Why drink water after coffee - all the pros and cons of the Eastern tradition

Who came up with the idea of serving a glass of water with coffee and why?

There are many versions of why water is served with coffee.
There is no consensus and there is no single correct answer to this question, but there are many versions. First, Arab coffee shops offered water in addition to the drink to help guests stay hydrated. Coffee provokes fluid loss from the body, which can be dangerous in hot countries.

The second version concerns security. As you know, hot drinks can increase temperature and blood pressure, so in hot countries they began to supplement strong black coffee with cold water so that the drinker could cool down a little and reduce the strength of the drink.

Finally, the third option. In the 16th century, in the palaces of Arab nobles, a tradition arose of washing down every sip of coffee with water, which made it possible to perceive the taste more clearly.

There is an opinion that drinking water with a tart drink allows you to experience all the facets of taste.

Coffee and cold water

Some people drink it with chilled water. The liquid enhances the taste and aroma, while the invigorating properties of coffee appear more intensely. Coffee lovers with many years of experience advise taking a couple of sips of cool water before drinking a hot drink, then the aftertaste will last for a long time.

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Many coffee shops serve water with coffee. It is believed that this tradition originated in Greece, then it was adopted in Turkey, from where it followed to European countries. A glass of cold water is usually served with various types of espresso and Turkish coffee.

Lovers of an invigorating drink often wonder why they serve cold water with coffee? There are several reasons for this:

The drink, if brewed according to the rules, has a dense taste and a pronounced aroma. These qualities are not fully felt due to the fact that the receptors responsible for taste adapt to the stimuli and the person does not receive proper pleasure. Pure cool water, odorless and tasteless, consumed in small sips, cleanses the receptors. This allows you to again feel all the shades of aromatic, slightly bitter taste.
Medical professionals recommend alternating coffee with water. After all, the drink contains caffeine, which increases blood pressure, and the cool liquid has the ability to prevent its negative effects on the human body. It reduces the mass fraction of caffeine, regulates heartbeat rhythms, and prevents sudden surges in blood pressure. This action is also useful for people with stomach problems.
Coffee, consumed daily by people, stains the enamel of teeth, forming a yellowish coating on it. A sip of water taken after a drink has a beneficial effect on the condition of the teeth, as it has time to wash away the pigment, preventing it from being absorbed.
Water served with coffee in hot weather gives you the opportunity to get double pleasure: firstly, it gives the body an additional charge of vigor, and secondly, it refreshes. A coffee drink warms up the body, increasing its tone, and cold liquid cools it down a little. For example, in countries with hot climates, a glass of water is served after drinking coffee, without alternating drinks. This way a brighter freshness effect is achieved.
Water prevents dehydration of the body and replenishes losses from the effects of caffeine, which has a diuretic property.

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What drinks are served with water and when to drink it?

Following the recommendations on how to drink coffee will allow you to fully enjoy your favorite drink without harm to your health.
In the modern world, in cafes, restaurants and coffee shops there is a tradition of bringing water to such types of drinks as:

different types of espresso (for example, ristretto or coretto);
oriental coffee.

There are no clear rules on how to drink coffee; usually water is consumed in one of two ways:

take a few sips before, preparing the receptors, and drink the remaining liquid after;
alternate each sip of coffee with a sip of water; drink it in small sips, holding it in the mouth for a few seconds, thus cleansing and preparing the receptors for a new portion, which allows you to more fully appreciate the taste.

How to drink correctly

Coffee with water is not always served. For example, there is no need to drink cappuccino. Speaking about how to drink espresso and Americano correctly, there are a number of simple recommendations. By following these tips, you will be able to get the most out of your coffee drink. Among them are the following:

There's no need to rush. Before you start drinking an Americano, you should first take a few sips of water. In this way, it will be possible to cleanse the receptors and prepare for the perception of taste and aroma;
When alternating drinks, take small sips. The liquid lingers in the mouth for a short time;
It is extremely important to maintain small intervals. This is due to the fact that alternation at an accelerated pace will lead to dulling of sensitivity. The taste will be muted. In addition, there will be a negative effect on tooth enamel;
water eliminates the coffee aftertaste . Therefore, everyone has the right to make their own decision about whether to drink it at the end of the procedure or not.

There are many reasons why they started serving cool water with coffee. This tradition has taken root in many countries. Nevertheless, everyone has the right to decide for themselves how to drink their favorite invigorating drink. No one obliges you to periodically take sips from the glass next to the espresso.

Plus for health

Drinking coffee and water at the same time minimizes harm to both the cardiovascular system and teeth.
The habit of drinking coffee with water allows you to not only enjoy every cup of your favorite drink to the fullest, but also brings benefits. Each serving of this natural drink contains caffeine and theobromine. Caffeine has an invigorating effect that is felt immediately after entering the human body and lasts up to 25 minutes; it dilates the blood vessels of the heart, brain and kidneys. Theobromine begins to act later, when the effect of caffeine has already worn off and can have a soporific effect. A few sips of water after coffee can neutralize the effects of theobromine.

In addition, it is believed that:

a portion of clean water allows you to reduce the mass fraction of caffeine, thus preventing high blood pressure;
A sip of water will help protect your teeth from the characteristic yellowish plaque.

Science-Based Facts

Scientists always question everything. They also paid attention to some tea and coffee traditions.

Why is water served with coffee: what does science say?

