. However, since lupin coffee was first used for the first time (the first records here point to the year 1897 ), a lot has happened. Roasting some manufacturers today roast lupins according to the same standards that have been developed over decades for top coffees and, in combination with the right choice of variety, achieve taste experiences that need not hide behind classic coffee.
For us, lupin coffee is the best caffeine-free coffee alternative on the market. Find out here why we can boldly claim this and what makes lupin coffee so special.
The lupin - colorful and versatile
It all starts with the lupin. The lupine is a beautiful native plant from the papilionaceous family with large flowers that bloom purple, white and yellow. It is a popular eye-catcher in many gardens due to its variety of colors and undemanding soil conditions. The lupin belongs to the legume family and is therefore related to peanuts and peas. Depending on the variety, it forms seeds in its elongated pods that are a little smaller than peas, up to seeds that are about the size of a fingernail.
Most lupins produce seeds that are edible for humans and can be processed as food.
As a good source of protein, fiber and antioxidants, lupins are considered an ideal addition to vegan diets. Due to its many properties, the legume is also being used more and more in everyday life in the form of lupin flour, lupin milk or whole lupin seeds.
How does it become substitute coffee?
The mostly white or brownish lupin seeds are roasted like normal green coffee. The technique used is identical and the duration of the roasting process is also very similar. However, lupins are not roasted as hot overall, which prevents the formation of substances that are difficult to digest, such as acrylamide. The roasting process causes the seeds to turn from golden yellow to dark brown and develop pronounced roasted aromas. The beans can then be ground (somewhat coarser than coffee powder) and prepared.
How do you prepare lupin coffee?
The biggest advantage of lupin coffee over other coffee substitutes such as grain coffee is the preparation method. The roasted lupin beans can be prepared in the same "ritual" as you know it from normal coffee.
Like coffee beans, lupin coffee is available as whole beans or ground.
Like coffee powder, lupin is ground in the filter or in the French press with hot water (100°C) or prepared in a portafilter or fully automatic machine and can then be enjoyed in drinks such as cappuccino, latte macchiato or Americano.
You can find out exactly how to prepare lupin coffee in our Brew Guide.
What does lupin coffee taste like?
Lupin coffee has many similarities in taste to roasted coffee. Lupin also develops a complex aroma due to the gentle roasting process. Depending on the degree of roasting, aromas reminiscent of roasted almonds, roasted peanuts or even popcorn are produced.
Lupin coffee is also known for its pronounced sweetness, which is reminiscent of chocolate or caramel, depending on the degree of roasting. Overall, lupin coffee tastes sweeter than coffee.
The darker the lupin is roasted, the more roasted aromas are developed without developing bitterness. This is particularly important if you like to drink your coffee with milk and still don't want to miss out on coffee flavor. Dark roasts are more suitable here, as the stronger roasted flavors stand out better against the milk alternatives. So if you drink your coffee with a lot of milk, we recommend our Intense Loffee for your next cup of lupin coffee.
Where can you buy lupin coffee?
The easiest way to buy lupin coffee is buy online. This is where the selection is largest and the advice is best. Coffee alternatives are rarely found in stores, and you will have the most success in organic stores or regional suppliers.
We explain what you should look out for when buying to find the right lupin coffee for you in this article
Can lupins be poisonous?
There are wild or horticultural lupin varieties that are actually poisonous. The so-called "bitter lupins" contain alkaloids that can lead to nausea, vomiting or even paralysis if eaten.
But that's no reason to worry, bhe lupins used in food are all the same type of lupin. harmless sweet lupin.
The alkaloid concentration of these has been greatly reduced through breeding, which means that they can also be consumed safely in larger quantities. The alkaloid content also depends on the variety used. We have therefore chosen Loffee we have opted for an organic lupin variety that has an extremely low alkaloid content and is therefore completely safe to eat.
What effect does lupin coffee have?
As lupin coffee is free from caffeine and caffeic acid (also known as chlorogenic acid), you can enjoy it without any side effects.
For people with an intolerance to gluten, it should be noted that when lupins are harvested, seeds from wild cereals may be mixed in. In very rare cases, these remain undetected during the cleaning process due to their size and can sometimes end up in the finished lupin coffee. This cannot be determined in terms of taste.
Basically it is in our opinion it is always advisable to use certified organic lupin coffees, as only here can it be said with certainty that they have not been treated with pesticides or other chemicals. Find out more about the health aspects of trace elements & vitamins at Loffee-consumption we have in this article collected.
Is lupin coffee the best coffee alternative?
There are now many coffee-like drinks on the market. Whether grain coffee, malt coffee or drinks made from chicory or dandelion root. Each variant offers a caffeine-free alternative to coffee beans. However, the taste is usually quite different from its caffeinated counterpart.
This is different with lupin coffee. Lupins taste very similar to conventional coffee due to the almost identical roasting and preparation. Due to the roasted aromas, many people looking for a real alternative only find an adequate substitute in lupin coffee. Lupin coffee is also free from stomach-irritating acids.
Compared to decaffeinated coffee, lupin coffee wins above all in terms of sustainability. The invention of the Decaffeination without chemicals is a technically impressive achievement, but it requires a considerable amount of energy (CO2 method) or resources (Swiss Water method) in addition to transportation from the most remote countries.
As a result, many people are asking themselves whether there is a better way and are increasingly opting for a mild drink made from organic lupins not only because they have intolerances or a sensitive stomach, but also as a conscious decision.
What Loffee from other lupin coffees
All varieties of Loffee are produced from organic sweet lupins, which are particularly suitable for the production of lupin coffee. They have a particularly low alkaloid content and are high in protein. As a result, they develop very sweet and pleasant aromas and have a lot of body. We also roast the lupins using two high-tech drum roasters, which allow us to control the roasting process very precisely.
We follow the standards that have been developed over decades for specialty coffees.
The seeds are roasted extremely gently for just under 35 minutes. Due to the particularly long refinement Loffee more complex taste and more sweetness than comparable lupin coffees into your cup. Regular testing ensures the quality of our lupin coffee. It all sounds like marketing. But it's not.
See for yourself. Let's go to the store.
