5 Interesting Facts About Coffee

Coffee is a beverage that is loved by millions of people worldwide because of its taste, aroma, and stimulating nature. You may be one of the coffee lovers who cannot do without it or among the skeptical people who dislike the beverage. Whichever side of the spectrum you fall, it is widely accepted that coffee is a mysterious and intriguing drink that is worth studying.

Here are five interesting facts about the controversial yet extensively consumed beverages.

1. Coffee has Numerous Health Benefits

Research has uncovered that coffee has numerous benefits for an individual. Coffee keeps you relaxed and attentive the whole day whether in the workplace or school. It boosts attention, alertness, and concentration. Coffee decreases the risk of depression, fights obesity, reduces stress, helps in weight loss, lowers the risk of heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease and prevents certain cancers. It strengthens your immune system and improves your liver, heart, and digestive system. Coffee is high in antioxidants that are beneficial to the body and mind because they keep the body free from toxins. In addition, coffee is a diuretic and aids the body to produce urine and thus eliminates toxins in the body. Nevertheless, too much coffee is detrimental and can even cause death. You can visit Strong & Fizzy to learn how to make the classic beverage and enjoy its health benefits.

2. Coffee is a Culture

Coffee is not just a drink but also a culture. In the past, people came together to share a cup of coffee and exchange experiences. In some regions, coffee was drunk after meals when family members gather around to discuss their day’s experiences. Also, coffee represents the culture of the regions it grows in Africa and America. Presently, in America and Europe, coffee is a social drink that brings family and friends together. Coffee dates are prominent nowadays, and people meet to have meaningful conversations over coffee. Various coffee chains such as Starbucks have dominated the food and beverage industry because they offer consumers a great experience around coffee. In Irish, coffee is mixed with whiskey to produce the Irish coffee. In Italy, espresso is an all-time favorite beverage for the Italians. In Brazil and Columbia, coffee is the cornerstone of their economy and contributes substantially to their GDP. In international trade, coffee seconds crude oil as the largest traded commodity.

3. Coffee was Discovered by Goats

If it wasn’t for a herd of goats in Ethiopia, coffee would not exist. A legend asserts that a shepherd in Ethiopia discovered coffee in the 800 AD when he noticed that his goats became excited when they ate beans from a coffee plant. The goats portrayed a high level of energy and stayed awake the whole night. The herder shared his observation with monks at a local monastery. The monks dried the coffee berries to make a beverage. They roasted the beans, ground them up and dissolved them in hot water. This was the first cup of coffee in the world and the monks realized that the drink could keep them awake the whole night to pray. Word spread about coffee and the art of coffee making to other parts of the world and the rest is history.

4. Coffee has been Banned Severally in History

There have been numerous attempts to ban coffee throughout history. The first instance of coffee ban occurred in 1511 in Mecca because the beverage was said to evoke radical thinking. In the 16th century, another coffee ban occurred in Italy when clergymen purported that the drink was demonic. However, Pope Clement VII lifted this ban due to his intense loved for coffee. The pope claimed that the drink was too delicious to let infidels drink it exclusively. He baptized coffee as an acceptable drink instead of alcohol and proclaimed that even Catholics could take it. In 1623 when Ottoman leader Murad IV ascended to power, he outlawed coffee and created punishments for drinking coffee. The punishments included beatings and being thrown into the ocean. The leader is said to dress in disguise to catch violators of the coffee ban and behead them on the spot.

In 1674, women launched a propaganda campaign against coffee called the Women’s Petition against Coffee. The petition claimed that coffee made men impotent since they spent too much time and energy in coffee houses. In 1746, it was declared illegal to drink coffee or have its paraphernalia such as cups in Sweden. King Gustav III ordered prisoners to drink coffee as a form of capital punishment. In 1777, Frederick the Great of Prussia on seeing that coffee consumption would overtake beer consumption professed beer’s superiority over coffee.

5. Coffee can Disrupt your Sleep

This is a well-known fact about coffee because of its caffeine contents. Caffeine disrupts your sleep and makes it hard to fall asleep. A majority of people take coffee in the morning to stay alert throughout the day. However, many coffee lovers overlook the long-standing effects of the caffeine in the beverage. Coffee has the capacity to disrupt your sleep by interfering with sleep hormones in your body. It blocks sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain that are responsible for sleep. Therefore, you are unable to sleep and if you do, you can’t sleep for long. Night shift workers who take coffee to maintain alertness during working hours have difficulties sleeping during the day. Health experts advise that coffee should be taken 6 hours before bedtime to prevent sleep problems. The caffeine in the coffee takes up to 6 hours to be eliminated from the body.

It is difficult to believe that an insignificant, small, and brown bean can have an enormous influence in the world. Coffee is the second most popular drink in the world after water. This is attributable to its taste, relaxing and stimulating aspects, and partially its health benefits. Coffee lovers refer the beverage as the nectar of the gods. Among the interesting facts on coffee including its culture, was discovered by goats, has been banned severally throughout history, and has numerous benefits.