The invention relates to an instant coffee mixture for preparing a coffee-based beverage which is similar to the widely used instant coffee granulates concerning both its consistence and the way of use, therefore a coffee-tasting beverage can be prepared from it in the usual way. The mixture comprises a coffee granulate in instant state and preferably a coffee cream powder, and the amount of the coffee in the mixture calculated for a single serving comprises caffeine of at most 100 mg, and a single serving means an amount of the mixture, from which an enjoyable coffee drink of at most 150 ml and preferably 60-100ml can be prepared by adding a liquid, preferably water of at most 70°C temperature.

A great variety of instant coffee mixtures (including coffee mixes containing granulates prepared by freeze-drying technique) can be found in commercial use which differ from each other in the type of the coffee component, the composition of the added cream powder, in the sweetener and in other additives which are responsible for good solubility and for an extended shelf storage life. The choice of such mixtures is also huge due to the different forms of packaging, namely instead of the previously preferred wide storage bottles the small dosages with a single or double serving are now in fashion which can be small and flat bags or can take the shape of a thin long cylinder. Depending on the needs of users dosages can be 2/1 or 3/1 type which means that besides the coffee component they also contain sufficient amount of creamer and sugar or a different sweetener.

A classic way of preparing instant coffee is that a dose of the instant mixture (or an required amount defined by the user) is filled into an empty cup and an amount of 100 - 120 ml, in certain cases 150 ml hot water is poured on it, then the water is mixed with the granulate. There are subjects who use milk or another liquid instead of water.

Although apart from the good taste also the prepared physiological effects of caffeine are generally known, many critics are imposed against coffee drinks as they are not beneficial to the intestine system as they do not comprise fibrous materials and exert a negative influence on the water household of the body and their stimulating effect is not persistent, and in case of repeated daily consumption the stimulating effect decreases.

For offsetting the lack of fibrous material in the publication CN 104522261 a drink mixture has been proposed, which comprises in addition to the instant coffee component also inulin, coffee creamer powder and further food supplements. The publication refers to the probiotical effects of inulin and the edible fibrous content thereof which differs from customary fibrous additives, and with regard to these properties the publication suggests the use of about as much inulin as the amount of the coffee. As an alternative to coffee several types of energy drinks can be obtained in commerce which has different compositions but most of them comprises also taurine. In the publication US 2006/0134300 Al energy drinks are considered too expensive compared to their real value and the cost of their preparation, and a dietary supplement powder mixture is suggested that comprises taurine and a few other components, which can be added to the drinks used every day, i.e. to coffee or tea, and sets forth that taurine and coffee complement each other in a perfect way because the presence of taurine partially offsets the drawbacks connected with coffee consumption. Taurine as a non essential amino acid acts according to sources cited in the publication as a neuro modulator and compensates the generation of noradrenalin of coffee and the connected increased sensibility.

The publication also refers to the fact that the presence of taurine extends the stimulating effects of coffee which rapidly decreases in time.

The joint effects of coffee and taurine is mentioned among other publications also in US 6,261,589 which suggests a substance dosed in capsules and which have a stimulating effect and represents a dietary supplement that improves general health condition. The here suggested composition comprises a high number of components whereas the advantages of the joint use of coffee and taurine is also mentioned here.

Concerning their drinking habits a major part of consumers is rather conservative and do not like to give up the social pleasures offered by making or drinking of coffee and do not like to change the well accustomed way of preparing coffee. With regard to this fact and to the high number of different dietary supplement capsules, powders, drinks and their widely questioned effects, most people dislikes adding powders in the coffee prepared by them in the usual way or to take capsules additionally or instead of the coffee.

The referred publications are silent about the fact that in case of using an increased temperature of 60-70°C or more taurine tends to get disintegrated, therefore up to the present taurine has always been added in cold state.

The object of the invention is that also with respect to the steady nature of the referred drinking habits of most consumers to provide such a coffee-based instant mixture which takes into account all advantages coming from the combined use of caffeine and the listed components, whereas from that mixture a coffee-tasting healthy and stimulating drink can be prepared substantially in the traditional way.

For attaining this objective I have realized that in making instant drinks the temperature of the water used is rarely higher than 60-70 °C or by the time the water is poured in the cup it will reach (sink to) that temperature and it will rapidly cool further down in the cup. At the same time the disintegration of taurine is also not a too rapid process, and the rapidly cooling water with the initial temperature of 60-70 °C can disintegrate it only to a small extent, whereby the usual way how instant drinks are prepared cannot destroy or worsen the previously mentioned favourable properties of taurine. With a sufficient education and warning it will not mean the departure from old customs and habits to make consumers use water which is not too hot but it is around 60 °C. A second recognition of the present invention is that not only taurine but also inulin is added to the mixture, then in addition of preserving the mentioned beneficial effects, the simultaneous use can be the source of further advantages, especially if both additives are used together with a preferred cream powder (that can be milk or a plant based or lactose free type). The term "coffee cream powder" is widely accepted although several sources use the expression "coffee whitener" which designates the same material. In the present specification the use of the term "coffee cream powder" includes the use of "coffee whitener".

In addition to the above recognitions, during experiments I have realized that the combined use of the mentioned components has a pleasant taste to which one can get used easily and that retains the basic taste of coffee therefore it can become rapidly a widely favored and preferred beverage. The fructose content of inulin sweetens the beverage without the addition of sugar or a sweetener, therefore the addition of these substances might become superfluous, or if the user wishes to have a sweeter drink he or she can use additional sugar or a sweetener to the coffee. Inulin is not temperature sensitive and its composition remains unchanged till about 140 °C.

