Coffee made from coffee beans may soon be a thing of the past. First, brews made from adaptogenic mushrooms hit the scene. Then came nutrient-loaded cup of joe made from broccoli. And the latest option hacks the coffee bean to make waves on a molecular level.
Despite the fact that it’s made without coffee beans, Atomo Coffee‘s “molecular coffee” still has the aroma, flavor, and caffeine content of the real thing. Allegedly, it tastes better, too. In one study, 70 percent of students actually liked it better than coffee from Starbucks. According to Taste of Home, that might be because the food scientists that created it took special care to ensure that it isn’t bitter, which means there’s less need to balance it out with creamer and sugar.
With the high demand of coffee—hey, we’re a very tired bunch!—the substitute can ensure people still get their fix without depending on coffee trees, making Atomo’s beanless coffee a sustainable choice. Past research has shown the rising temps from climate change could not only cause major drought, but also disease that affects coffee plants. By 2050, half the land currently being used to produce coffee is projected to be totally useless.
According to Atomo’s Kickstarter page, it doesn’t look like the molecular coffee will be available until this December at the earliest. But something so good definitely seems worth the wait.
