There are few things in this world that are as beloved as coffee. It is a drink that is enjoyed by people of all ages and cultures all over the globe. You’re probably reading this now because you’re head-over-heels in love with it!
But how much do you really know about coffee? Better get your Caffitaly pods ready and start your day reading these 13 fun and interesting facts about everyone’s favourite morning beverage.
1.
Coffee beans are actually the seeds of a fruit that grows on coffee trees. The fruit is called a coffee cherry and when it is ripe, it turns a deep red colour.
2.
Coffee trees can grow up to 30 feet tall and produce about 12 pounds of coffee cherries per year. That means each tree produces just enough beans for one pound of roasted coffee!
3.
Many people think of Africa when they think of coffee, but Brazil is actually the world’s largest producer of coffee. In fact, Brazil produces more than one-third of all the coffee in the world!
4.
Coffee is so popular that it is actually the second most traded commodity in the world, after oil.
5.
The caffeine in coffee is a natural pesticide. That’s why you’ll often see coffee trees growing alongside other crops like bananas; the caffeine keeps bugs away from the other plants.
6.
You might think that all coffee tastes more or less the same, but there are actually over 600 different chemical compounds in coffee that can affect its flavour. That’s why no two cups of coffee are ever exactly alike!
7.
Based on an Ethiopian legend, coffee was first discovered by a goatherd named Kaldi in Ethiopia around 850 AD. Legend has it that Kaldi noticed his goats acting strangely after eating berries from a certain bush. When he tried the berries himself, he felt more awake and alert than ever before.
8.
It wasn’t until the 1600s that coffee started to become popular in Europe. At first, people were sceptical of this strange new drink, but by the mid-1700s coffeehouses were popping up all over England, France and Germany.
9.
In 1773, Bostonians staged a protest against high taxes on tea by dumping crates of tea into the harbour. This event became known as the Boston Tea Party and was one of the major events leading up to the American Revolution.
10.
During World War II, there was a global shortage of coffee beans due to war rationing. In an effort to stretch their coffee supplies, many people started adding roasted chicory root to their coffee. This practice is still common in parts of Europe today.
11.
Coffee consumption has been linked with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Type II diabetes. So drink up—your health might just depend on it!
12.
While most of us enjoy our coffee with milk and sugar, the traditional Italian way to drink espresso is ‘straight up’—no added extras.
13.
The world’s largest cup of coffee was made in South Korea in 2014 and contained over 200 gallons of coffee! That’s enough to keep even the heaviest caffeine addicts going for days.
So there you have it—13 fun and interesting facts about coffee. Now you can impress your friends and family with your newfound knowledge of everyone’s favourite drink!
