In the last few years, research has shown that Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages around the globe. However, only a handful of people can boast of having little knowledge about the inception of the coffee drink, when it was first prepared, where the first coffee shop was structured or even how safe coffee is for consumption.
The Assumption of Coffee
There have been various myths about the origin of the coffee, considering these stories has proved that no one has an accurate answer on the initial discovery of coffee.
One school of thought believes that the origin of coffee can be traced back to a Yemeni, who tasted the berries in Ethiopia after witnessing its strong effects on birds. Another relays its origins to an Ethiopian who took the berries to a monastery, where the coffee seeds were used as a certain religious scent because of the aroma it discharges when being thrown into the fire.
Nevertheless, there are proofs in the Sufi shrines of Yemen signifying that it was used or consumed there long ago, as early as in the 15th century, by the Sufi faithful’s when they performed sacrifices or religious activities, believing it ignites a sort of spiritual intoxication.
After the coffee bean was discovered to be a great medicine and wine, someone from Arabia discovered that one could equally make out some dark and delicious drink out of it. Soon the coffee spread rapidly around the globe, though banned in some Muslim territories like Mecca around 1511, it’d already become popular in the Muslim world. From the peninsulas of Arabia, whence its first cultivation began, it found its way into Europe, India, North Africa, Indonesia, and even the Americas.
Coffee in Africa
Almost every central African country grows coffee as Africa is said to be the birthplace of coffee, with countries like Ethiopia, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Gabon and Cameroon being the eight of the world’s top exporters of coffee.
Coffee in Asia
The Asians produce the most expensive gourmet in history. Though their process of cultivation and harvest of the coffee bean is somewhat weird as a certain animal “The Palm Civet” is allowed to eat the bean, digest it and later pass it out as a stool. It is this bean passed as a stool that is harvested, washed, sun-dried, roasted and packed for sale. It is said that this coffee has an incredibly smooth taste.
Coffee in the United States
Most Latin America countries export coffee of at least 1.7 million pounds annually. Countries like Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Honduras, Mexico, and Guatemala, with Brazil producing the highest pound value of coffee on an annual basis.
Coffee in Europe
No European country produces coffee, but they are experts in brewing coffee, especially Italy. Italy has elevated the process of coffee brewing to art and is renowned for the famous espresso and cappuccino coffee.
Coffee in the 21st century
In the 21st century society, there are different styles, flavors, and modes of coffee production and consumption, there are also no sign of coffee consumption decreasing anytime soon, partly because of its known numerous health benefits.
Coffee as one of the most famously known drinks all over the world – is also a mega business venture. Coffee plants are cultivated and brewed in more than 70 countries in the world. This makes it an important export commodity for most of Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Half the population in America drinks as well as uses coffee on a daily basis as a diary or beverage. At present, Starbucks, founded in 1971, is the world’s largest coffeehouse chain with over 20,000 stores in more than 60 countries. In the last five years, research has shown that Starbucks’ share price has risen more than seven-fold.
Given this widespread popularity, it is no shocker that many people have speculated that drinking coffee is an unhealthy habit because it contains a certain percentage of caffeine, which after all, is a stimulant drug and also addictive.
However, in recent years, a pretty amount of research has exonerated coffee from some of these fearful factors attached to its consumption.