Cappuccino coffee recipe

Natural ground coffee has a diuretic effect and helps remove fluid from the body. If this happens in the heat, it can cause dehydration, which has a bad effect on the well-being and condition of the mucous membranes and skin. This is especially true in hot countries, which is why the rule of serving water with coffee arose there.
Natural coffee always has a bright taste, and in order to fully enjoy it, it is recommended to alternate a sip of it with a sip of water. It cleanses the taste buds and allows you to taste the drink every time, feeling the full spectrum of its taste and aroma.
Science has proven that frequent consumption of coffee has a bad effect on the condition of tooth enamel, making it yellow. To protect your teeth from this problem, it is recommended to cleanse your mouth of any remaining drink by drinking a glass of water.
Strong coffee is a drink with a good dose of caffeine, which has a stimulating effect on the nervous and cardiovascular systems. To prevent overexertion and increased blood pressure, you need to drink water after a dose of an invigorating drink. This way it will cause minimal harm to the sensitive body.

Viennese coffee is traditionally served with water

Drinking coffee with water is really beneficial. The scientific basis for this statement should not be omitted. This tradition allows you to prolong the feeling of pleasure from the coffee break. There is another important point here. Coffee with water is a way to curb your appetite. If you take a break 30-40 minutes before lunch or dinner, the portion of food eaten in the future will be much smaller than usual. This will allow you to consume fewer calories and promote weight loss.

What is the best water to serve with coffee?

Cafes and restaurants serve clean non-carbonated water at an acceptable temperature.
In decent establishments, clean water for coffee is served - bottled or non-carbonated drinking water. It should be pleasantly cool: not too warm, but not scalding cold.

Acceptable water temperature is 7-10 degrees.

Water is brought in a tall transparent glass, filling it halfway. In specialized coffee shops or original cuisine restaurants, it is allowed to add a couple of slices of apple or citrus fruits - lemon/lime, or a couple of fresh mint leaves to the glass, but no sweeteners or dyes.

How did the tradition of drinking coffee with water come about?

Connoisseurs of the aromatic drink suggest that the tradition of drinking coffee with water originated in Ancient Greece.

Scientists are inclined to believe that the Greeks began to drink a decoction of aromatic grains with cool water in order to cool down after a cup of hot drink. This is due to the fact that the climate in this country is hot, and drinking from ground grains has an invigorating effect. Afterwards it becomes very hot for a short time.

Turks drink water before coffee because they believe that cool water clears the mouth of food debris and also neutralizes its aftertaste. This way the taste and aroma of cooked grains is felt more pronounced and rich. This is why you need to drink water before drinking coffee.

It is not for nothing that this element of serving is in demand in the countries of the Middle East and Honduras. The climate there is very hot and large fluid losses occur through the skin.

Drinking the aromatic grains itself has a diuretic effect due to increased blood flow to the kidneys. Therefore, in order to quench your thirst and maintain your fluid balance at a normal level, you should drink a glass of cool water after the coffee ceremony.

Europeans believe that the tradition of serving water for coffee originated in Vienna. Women of that time were obsessed with good manners. It seemed terribly indecent to them to place a spoon stained with a decoction of coffee beans on a saucer. There was no question of licking it. For this, according to European scientists, water supply was invented.

In European countries, older people do not stay at home. They spend most of their time in coffee shops, where they can discuss the latest news over a cup of invigorating drink. Due to health problems, not all pensioners can drink cups of the aromatic drink. To reduce the consumption of a decoction of coffee beans, cool water is served with it.

To combat drowsiness

Just 20 minutes, and after drinking a cup of Americano or espresso you will feel drowsy, and water allows you to avoid this. Coffee contains two powerful components: caffeine and theobromine. The first starts its work almost instantly and constricts blood vessels. As a result, a cup of coffee increases blood pressure. But after a third of an hour, exactly the opposite processes are launched in the body and the blood vessels dilate - the theobromine phase begins, which causes drowsiness.

By the way, the duration of action of theobromine is an hour! Water dampens the effect of this sleeping pill on the body. A glass of life-giving moisture after a cup of coffee - and sleep will pass by. It’s not for nothing that expensive restaurants and coffee shops consider serving water with strong espresso to be good form.

Let's go back to history

It is believed that cold water with coffee began to be served at the palaces of Arabian sheikhs. Then a cup of strong drink was accompanied by an oriental delicacy. Accordingly, drinking water after coffee was necessary to dilute the honey sweetness and coffee bitterness. Today's gourmets adhere to a different version - a couple of sips of chilled water before and during coffee drinking allow you to fully experience the taste of an exquisite drink.

The tradition was taken over by the residents of Turkey. Coffee freshly prepared in a cezve is strong and has a characteristic bitterness. Therefore, Turks drink half a glass of water before the coffee ceremony - they wash the taste buds, the rest during or after enjoying the drink - they quench their thirst and remove the aftertaste.

Why is water supplied?

The overall picture becomes clearer and it becomes clear why an additional glass of water is served. To fully assimilate the information, let’s summarize all the reasons into one list:

Remove the bitter aftertaste from eating strong and heavily fried varieties;
Balance the effects of caffeine and theobromine on the human vascular system;
Do not take risks for those with high blood pressure;
Avoid overheating in hot weather;
Replenish the lack of life-giving moisture in the circulatory system;
Increase the sensitivity of taste buds;
Extend the aftertaste of a well-brewed invigorating drink;
Neutralize the influence of third-party tastes, spices and odors.

Composition and temperature of the supplied liquid

Don't be at a loss if the bartender or waiter asks you about your preferences for water served with coffee. The fact is that it can even be mineral water with or without the addition of gas. Fans of bottled, flowing or spring water can inquire about the availability of their favorite water in the establishment, or take a bottle with them. The choice of liquid depends entirely on your own preferences.