Wait, what? Coffee beans are fruits? But coffee is a brewed drink. So is tea, cocoa, chocolate, and any number of other drinks. Are they all fruits?
No. I am not talking about the technical botanical definition of fruit, which is a mature ovary. A fruit is the part of a plant that contains seeds.
Bees are the main pollinators of coffee plants. The way coffee plants reproduce is by producing very sweet nectar-like flowers that are pollinated by bees. The flower also contains caffeinated nectar.
Caffeine makes bees more alert. Caffeinated bees are more efficient at gathering pollen and transporting it back to their hive. However, the caffeine doesn't affect the taste of the coffee beans themselves because the beans are picked before they have had a chance to absorb any caffeine from the flowers.
By the early 17th century, coffee had reached the Middle East, particularly Persia and Turkey.
Coffee drinking declined in popularity after it was banned by religious authorities in Mecca and Cairo during the 16th century. The ban was soon lifted due to pressure from large merchants who profited from the coffee trade.
The drink soon became a favorite in religious circles and among scholars and intellectuals in the Muslim world and then in Christian Europe. It was during this period that coffee acquired its reputation for intellectual stimulation.
The elite viewed the beverage as both a luxurious and healthy alternative to alcohol.
Hawaiian coffee is the most well known coffee from the US but coffee has been produced in Puerto Rico for many years and recently, Southern California has seen small coffee growing projects popping up in the shadows of old avocado orchards.
Hawaii is best known for its world famous Kona coffee originally grown in the Kona region of the Big Island. The rich volcanic soil combined with the state's tropical climate makes it one of most ideal places in the US to grow coffee plants.
Puerto Rico with its tropical climate and areas of mountainous terrain, offers suitable conditions for coffee growing. Once a high volume producing region, Puerto Rico has seen a decline in coffee production over its recent history.
Some studies show that people who drink coffee are less likely to develop depression or Alzheimer's disease, two conditions that shorten life expectancy.
Researchers are also finding ways that coffee may help your body fight off other chronic illnesses.
Two chemicals in coffee – caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid – reduce inflammation and exhibit antioxidant capacity. When consumed, they increase the level of antioxidants in the body and decrease oxidative stress within cells, which can slow down and even prevent cell damage and death by reducing free radical activity.
According to legend, 9th-century goat herders discovered how caffeine affected their goats, who looked like they were "dancing" (probably high on caffeine) after eating the Coffea plant's fruit. After that discovery, the cup of coffee as we know it was born when a local monk made a drink with the product and discovered that it kept him awake all night.
Which country drinks the most coffee? According to the International Coffee Organization, the average adult Finn consumes 27.5 pounds of coffee per year. In comparison, the average weight of an American is only 11 pounds.
In second place, you find Norway, third place Iceland and fourth place Denmark.
