Fascinating Facts: 5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Coffee
Are you a coffee connoisseur? Does java bring you joy? Do you live to brew?
If coffee is your spirit animal, and you love to bask in the delicious aromas at your local coffee roastery of a weekend, you probably already have some cool coffee trivia in the bank. We’re still willing to bet you don’t know the following five fascinating facts about coffee and some coffee terms!
Humans Have Been Coffee Lovers For Centuries
If you cannot imagine there ever being a time when people didn’t drink coffee, well, you might be right to some degree. Its consumption actually dates all the way back to 800 AD – over 1,222 years ago!
It is thought that farmers saw their animals act a little wacky after eating the fruit of coffee plants, so a local religious man tried it for himself and couldn’t get to sleep that night. As with lots of herbs and plants back then, this was deemed a positive attribute as he was stimulated and didn’t die (yay). So, our species’ love of coffee was born.
Coffee And The Environment Have A Fraught Relationship
Coffee grows in some of the most unique ecosystems in the world, forming part of the diversity of the natural environment. However, as the global demand for coffee grew, it was developed into a monoculture crop, reducing the biodiversity of the ecosystems in which it thrives.
As the most traded commodity in the world after crude oil, coffee is responsible for all kinds of water and ground pollution, packaging waste, habitat destruction, and human rights issues.
The good news is that you can find ethical and sustainable brands that offer a guilt-free pick-me-up. To do this, avoid single-serve cups, look for certifications from known eco-organizations, and don’t be afraid to ask questions of any coffee brand you’re considering.
Decaf Coffee Has Some Caff In It
That’s right! Even decaffeinated coffee is not completely free from caffeine. This is because manufacturers and producers can only extract up to 97% of the caffeine while preserving the flavor and nutritional value you get with the caffeinated drink.
There Are Actually Only Two Main Types Of Coffee
When it comes to coffee types, there are endless brews to choose from these days. Sugar syrups, sugar-free syrups, syrup on top of whipped cream on top of iced blended coffees, macchiatos, lattes, espressos, doppio, red-eye, cortado – the list is just ridiculously extensive.
For that reason, it may surprise you to learn that, when it comes down to it, there are only two main coffee bean types in use. Technically there are four types – Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica – but Arabica and Robusta account for the majority of the two billion coffee cups consumed worldwide every single day.
Coffee Has Health Benefits
Did you know that coffee is literally bursting with all kinds of health benefits? It’s known for enhancing energy levels, boosting athletic performance, lowering the risk of type II diabetes, supporting brain health, helping with weight management, lowering your risk of certain mental health problems, and even supporting the health of the heart and other major organs! Who knew that your caffeine love made you a thriving, super-clean health queen (or king)?
“As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?” – Cassandra Clare
There you have it! The beautiful brown brew has even more to it than you realized, so drink up – just do so responsibly.
