What is a potent source of healthful antioxidants that will help you burn fat and improve physical performance? The answer is, Coffee! Yes, you read that right! One of the most popular beverages in the world, coffee is steeped into our culture. From being a possible carcinogen to then becoming a part of a healthy diet, coffee has come a long way. Nowadays, coffee is associated with benefit more than harm (of course, in moderation). A study at Harvard stated that Coffee can help you boost longevity and lower your risk of several serious diseases. Now that you know there’s more to coffee than just being a drink, let’s find out fascinating facts about the brewed bean seeds that go into your cup of coffee.
Coffee was born back in 800 A.D and has become everyone’s best friend today. Initiated by a monk, coffee’s full potential was first found in goats when the goat herders fed them coffee cherries. The phenomenon ‘coffee beans’ is technically wrong, because those beans we know of are actually seeds of the cherry-like berries that grow on a Coffea plant. These berries were used as an energy snack which could further be fermented into a wine-like drink. And so, that explains, why the word “coffee” comes from the Arabic word for “wine”.
With its forever growing popularity, Coffee has expanded its footprint globally. Brazil grows the most coffee in the world whilst only two US states produce coffee. On the other hand, Finland is home to the biggest coffee lovers. As for India, Coffee production is designated to the hill tracts of South Indian states. Interestingly, Business Standard stated that India in 2017 had started producing the world’s most expensive coffee made from the poop of civet cats called Luwark Coffee. (oddly fascinating, isn’t it?) Using feces of the cat that has eaten the flesh of coffee cherries and not the beans, are then processed and sold. This uncommon method of producing a type of coffee had very significantly made the news.
A source of great social interaction, there are many intriguing facts about coffee and its growing demand. Commercially, one coffee plant can be used for nearly 20 years! The plant still continues to live longer although the quality decreases. Fun fact, coffee can be grown at 2000 meters elevation and even on volcanoes! These are usually referred to as High mountain grew that are obviously tougher to harvest. Furthermore, one can fertilize their garden with coffee grounds. They absorb heavy metals that contaminate soil and contain key minerals for plant growth. What’s more, coffee grounds attract worms which are great for a garden! Nitrogen-infused coffee grounds help eliminate foul smells and neutralize odors. By absorbing odors, you can place a bowl of coffee grounds in your freezer or fridge to get rid of spoiled food smell. Get your portable air freshener by filling in your old socks or pantyhose and place them in your bedroom drawers, gym bags, or anywhere else that needs deodorizing. What’s amusing is, after chopping garlic or onions, scrubbing your hands with coffee grounds can keep the smell from your hands.
Coffee today has evolved so far beyond a basic black drip accented with different names, techniques, and blends. All the fitness fanatics would be elated to know that one cup of a black brew, a diuretic beverage, has less than 5 calories which help in cleansing your stomach by flushing toxins and bacteria out. And for all the beauty aficionados out there, this is your reminder to stop investing in an expensive exfoliant, because we’re here to enlighten you that the coarse particles in coffee powder are the best face scrub that stimulates blood flow and removes dirt and dead cells. From making your skin soft and glowy to reducing acne, coffee has overwhelming benefits for your skin!
Now we know that the first cup of coffee in the morning is so much more than just a drink. This haptic experience of sipping a beverage that gives a stimulating effect can be influenced by the cup you’re drinking it in! (Shocked? Us too) Good cup, bad cup: does the cup matter? Cups play a vital role in your morning coffee. A cup of coffee needs to be warming- as for the hands of the drinker too. A flimsy cup can lead to an 8% drop in perception of the quality of your coffee. Picking the ideal vessel shape, size and material can help you appreciate the gentle aroma of your drink and of course is aesthetically appealing. Hence, there should be great sync in linking your coffee flavor and drinking vessel to hope for the coffee to kick in before reality does.