Accordingly, with the invention I have provided a coffee-based mixture which comprises for a serving (which is a cup of at most 150 ml but preferably 60 to 100ml) caffeine of at most 100 mg and preferably 60 to 80 mg in the form of instant coffee granulate, inulin with an amount between 100 and 1500 mg, furthermore taurine between 100 and 1200 mg, and it can comprise further additives.

The daily limit of inulin can be hardly determined and even 800 mg can be permitted, and the daily maximum dosage o taurine is around 3000 mg. I have experienced that even the use of only 100 mg of each of these components is connected with definite advantages, and these properties improve till about 400 to 600 mg and if more is used the quality is not improved further in a noticeable way.

The preferred composition comprises therefore around 400 to 600 mg from both of these materials and the optimum is around 500 mg. The use of such a dose for a serving is connected with the advantage that in case of coffee addict persons who take even 5-6 cups a day, the amount of taurine will just reach the daily maximum even for such frequent drinkers.

All possible combinations of the mentioned range of components is connected with associated advantages, but the optimum (also with regard to practical aspects) is around the use of the same amount (400 to 600 mg) at each serving. It is a special advantage that the preferred properties of inulin and taurine increase during repeated consumption. Therefore if one takes these beverages several times a day in regular intervals he/she will experience these advantages in an increased extent.

For attaining the required temperature gradient and obtaining the best flavor it is preferred if a serving is prepared with slightly less water than usual which is between about 80 and 100 ml.

A very pleasant beverage is obtained if the mixture comprises also a usual amount of coffee cream powder.

In case of subjects who have sensitivity against certain milk proteins, or independent therefrom, it can be preferred if the coffee cream powder is a plant based coffee whitener.

By using the widely accepted terminology the present mixture can also be referred to as a 4/1 dosage because it comprises coffee, inulin, taurine and the cream powder.

The effects of beverages prepared by such instant mixture have been thoroughly examined. The widely published and known effects of inulin and taurine will not mentioned here as they will appear without doubt.

Additionally we have experienced an interesting effect, namely those subjects who regularly take some kind of pain killer for decreasing a kind of their chronicle pain, after drinking this beverage noticeably less pain killer was required to reach a similar decrease of pain and in some cases the pain disappeared without using a pain killer at all.

Experiments were made by 20 persons (these subjects drank daily 2 to 5 cups of coffee). It was examined what change was experienced with those subjects who have regularly taken a pain killer when drinking the beverage according to the invention (the examination might have been distorted by the fact that the observed persons took different types of pain killers and these drugs did not react uniformly on the coffee complex consumed).

As a first step the subjects were excluded from the examination where the time required for sensing the analgesic effect was not shorter than 5%. Those subjects from this group were not excluded who reported that the analgesic effect was stronger than experienced compared to when taking normal coffee.

The further examinations were carried out with 17 persons. These subjects obtained in a first day drug and conventional instant coffee and in the next day the drug and the suggested beverage. As a result: in case of 3 persons no difference (reaction) was found, 4 persons reported an improvement of 10%, 5 persons reported 11 to 20% improvement, 4 persons reported an improvement of 21 to 31% and one person reported an improvement of 100%. Out of the persons who reported faster effects in case of 12 persons the analgesic effect lasted longer. Because the extent of efficiency was based only on subjective basis, the experiences obtained were not divided into further groups. Further examinations were carried out among swimmers and triathlon athletes.

It is known that coffee increases the efficiency of physical work in case of several persons but this effect lasts only for a short period. Taurine also has a similar effect but this effect can be sensed with a delay longer than in case of coffee. While inulin is a kind of carbon hydrate, but it is composed by 95% fructose which is required by the muscles when being loaded. The whey included in the coffee cream powder comprises 80% of useful components present in milk, and the palm olive additive is the source of the best quality of vitamin E complexes including toko-tri-ethanol.

In an experiment a group of 20 persons was formed from sportsmen who took 2 to 5 servings of coffee each day. These persons received at one day only coffee and in the next day only the beverage according to the invention.

It was experience that the pulse number of sportsmen receiving the same load returned by 20- 30% faster to the normal value when they took the beverage according to the invention compared to the values when they obtained only conventional coffee. The best results were obtained at those persons who were exposed several times to a strong load within 1 and 2 hours. From this it can be seen that our product provides a longer effect compared to that of coffee.

Blood pressure tests were carried out in case of 10 persons with whom coffee increased the blood pressure. It was experienced that the beverage according to the invention has decreased by 5 to 15% or terminated the increase in blood pressure.

When examining the effects on blood sugar level laboratory measurements were made at 10 persons with diabetes of type 2 who took at least daily 2 to 5 coffee to see how the measured blood sugar level will change. The results showed a decrease of 4,2% in average. An interesting result was experienced during blood test examinations carried out before and after the test period in the results of liver function values, because in 2/3 of the examined persons an improvement was experienced.

During the reported examinations the amount of coffee was the same in the reference coffee and in the beverage under examination.

In addition to the reported examinations consumers have definitely confirmed that the stimulating effect experienced in case of coffee lasted much longer in case of the tested beverage, and this was not accompanied by exhaustion or tiredness which was often experienced earlier, and the drinking was not accompanied by a more tense status or impatience either.

The instant coffee based mixture according to the invention has several further beneficial effects not exactly identified so far, but the most important advantage was that even the most intractable coffee drinkers have soon got used to take this beverage because of the pleasant flavor and the long lasting beneficial effects thereof.