Lets get down to the facts….
Coffee has a rich and interesting history, filled with fun facts. For instance, did you know that coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, right after oil? Or that the largest coffee producer is Brazil, producing about 40% of the world's coffee? Explore our blog for more astounding coffee facts!
Origin of Coffee Legend has it that a goat herder first discovered coffee in Ethiopia. After watching the goats nibble the cherries and then leap around, he decided to try them for himself. Yeah, he liked the effect.
Coffee Tree It's estimated that there are between 25 and 100 types of coffee plants. They all have different colors and shapes of leaves and fruit. Depending on the type, height can range from a foot-tall shrub to a more than 30-foot-tall tree in the wild.
Coffee Cherry What we call the coffee bean is actually the seed of a small red fruit conveniently called a cherry. In Ethiopia, they brew tea from dried coffee cherries. The rest of the world is happy with the toasted seeds.
Arabica and Robusta Coffea arabica and Coffea robusta are the two cultivated coffee plant species. The robusta plants are much more hardy and disease resistant. They also have almost twice as much caffeine. But arabica coffee tastes better. That's why most specialty coffees are 100% arabica.
Coffee Varieties A coffee variety is a genetically distinct subclass of the arabica species. Ethiopia is home to thousands of coffee varieties. Coffee plants in other parts of the world are much less diverse because they took root from a small number of exported plants.
COFFEE HELPS YOU LIVE LONGER
Some studies show that people who drink coffee are less likely to develop depression or Alzheimer's disease, two conditions that shorten life expectancy. Researchers are also finding ways that coffee may help your body fight off other chronic illnesses. Two chemicals in coffee – caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid – reduce inflammation and exhibit antioxidant capacity. When consumed, they increase the level of antioxidants in the body and decrease oxidative stress within cells, which can slow down and even prevent cell damage and death by reducing free radical activity. That means the drink may also reduce your risk for cancer.