Coffee is good for you, unlike soda drinks and other sugar-heavy drinks. It comes with several health benefits and makes your day better. Given all the benefits you get from coffee, you might wonder if instant coffee vs ground coffee offer the same benefits.
Instant coffee is, well, instant. Hence, it does not take as long to make as regular coffee. It is easy to make as well, pour it into a cup, add hot water, and you are done. Regular coffee requires knowing the right mix, the right equipment to use, and so on. There are not a lot of differences between the two types of coffee. According to a dietician, instant coffee is “coffee beans that have been roasted, ground, brewed and dehydrated.” Hence, it offers nearly the same benefits as grounded coffee.
One main difference between the two types of coffee and that splits opinions in the instant coffee vs. ground coffee argument is brewing.
The processes involved in brewing instant and ground coffee are markedly different.
Instant coffee is ridiculously easy to brew, without any hassles. All you need to do is pour some crystals in a cup, add hot water, and any dressing you desire, and you are good to go.
With ground coffee, you have some work to do. Brewing a cup of coffee is half physics, half chemistry and is a fascinating process. First, you have to grind the coffee, brew it using a filter, and then throw away the usual waste grounds from the process. Brewing ground coffee can leave you with an excellent cup of Joe, but it can also go wrong. With ground beans, the brewer has the opportunity to experiment and have fun with brewing. You can try different brewing methods, different mix ratios, and so on, all to create a perfect cup. However, with instant coffee, you do not get that opportunity.
Instant coffee tastes the same, with the only difference being the brand. Ground coffee can taste so many ways, depending on how you brew it.
| Instant Coffee | Ground Coffee | |
| Time | As the name implies, instant coffee is faster than | Takes more time |
| Flavor | Less intense ‘coffee’ flavor | Rich, full-bodied flavor |
| Waste | Instant coffee produces less waste | Ground coffee produces more waste |
| Cost | Instant coffee is cheaper per cup | More expensive coffee |
Now that we have summarized some of the advantages and disadvantages of instant and ground coffee let us consider each of these characteristics and differences in detail.
Instant coffee is simple to make. Measure the amount of powder, add hot water, and you have your drink. It doesn’t take any time at all. In less than a minute, you can have your cup of coffee ready for consumption. When it comes to the time spent in preparation, instant coffee is a clear-cut winner.
With ground coffee, the process is more time-consuming. It does not matter whether you are staring with coffee beans that require grinding or you already have the ground powder; you will still have to take your rime. Preparing ground coffee will require some minutes. Furthermore, ground coffee requires the use of a coffee maker. Thus, you have to factor in the time it takes to clean and prepare the equipment.
There are several methods of preparing ground coffee, and admittedly, some of these methods are pretty fast. However, they still don’t beat the ease and quickness of making instant coffee.
Instant coffee does not require any specialized learning. Literally, anyone can add a cup of hot water to instant coffee.
However, with ground coffee, you must take your time to know how to brew a great cup of coffee. You have to choose the right equipment to use, whether a Moka pot, an espresso machine, and so on. The different equipment will give you a different taste, and each of these devices needs a different grade of grind. If you are not ready to spend a fortune on an expensive coffee machine, you may be interested in our review of the best espresso machines under 200 dollars.
While you can find several brands of instant coffee, the ground coffee beans produce a flavor and quality that is superior.
Here is why.
One of the essential factors that determine the flavor of the coffee is the coffee beans used. Manufacturers of instant coffee make it, not just to be convenient, but also because it is cheaper to produce. As a result, the quality of the beans isn’t a serious consideration. Most of these brand use Robusta coffee beans, which offers a decent cup of coffee, but nothing special.
Coffee quality peaks while it is on the plant, and from the moment it is plucked, all processing methods are geared toward preserving the flavor. As an organic product, it loses this rich flavor with time. Some coffee beans have sat in storage for up to a year; hence they have lost much of their flavor and are sold at cheaper rates. Since instant coffee brands seek to cut costs, they are the biggest buyers of this type of coffee beans.
This is not to imply that all instant coffee is bad, as there are some quality brands out there. However, this is usually an exception.
Whole beans or ground coffee usually come from relatively fresh and high-quality coffee beans. Although there are low-quality whole bean coffee brands, there is a high number of high-quality brands as well.
Another reason why ground coffee tastes richer than instant coffee depends on the retention of the aroma and flavor compounds.
With instant coffee, during the manufacturing process, much of the flavor compounds and aroma compounds are lost. The aroma of coffee is most potent when hot water is added, something that in the case of instant coffee, had been done months or even years ago.
Since aroma compounds have been lost, you might not enjoy the full-bodied, rich drinking experience associated with ground coffee.
Freshly brewed coffee retains essential oils and compounds that give it a better taste.
Ground coffee produces quite a lot of waste compared to instant coffee. Instant coffee has no by-products. However, with ground coffee, you will likely have to get rid of the coffee grounds and also clean the equipment.
Instant coffee is cheaper. You don’t need any equipment ( cup and hot water) to make it. Ground coffee, on the other hand, requires equipment, and the coffee beans are more expensive than the regular instant coffee constituents.
Like regular coffee, instant coffee comes with antioxidants and beneficial chemicals. It contains caffeine, although usually to a lesser degree than ground coffee.
It contains more acrylamide, which has been linked to damage to the nervous system and an increase in the risk of cancer. However, the amount found in it is not harmful to human health.
Aside from this, instant and ground coffee offers the following benefits:
Instant coffee, as the name implies, is quick to make. It does not need any specialized equipment. Thus, if you are traveling or you have a busy morning, you can take it along with you and make it anywhere you go. At the same time, some of the best travel coffee makers don’t lack portability as well.
However, instant coffee doesn’t offer the rich flavor that ground coffee delivers. If convenience and cost matter to you, you might prefer it to ground coffee. The choice in the ground coffee vs. instant coffee debate ultimately rests on your shoulders.
