Fun Facts About Coffee

1. Coffee was Discovered in Ethiopia

Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia by a legendary goat herder named Kaldi around 750 AD. He discovered the profound caffeinated effects of coffee when he noticed his goats dancing around after eating coffee berries. His exhilaration prompted him to bring the berries to an Islamic monk in a nearby monastery, but the monk disapproved of their use and threw them into a fire, from which an enticing aroma billowed. The roasted beans were quickly raked from the embers, ground up, and dissolved into hot water, yielding the world's first cup of coffee.

2. There are 129 Different Species of Coffee Trees

There are 129 different species of coffee trees, but only 2 are produced at scale (Arabica and Robusta).

Arabica coffees are delicate, less tolerant to harsh conditions, and develop slowly which produces a more flavorful and aromatic cup. Grown at higher elevations of 2000 – 6000 feet above sea level. Arabica coffees are harvested over several months and selectively handpicked.
Approximately 75% of world’s coffee production is Arabica coffees.

3. Darker Roasts Have Less Caffeine

Darker roast coffee has less caffeine than lighter roast. Even though the flavor is often stronger, roasting actually burns off some of the caffeine.

4. Milk Weakens the Effects of Caffeine

Coffee stays warmer when you add cream. Coffee with added cream cools about 20% slower than plain black coffee. But when you add milk, it weakens the effects of caffeine. Our bodies absorb coffee much slower when it has added fat found in milk/cream, which decreases the stimulants.

5. Coffee is a Fruit

Coffee is actually a fruit. Coffee beans are actually seeds from coffee cherries.

6. Did You Know?

Coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth. According to the Global Exchange, there are approximately 25 million farmers in over 50 countries involved in producing coffee. The number one commodity? Oil.

7. Caffeine Reaches Your Blood Fast!

Just smelling coffee can wake you up. A group of scientists reported that simply inhaling the aroma of coffee can alter the activity of some genes in the brain, reducing the effects of sleep deprivation. And when you do drink that cup of coffee, caffeine reaches your blood fast, like 10 minutes fast.

8. Americans Consume 400 million Cups of Coffee Per Day

A 2-cup-a-day coffee drinker will consume the annual harvest of 18 coffee trees in a year. So that means coffee beans are precious and should be praised! Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee per day. That is the equivalent to 146 billion cups each year, making the U.S. the leading consumer of coffee.

9. Luwaks Produce the Most Expensive Coffee

The world's most expensive coffee is $600 a pound. And it comes from the feces of a Sumatran wild cat. The animal, called a Luwak, is unable to digest coffee beans. In the process of digesting the beans, they are fermented in the stomach. When the beans are excreted, they produce a smooth, chocolaty coffee. Uh, yum?

So there you have it, folks! Some pretty interesting fun facts about coffee. Hopefully you learned a little something new about coffee.

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