Cascara sits between coffee and tea in the best possible way. It comes from the dried coffee cherry, not the roasted seed, so the cup can taste fruity, floral, lightly sweet, and very different from brewed coffee.
You are brewing the fruit around the coffee seed, so the extraction target changes completely.
- Coffee cherry
Cascara starts as the outer fruit of the coffee plant.
- Careful drying
Clean drying protects fruit character and reduces off flavors.
- Tea-style brew
Hot water extracts fruit notes rather than roasted coffee oils.
- Light caffeine
Caffeine can vary, so treat it as caffeinated unless clearly labeled otherwise.
Think raisin, hibiscus, rose hip, cherry, or honey depending on the lot.
Use hot water, steep, strain, and adjust strength by weight.
Great for people who like coffee origin stories and tea-like drinks.
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To understand what Cascara is, you must first familiarize yourself with the background of the exotic drink you consume so often.
Coffee beans are seeds of a fruit that is rich in antioxidants as well as caffeine . The fruit, known as Coffee Cherry, guards the seed throughout its stages of development.
Once ready, the coffee beans are separated from the fruit, and the coffee cherry is left behind. The regular practice previously was to discard the fruit once the coffee beans have been gathered.
Up till now, you must be thinking of Cascara as a substitute of coffee with less caffeine content . When in reality, not only does cascara have a completely different flavor but also a lot more benefits for your health .
This is why Cascara is popular amongst not only the coffee lovers but also the manufacturers of other beverages and even beauty products. Many experts believe the coffee cherry fruit to be super food since it contains a high amount of polyphenols.
The antioxidants found in Cascara make it suitable for people suffering from a weak immune system. It has been seen that the level of antioxidants found in Cascara is even greater than green tea, Vitamin E and C, as well as blueberries and strawberries.
Apart from the immune boosting effect, Cascara also has anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-inflammatory nature of Cascara can make it beneficial in treating many serious health problems such as osteoporosis.
Similar to the effect of consuming coffee, Cascara also improves one’s liver health and provides instant energy. However, since the caffeine content in Cascara is relatively less, the person consuming the beverage does not find it difficult to go to sleep soon after.
Other than the richness of antioxidants in Cascara, the British Journal of Nutrition has also pointed towards the presence of a vital element. This element, known as Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), has positive effects on the cognition and mental health of a person.
So, apart from helping you feel energetic, the beverage is also able to improve your memory and mental clarity. Also, due to the presence of BDNF in Cascara, people consuming the beverage have reported positive moods and a sense of rejuvenation as a result.
The use of Cascara in skin products is because it has revitalizing and youthful effects. Many products that contain cascara as an ingredient claim to have youthful and anti-aging effects when used regularly. Many individuals also use Cascara for their weight loss goals as it has been found to work well with their rigorous exercise regime.
Preparing Cascara
As a beverage, people that have a sweet tooth might want to add sugar in to get the sweetness.
However, since Cascara has been long in use for making some truly delicious and unique beverages, there is more than one way to prepare drinks out of it.
When you buy Cascara for brewing, be careful about not ending up with Cascara Sagrada instead which is a powerful laxative and will undoubtedly give you a tough time after consumption.
You will have to steep the dried Cascara cherries for a particular period. The longer you let it steep, the stronger will be the taste of your beverage.
There isn’t a single way of making Cascara and people in different regions of the world use various additions in their beverage to give it a unique taste. You might experience a different taste every time you prepare yourself a Cascara beverage. However, with time, you will learn how to get the exact flavor you need and what steps to follow.
For traditional ways, Qishr and Hashara, there are some basic ingredients used. These include:
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Caraway
However, you can use additional elements to give your beverage a unique taste. Remember, that the additions mentioned above should not be used in a quantity that overpowers the fruity taste of Cascara. Honey is regularly used as a sweetener to keep the beverage healthy and beneficial.
Conclusion
The popularity of Cascara in places such as Yemen is immense since the drink is considered to be cheaper than coffee. The varying flavor profile of Cascara has amused coffee lovers around the world as one sip of the beverage takes the drinker by surprise as there is no bitterness.
The reduced caffeine content is enough to give the energetic feeling to the person consuming it without having any ill effects. Other than all these positives, there are many individuals out there that are adding Cascara to their routine just because of the many health benefits that it is known to provide.
