Coffee… a delectable substance that nobody can live without! Few people can get going in the morning without their cuppa, and coffee fuels us during the day. Some people simply drink coffee for the taste and enjoy a variety of different blends, whilst coffee is a source of energy for others and love to explore options.
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10 Facts About Coffee
There are plenty of reasons to sip on your favorite roast. But do you know the origins of coffee? Or that coffee beans have been used as an energy source since the stone ages? No? Well, then this is the perfect opportunity to read all about coffee while you indulge in the velvety liquid.
1. Historical Origins
Coffee has been a drink of choice for more than 11 centuries. A goat herder originally shared the coffee berries with monks who found that brewing them could keep them awake to pray for longer. The beans were later shared with civilizations across the world and quickly became popular.
2. Naming a Drink
Arabians first called the drink qahhwat-al-bun which meant “wine of the bean”; an apt description of how coffee is made. Later the name was shortened to qahwa, which the Turkish then adapted to kahve. The Dutch got their hands on the treat and gave it the name koffie, which finally landed up as coffee in English.
3. Coffee Consumption
Coffee is so popular that it has become the second best-selling commodity on earth, with Finnish people drinking the most cups of coffee per person per day. Sweden, Denmark, and Norway also consume lots of coffee. More than 1400 million cups of coffee are drunk in a day, which gives employment to 25 million people.
Arabica, the aromatic and mild coffee, is preferred by 70% of global citizens, whilst the remaining 30% drink bitter Robust coffee. Most people who enjoy coffee will drink about 3 cups of coffee per day… although we think most of us drink more. New Yorkers alone tend to drink seven times more coffee than people in any other city across America. It would be a great idea to review your options with the help of the expert on coffee makers. Your taste preferences will be the main deciding factor as different machines enable coffee lover’s to enjoy different taste avenues
4. Animal Connections
Goats actually discovered coffee. Wait, what? Yes, you read correctly! A goat herder realized his charges were jumping around more frantically than usual and struggled to sleep at night. The reason was that the goats had been eating the berries which contain coffee beans. The herder shared the observation with monks and the rest is history.
Coffee roasts also vary in how they are made and some come from animal excrement. The silky, caramel-flavored Black Ivory Coffee is from Arabica coffee beans but only after they have been excreted as elephant poo. The coffee sells at $1100 per kg.
Sumatran wild cats also produce excrement with highly sought after coffee. The Kopi Luwak roast sells at a whopping $3000 per kilogram making it the most expensive worldwide.
5. Crazy Coffee Laws
Some strange laws have come about due to coffee. A husband who did not provide sufficient coffee for his wife could end up being divorced in ancient Arab times. British women once petitioned that men under the age of 60 shouldn’t consume coffee because it made them useless.
Although that didn’t work, coffee has been banned on three occasions. During the 16th century, coffee was not allowed in Mecca. Charles II also banned coffee from Europe during 1675, whilst Germany experienced a ban from Fredrick the Great in 1677.
6. Health Benefits
Most people know that coffee can be used in facial care and to help detox your body. The Japanese think coffee is so great that they even have a spa to soak in coffee through their skin Drinking coffee can decrease the chances of developing heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Type 2 Diabetes and Gout. Men who drink coffee may also find a smaller likelihood of getting Parkinson’s.
7. Killer Coffee
Coffee is an upper and the caffeine gives you lots of energy. Drinking too much coffee may have psychoactive effects, which means that you might start seeing strange things. Rumor has it that brewing marijuana and coffee together can create a buzzing drink. Excessive coffee drinking can even lead to death but that would require you to drink about 100 coffee servings.
8. Coffee Culture
People take their coffee seriously and coffee culture is present in every country. The Italians hold Espresso in high regard and regulate the industry as it is vital to life. Italian baristas are considered to be some of the best and only become a professional at about 48 years old. This is very different from US baristas who are usually hip and in their twenties. Latte and macchiato are also popular options.
The Irish found their unique drink in the aptly named Irish Coffee. Americans found Ireland to be quite chilly. Flight attendants would serve hot coffee with whiskey as planes left Ireland; today it is a popular after-dinner drink. Greece also embraced coffee and have small coffee shops called “kafenio”. The Kafenios cater specifically for the older gentleman who enjoys their coffee whilst playing board games and enjoying each other’s company.
9. Artistic Coffee
People are inspired by ordinary things and coffee is no exception. The delectable beans have given artists creative inspiration. Beethoven had a precise coffee measure – he required 60 whole coffee beans in every cup of coffee. A comedic opera was written by Bach, which centered on a woman who had a coffee addiction.
10. Growing Coffee
Coffee beans come from a type of berry, which essentially makes coffee a fruit. Coffee trees can become quite tall and easily reach 30 feet in height but that makes picking the berries difficult. For this reason, most coffee trees are kept at a maximum of 10 feet.
Most coffee is grown in tropical regions. About 40% of the world’s coffee is made in Brazil, Africa, and Colombia. Hawaii is the only state which is a commercial grower of coffee in America. California has also caught on in recent times and started to cultivate coffee bushes.
Found this article interesting? Share it with your friends or tell them all about your new knowledge while drinking a delicious cup of coffee.
