Did you know that a 20-person office drinks 62 cups of coffee a day? The popularity of coffee may not come as a surprise to you, but some of these facts might. We take a look at some of the most interesting coffee facts, from where it was first discovered, to how many cups you need to drink for it to kill you.
But these facts about coffee aren’t just fun, they’re good for you as well! Along with its robust flavor and pick-me-up qualities, coffee has a number of health perks that are far more beneficial to the body than taste bud titillation and pep to one’s step. Coffee has been medically and scientifically proven to be a healthy beverage in more ways than one. The time has come to raise your glass (or mug) to a piping hot, fresh-brewed, cuppa Joe. Now every time you sit back to savor a sip of Tayst coffee, you’ll know you’re doing your body good.
According To Legend, Where Was Coffee First Discovered?
Legend has it that coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia circa 800 A.D. by a goat herder named Kaldi who noticed the effect that eating coffee berries was having on his goats. The goats appeared to be dancing, full of energy, and hyperactive. He found that the berries had the same effect on him when he tried them.
He went on to report his findings to the abbot of the local monastery. While the monk initially scolded Kaldi for eating “the devil’s fruit”, he soon found that when consumed as a drink, it helped to keep him alert through the long hours of evening prayer. He went on to share this discovery with the other monks, and quickly news of the energizing berries spread.
Does Coffee Help Prevent Parkinsons?
One in 100 people will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease after they turn 60, as per the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. This degenerative neurological disorder causes tremors, stiffness, and loss of balance, and gets worse over time due to nerve cell damage in the brain. Drinking coffee can help lower the chance of getting Parkinson’s. As per WebMD, a study found that men who do not drink coffee are 2 to 3 times as likely to get Parkinson’s as those who drink, thanks to the caffeine in the beverage.
Did People Always Drink Coffee?
No, initially coffee was eaten. African tribes took coffee berries and mixed these with animal fat to make edible energy balls. Think of them as the original PowerBars. The berries were also drunk, but not in the form we think of today. Back then, they would consume coffee as a wine made from the pulp of the berries.
What Was The Original Definition Of Coffee?
Because people didn’t always drink coffee the way they do today, it probably comes as no surprise that the original definition of the word meant “wine.” The original name came from the Yemen term for wine, qahwah. The English word coffee comes from the Dutch word, koffie.
Is It Expresso Or Espresso?
If you claim to be a coffee lover, then you better know the answer to this one! Technically speaking, you should pronounce espresso with an ‘s' and not an ‘x.' So, the correct pronunciation is |eh-spres-oh|.
This pronunciation stays faithful to the Italian origin of the word; caffè espresso, which means “when something is forced out.” When you consider how you make an espresso, it is no surprise – boiling water is forced through finely-ground coffee to deliver maximum flavor.
Can You Overdose On Coffee?
Yes, you can. The recommended amount of caffeine per day is about 400 mg for a healthy adult. Before you get the life-threatening symptoms, you will know you have drunk too much caffeine if you feel tremors or shaking throughout your body. However, you would need to consume about 70 cups to ingest a lethal dose of caffeine.
Can Coffee Help Fight Heart Disease?
According to three 2022 studies from the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session, even those with heart disease have no reason to stop drinking coffee. Although some may worry that coffee will speed up their heartbeat, which is an effect that coffee has, the effect has been noted as minimal. For those with heart disease, drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day was shown to decrease the likelihood of death. For those with atrial fibrillation, a cup a day decreases the chances of death by 20%.
Interestingly, there was little difference in results between those who drank decaf coffee and those who drank caffeinated coffee. Caffeine can protect against arrhythmia, but there is no other major difference between the two.
How Much Do People Spend On Coffee?
On average, American women spend about $2,327 a year on coffee and American men spend about $1,934 a year.
Can Liver Cancer be Prevented?
Liver cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths in the world as per Cancer.net. But you can do your part in keeping your liver living long with the aid of health-boosting coffee. Medical News Today has reported that researchers from Italy have discovered that coffee drinkers reduce their risk of getting cancer of the liver by nearly 40%. Go for 3 cups per day and boost that number to 50%! WebMD adds that coffee drinking protects against cirrhosis of the liver too.
Who Drinks The Most Coffee in the World?
Coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth, after oil. But, who in the world drinks the most coffee? The world’s most caffeinated country is Finland! Here, the average adult drinks the equivalent of four or five cups of coffee a day. It’s so popular that it’s legally mandated to have two 10-minute coffee breaks during the word day.
Next on the list of top 10 coffee-consuming countries is Norway, followed by Iceland, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Canada.
Where Does The Most Expensive Coffee Come From?
The most expensive coffee in the world comes from Indonesia. The Kopi Luwak earns its high price thanks to how you produce the coffee. You take coffee beans that the Indonesian animal palm civet or civet cat, a cat-like animal, first digests. For this reason, the coffee is also known as civet cat coffee or cat poop coffee. Delicious.
Is Coffee Really Associated with Curing Alzheimer’s?
