C Ipil-Ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) Seeds as a Substitute for Coffee Beans

o Abstract
The researchers conducted a study about Ipil-ipil seeds as a substitute for coffee beans.
This study aims to make a better and cheaper product of coffee. Since coffee is the most known

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beverage. Both coffee and ipil-ipil give many health benefits for the body. With our study other
individuals or departments may use this as a source for a next study. The goal of this study is first
to find out if ipil-ipil seeds can be used as an alternative coffee beans and second to make a

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cheaper and a better product than the commercially available coffee. Ipil-ipil has almost the same
characteristics of the commercially available coffee. It has that bitter and sour smell and taste.
Since ipil-ipil has more nutrients and benefits for people, it is a better alternative coffee. This

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product is healthy but easy to do, the audience can either cook or bake the ipil-ipil seeds by using
an oven or pan. The researchers performed three samples and showed that there is no much
difference with the commercially available coffee, based on the aroma, taste, appearance and
quality. Therefore the researchers conclude that ipil-ipil seed can be an alternative coffee beans.

e Introduction
Coffee is a drink that is brewed from the beans of the Coffea plant. Coffee is cultivated over
70 countries in the world. It is commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions primarily in
Southeast Asia where Philippines is located, America, India and Africa. Four kinds of coffee beans
are the most famous and commonly used namely Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica. There

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are few distinctions between the four. Among the four, Arabica is the most common and is often
used to make instant coffee that can be found in different convenient stores at various places
around the globe. Robusta is another type that is often used in making espressos, coffee that is a

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more concentrated blend by using different machines on making it; it is often pure and contains no
additives such as milk, creamer, and sugar. Excelsa coffee are often commonly mistaken as Liberia
coffee because of its almost same contents, aroma, taste and aftertaste. It is commonly cultivated
in Africa's indigenous regions. Liberica is the pride of the Malayan Race as it is widely cultivated in
almost every region of Southeaast Asia. In the Philippines the Liberica is commonly regarded as
'kapeng barako' which is a highly bitter blend of the coffee due to roasting, and letting it receive
heat from the sun directly. Although there are countless types of coffee they have the same

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functions and properties as to help people every day and be part of a daily routine as a strat of the
day especially in common breakfasts.

Coffee is known to be an energizer whenever we feel sleepy especially during mornings and
afternoons. Variants of coffee flavors were already produced all throughout the world aiming for
the discovery of alternative sources for coffee production. It is consecutively becoming part of our
daily routines and our day-to-day lives but drinking too much coffee can be very harmful for our
health. Some of its harmful effects are insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, upset stomach,
irritability, fast heartbeat, and muscle tremors.

Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala), is popularly known as Lead Tree in English. It is a small

fast-growing mimosoid tree. The flower heads are round white, puffballs. The flowers are followed
by long, green to brown bean pods embedded with flat oval seeds. Common names include white
dead tree, jumbay, river tamarind, Subabul, and white popinac.

The researchers aimed to produce an alternative coffee beans using Ipil-ipil ( Leucaena
leucocephala) seeds. The researchers chose this because this product is way more cheaper than
any other commercialized product in the supermarket, and easy to do which they themselves can
manufacture at home.

The goal of this study: 1. To find out if ipil-ipil seeds can be used as an alternative coffee
beans 2. To make a cheaper and a better product than the commercially available coffee.

Methodology
Materials & Equipments:
Ipil-ipil seeds
Mortar & pestle
Wooden spoon
Saucepan

Procedure:
1. Dry the ipil-ipil seeds for few days until the seeds are fully dried. Or you can either roast it
in a pan until it color turns black or bake them in an oven in a medium temperature (250 degrees)
for 10-15 minutes. But if you want to be sure, you better do both until you achieve the exact taste
and color.

2. Crush the roasted/toasted ipil-ipil seeds using mortar and pestle until it looks like powder
(pulverized). Do not crush the ipil-ipil seeds completely, leave bits of solid ipil-ipil seeds for
comparison taste.

3. Now, the product is complete. This product can be more tastier by putting the right amount
of sugar and/or creamer.
Preparation of Product
The researchers should prepare all the needed things and materials for the
accomplishmentof the whole investigative study. These materials are ultimately necessary for the
result of the research study. The materials needed are; Ipil-ipil Seeds, a frying pan, a wooden
spoon, mortar and pestle, sugar, and a saucepan.

Results and Discussion

The main concern of this study was to test the potential of ipil-ipil seeds into coffee
substitute production. Three samples were prepared, each with varying amounts of Ipil-ipil seeds,
and eventually rated by a panel of coffee drinkers chosen by the researcher.

Table 1. Characteristics and Acceptability of the Coffee Samples

Samples Color Aroma Taste Overall

Acceptability
A Light brown Slightly coffee like Average Like slightly
B Brown Slightly coffee like Slightly Bitter Like slightly
C Dark brown Coffee like Bitter Like moderately

Table 1 shows the mean ratings of the characteristics of each sample. With regards to color
and taste, the three samples shared different characteristics. The evaluators commented that
Sample A tastes more like a tea than a coffee. In terms of aroma, samples A and B shared the
same characteristics in which the evaluators rated the samples as slightly coffee like.In terms of
overall acceptability, samples A and B were liked slightly by the evaluators. Sample C, on the other
hand, were liked moderately by them.

Conclusions
We, the researchers, therefore conclude that ipil-ipil seed can be an effective alternative for
coffee beans because of the following: The aroma of the seeds smelled like the commercially
available coffee. Just smelling the powder, it would be hypothesized it is coffee. Our final product
actually tastes like the commercially available coffee. Between the product that the researchers
made and the commercially available coffee, there were a slight difference with the appearance.
The commercially available coffee is pure powder unlike the product the researchers made, bits of
seeds are still uncooked. When the powder is poured into a hot water not all of the powder is fully
dissolved. As said, some bits are left uncooked.

Recommendations
The researchers recommend the following; to use a grinder and toast to fully break the
seeds into pieces, find alternative seeds that are bitter like ipil-ipil seeds, to cooked the crushed
Ipil-ipil seeds before baking for it to be easily baked. Cooking it will affect the texture, to be
smooth just like the commercially available coffee. And lastly, to bake the crushed seeds to obtain
the aroma of a commercially available coffee.