Coffee, being a bitter caffeinated drink, is the second most consumed beverage across the world other than water, making it also the most traded commodity other than crude oil with an industry worth more than 230 billion dollars. It’s a known fact that coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, with the current biggest producer of it being Brazil, followed by Vietnam and Colombia.
Coffee is no doubt a popular product and hence has a lot of lovers worldwide, the product itself houses a lot of nutritional and health facts, along with having a rich history and culture.
Who discovered coffee and how?
According to Agiboo, a commodity trade site, coffee was discovered by an Ethiopian shepherd in the early 1500s when he saw his goats eating the coffee cherries and observed their stimulated behavior for the follow-up time. He went onto sharing that information with his peers and they used those cherries to make a drink in order to stimulate their own minds.
How did coffee get so popular?
After its discovery, traders from the land took it to many different locations around the world to sell, and thus coffee trees were planted, farmed and used by people of various different ethnicities and age groups. By the 18th century, coffee became the most tradeable food commodity in the world because of its unique taste and aroma.
What is fair trade coffee and what does it do?
The fair trade organization has a set of fair standards to be followed by certain firms and producers, and this certification is what makes some type of coffee ‘Fair Trade Coffee.’ This means the coffee production follows the laws of human rights and gives fair treatment and wages to its farmers, thereby ensuring equity in international trade.
Is coffee a seed or a fruit?
Coffee beans are part of a fruit, or rather the seed or pits of a coffee plant. They’re usually called beans instead of seeds because of their uncanny resemblance to legumes, but they are inherently a fruit.
Can I grow coffee at my home?
Yes, you can, you just have to have the right environmental, weather, and nutritional conditions for growing a coffee plant in the vicinity of your own home. Since the coffee plant requires very strict and specific conditions, you can choose either to plant it outdoors or indoors, keeping in mind the required weather conditions and soil type.
Are there different types of coffee?
As Taste of Home a renowned food blog lists, there are two main types of coffee plants; Arabica, named so because of its origin of the Arabian Peninsula with a sweeter and less caffeinated taste, and Robusta, being the more bitter yet cheaper of the two types. Robusta is usually popular with people who prefer more caffeine content in their coffee.
Why is coffee so bitter?
Coffee is inherently a bitter food commodity and that’s part of why it is so popular within the general public, and its caffeine content also adds to its own bitterness. The ways of grounding and brewing coffee may also add onto its own bitterness, making the flavor stand out.
Who came up with the idea of using it as a beverage?
After the spread and trade of coffee among the rest of the world, somewhere in Yemen along the 15th century coffee was reported to be used to produce a drink to stimulate the brain and keep it awake for longer periods of time. It was here that the seeds were first brewed and prepared into a drink, similar to how we use it today.
How much caffeine does a cup of coffee have?
An average cup of coffee contains a total of 40-100 mg, this too is dependent upon what type of coffee drink you’re having, since the caffeine content varies across different kinds. For example, a decaffeinated cup of coffee houses 3-4 mg of caffeine, whereas an espresso has about 60 mg of caffeine.
Other than drinking, what is coffee used for?
Coffee grounds house a certain type of bacteria that worms enjoy consuming, making it the perfect form of compost to be used either by farmers or farming enthusiasts. Coffee ground also contain a lot of healthy minerals and chemicals the likes of magnesium and calcium, making it a perfect substitute for a fertilizer to be sprayed over your soil.
Can I use coffee in my food?
But of course, coffee can be used to give a slightly bitter flavor to your dry rubs or to be used as a spice while making steak. Furthermore, coffee can also be used in a variety of dessert recipes, ranging from cakes to ice-creams, tiramisu, and even cheesecakes, it all depends on how sweet the dessert is and how you want to balance that sweetness out by adding coffee.
Is there a negative stereotype attached to drinking a lot of coffee?
Usually people who drink more coffee than normal are perceived to be stressed out workaholics with their brains running at 120 miles per second, or under pressure students with deadlines to meet and thesis to submit. Usually, people who drink a lot of coffee are called caffeine addicts by the masses, the general opinion of them being depressed individuals.
I drink a lot of coffee; will it have any bad effects on my health?
According to Web MD, drinking a lot of coffee, much more so than the normal healthy amount can cause some health implications which you absolutely must avoid, such as insomnia, always being on the edge with continuous bouts of restlessness and constant nervousness. In severe cases it may also cause nausea, stomach problems, vomiting and over dosage.
Does coffee consumption have any health benefits?
Despite all the negatives, coffee also has some good side effects, such as reduced risk of having Alzheimer’s, liver cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson’s. People who drink a lot of coffee have also been statistically proven to live longer than the average non-coffee drinker, with reduced bouts of depression, increased productivity, and improved brain function, provided you don’t drink more than the normal amount per day.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.