January Phytochemicals: hops, and compounds in filtered vs. unfiltered coffee

Happy #PhytochemicalFriday! Today: cafestol, a diterpenoid found in Coffea arabica (#Coffee; Rubiaceae) present in unfiltered preparations like French press coffee, but absent in most filtered drinks like drip coffee. Its bioactive effects are being studied using animal models.

If you enjoy the flavor of hops this #PhytochemicalFriday, you're tasting isohumulones, products of a hop chemical (humulone) as it degrades during brewing. They provide hops a characteristic bitter flavor. Their parent, humulone, seems to act as an antiviral and antimicrobial.

Happy #PhytochemicalFriday! Today: 3-carene, a piney/earthy smelling monoterpene from pine resins (Pinus species) that can also be a major component of turpentine - a solvent obtained by distilling pine resin. The compound is used in the perfume and chemical industries.