Why is cold water served with coffee? Terms of use.

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.

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 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.

Four reasons why you should drink coffee with water

Espresso, brewed according to all the rules, is a rich, aromatic drink. In this case, taste buds quickly stop responding properly to stimuli. Accordingly, the taste of coffee is not felt properly after just a few sips. Therefore, it must be washed down. Just one sip of the tasteless liquid helps cleanse the receptors. You can feel the bouquet of rich espresso shades again. As a rule, this is how they drink high-quality drinks prepared in compliance with all the technical features.
Another reason to drink water after coffee is that cool liquid reduces the effects of caffeine. The concentration of the alkaloid decreases, and due to this it is possible to avoid sudden changes in blood pressure and normalize the heart rhythm.
This combination of drinks, which are drunk alternately, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the teeth. Coffee is known to change the shade of tooth enamel - a brown coating appears on it. Thanks to water, the coloring pigment is not absorbed and is easily washed off.
In addition, in hot weather, this way you can not only get a boost of energy, but also refresh yourself . Espresso helps to tone up, and cool water cools down. To achieve the most vibrant refreshing effect, it is recommended to drink it at the end of your coffee meal. This is exactly what was practiced in Greece.

What is the best water to serve with coffee?

Cafes and restaurants serve clean still 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.

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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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.

How the tradition began

Start and spread

The Arabian Peninsula is considered the birthplace of this tradition. Written sources mention that a cup of coffee was served after the meal. We drank cold water first to dull the taste of dishes with spices and herbs. Drinking slowly restored the sense of taste and prepared for a change of dishes.

At the end of the 16th century, a similar coffee ceremony became firmly established in Greece and Turkey. The slowness of the inhabitants of these regions set the mood for long conversations and measured drinking of the drink.

Traditional Turkish coffee is prepared in hot sand in a copper cezve, as described in the article “How to properly brew coffee on sand.” The drink is served immediately and hot. Drinking cold liquids is associated with the need to cool down in a hot climate. Drink water first to make the transition after eating, or together, in small sips.

Custom in Europe

In Europe, the tradition spread at the end of the 19th century. Austria is considered the founder of fashion. Local ladies, supporters of strict etiquette, could not decide what to do with a small coffee spoon after stirring. The solution was a glass of clear water in which to rinse it.

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Gradually the use of water changed. Men who spent days in coffee shops reading newspapers and discussing news could not consume the bitter drink in large quantities. They ordered one cup and a glass of water, thereby extending their stay without an additional order. At the same time we enjoyed the taste and brightness of the coffee.

Residents of other countries later adopted the tradition, adding their own flavor.

The situation in Italy and Spain

Italy is a country of espresso lovers. In the south, it has become common to drink a glass of spring water before changing dishes.

If in Naples or Sicily a visitor drinks water after coffee, it will be taken as an insult. This means that he was dissatisfied with the taste and quality, and wants to mask the unpleasant aftertaste. There is no such tradition in Rome and Milan.

The Spaniards also prefer to drink a glass of water before starting the bitter and aromatic drink. In this country they prefer to make coffee with milk - cortado. Usually nothing is served with it.

Other countries

In French restaurants and cafes, a jug of clean water is brought to the table. If you order espresso, the barista will add a glass of cold water. It is considered good practice to drink water before coffee.

In Germany, they are not so categorical in choosing when and how to combine these two drinks. The cafe serves sparkling water with coffee.

In Scandinavian countries, boiling water is served so that, if desired, the visitor can dilute the strength and richness.

Does it matter what kind of coffee you drink?

It is a deeply mistaken opinion that only drinking a drink made from ground coffee beans has all the negative effects on the body.

Using instant is no less harmful . After all, for its production, the inner part of coffee beans is used, which contains more alkaloids than its insoluble counterpart.

In addition to its invigorating effect, caffeine leads to vasoconstriction, disrupting blood circulation in the renal system. Theobromine has the opposite effect. The result of this influence is discomfort in the kidneys, which occurs both when drinking a drink made from ground grains, and when drinking a soluble one.

To neutralize the negative effects of caffeine and theobromine present in both drinks, you need to drink water. It blocks the harmful effects of alkaloids . As a result, circulatory disorders in the kidneys are prevented and the acid-base and water balance in the body is restored.