Yes! There’s no current cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but as per the National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drinking 3-5 cups of coffee per day during one’s middle age is associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s as well as dementia later in life… by about 65%! Along with this finding, caffeine has been shown to impact brain function by improving memory, mood, reaction time, and cognitive function, according to Authority Nutrition. Caffeine’s stimulating properties also help with alertness, attention, and concentration, as per Coffee and Health.
What Is The Difference Between Arabica And Robusta?
There are dozens of different varieties of coffee beans, but the two main ones you need to know are Arabica and Robusta. They are the two main species of coffee cultivated for drinking.
- Taste: While both taste like coffee, they do have several distinguishing characteristics. Arabica is typically sweeter and described as having a softer taste with tones of fruit, berries, chocolate, and nuts. The more refined flavors may come down to the fact that Arabica plants grow slower, in higher elevations, where the climate is harsher. On the other hand, people describe Robusta as having a sharper, more "rubbery" or "earthy" taste.
- Physical Traits: They also differ in shape –Arabica coffee beans are a bit larger and have a more elliptical shape, compared to the smaller, rounder Robusta beans. The Robusta beans also tend to be darker in color, compared to the lighter brown Arabica beans.
- Caffeine Content: Robusta beans may be smaller, but they contain nearly twice as much caffeine at 2.7%, compared to Arabica at 1.5%.
- Uses: Robusta is by no means the lesser of the two species and is used for some of the world's most prized coffee. It is often used to make Italian espresso, thanks to the thick crema and deep flavor produced. Its lower price – thanks to its longer harvest season and the fact that it is less fragile – also means that manufacturers use it in nearly all instant coffee. Arabica is the predominant species utilized in the United States, in part thanks to national coffee companies and the gourmet coffee movement.
Why Are There Different Grinds For Coffee?
Different grids exist because various brewing methods exist. For the most delicious coffee, you need the right kind of grind depending on which method you are using:
Extra Coarse Grind: Ideal for cold brewing.
Coarse Grind: Best for cupping and French press pot
Medium-Coarse Grind: For specialty devices such as Chemex Brewers and Café Solo
Medium Grind: Use for drip pots
Medium-Fine Grind: Perfect for Vacuum Pots, Siphon Brewers, And Pour over Cones
Fine Grind: Best for making Espresso
Extra Fine Grind: Ideal for Turkish Coffee
What Is The Best Way To Store Coffee?
If not stored properly, coffee can quickly lose its freshness and quality in taste. Store it in a cool, dry place and keep it in an air-tight, opaque container. You should never keep it in the freezer; coffee can end up absorbing other food flavors. Instead, keep it at room temperature and try to protect it against the effects of moisture, heat, and light.
How Much Caffeine Is In Decaf?
Many people wrongly believe that decaf coffee doesn't contain any caffeine. To be given the decaf label in the U.S., federal regulations require that a coffee’s caffeine level needs to be reduced by at least 97.5%.
Can Coffee Break Down Fat?
According to Healthline, coffee can help break down fat thanks to the stimulants in caffeine that head to the nervous system. Additionally, caffeine increases levels of epinephrine in the blood, which signals fat cells to mobilize fatty acids to break down and leave the body. This increase can be up to 29%. Studies have been reported that caffeine can take the metabolic rate up by 3-11% - one of the few natural ways to do so when ingested via a cup of coffee. Of course, this goes for black coffee. Once you pour in too much heavy cream and sugar, you’ll negate the benefits. What else tastes so delicious and actually helps you lose the extra bulge?
What Is The Best Temperature To Brew Coffee?
Ideally, your brewer should keep your water temperature between 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. This level will allow for optimal extraction. If you let the water get colder than that, you will end up with under-extracted, flat coffee, and nobody wants that! On the other hand, if you have it too hot, then you end up losing quality in the taste with acidity increasing.
Why Is Coffee Bitter?
When people say they don't drink coffee, they often blame a dislike for the bitter taste. While coffee should have some bitter elements to it, it should not be an overwhelming component. A high-quality cup will balance the bitter elements out with other aspects. If your coffee is too bitter, it's most likely down to preparation. Leaving your coffee sitting on a warming element for too long will result in a more bitter taste.
Where Did The Term "Cup Of Joe" Come From?
There are plenty of nicknames out there for coffee, but “cup of Joe” certainly stands out from the rest. While there are a few theories out there as to the origin, here are our two favorites:
- The U.S. Navy prohibited alcohol onboard naval vessels in 1914 and they had Secretary of the Navy, Josephus "Joe" Daniels to thank. Disgruntled sailors were said to have nicknamed coffee a “cup of Joe” out of spite.
- This theory takes the name “Joe”, slang for “the common man” and applies it to coffee, so you end up with “the common man’s drink”.
These fun coffee facts celebrate the long-celebrated tradition of drinking coffee, one that is drenched in history, for good reason! Coffee is not only delicious, but these little beans have also been helping us get up in the morning for thousands of years, and with health benefits to boast! We are proud to be part of this tradition and want to make sure we are doing our part to thank the Earth for giving us this delicious and healthy drink. That’s why we want our coffee to not only be good for us but good for the Earth as well.
