Yes, Coffee Is a Fruit — So Is It Technically Juice?
Coffee's Botanical Origin: Coffee comes from the seeds of a fruit called the coffee cherry. These cherries grow on coffee plants and contain two seeds, which we roast to make coffee beans.
What Is Juice?: Juice is typically the liquid extracted from fruits or vegetables. It’s a natural liquid that comes from the pulp or flesh of the fruit.
The Coffee Cherry: The coffee cherry itself has pulp surrounding the seeds. While the seeds (beans) are what we use for coffee, the pulp can be processed into beverages like cascara.
Roasting Process: Unlike traditional juice, coffee is made by roasting and grinding the seeds (beans). This involves removing much of the natural moisture from the fruit's seeds.
The Liquid in Coffee: When you brew coffee, you're extracting flavors and compounds from the roasted beans, but not from the fruit itself.
Cascara vs. Coffee: Although the coffee cherry is a fruit, the drink most people enjoy is brewed from the beans, not the fruit itself. Cascara, however, is a true “fruit juice” made from the cherry.
Nutritional Difference: Coffee, as we know it, is not a fruit juice because the brewing process extracts compounds like caffeine, oils, and flavors from the roasted beans.
So, while coffee originates from a fruit, it’s not technically juice, as it’s made from the roasted seeds, not from the fruit’s liquid.