You might be one of the 1 billion people in the world who drink about 2 billion cups of coffee every day, but other than thinking about how quickly you can get to that hot (or iced) cup, and how it tastes, you probably don’t think much about it. Here are 12 surprising facts about coffee you might not know. Like caffeine naps. Have you heard about them?
Coffee Origins
According to legend, the discovery of coffee can be attributed to a goat herder from Ethiopia named Kaldi. It is said that he observed his goats becoming restless after consuming ripe coffee beans. Making a jump from goat food to something crave-able for humans is a bold leap.
What Is Coffee, Anyway?
Coffee is a seed contained within a cherry and has numerous varieties. Arabica and robusta are the two varieties to know about. Arabica is considered to be a finer variety, with milder and more palate-pleasing, balanced aromatic qualities; it is also grown at higher altitudes. Robusta is bolder, sometimes described as bitter, and contains much more caffeine (up to twice as much). Robusta is often used to make instant coffee.
Growing Coffee Uses A Lot of Water
While water consumption in beef production is often discussed, it’s worth noting that the cultivation of a pound of coffee requires approximately 2,500 gallons of water, compared to 1,800 gallons for a pound of beef. Are you willing to give up your coffee? We thought not.
Who Drinks The Most Coffee?
This surprised us. It’s Americans! The United States leads in coffee consumption, followed closely by Germany.
What Does That “100% Coffee” Mean On The Label?
Beware of labels proclaiming “100% pure coffee” as an assurance of quality, as it is actually an admission of using lower quality robusta beans blended with the preferred arabica beans. If it says 100% Arabica beans, then it is. 100% coffee sounds good, but it isn’t. Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and McDonalds, for example, only use Arabica beans.
Prioritize “Roasted On” Date Over “Best By” Date
To gauge coffee freshness accurately, focus on the roasted date rather than the point when it becomes undrinkable. This consideration is crucial for discerning coffee quality.
Go For Single Source Over Blends
When choosing between a specific grading like Kenya AA, and a brand’s blend like Rise and Shine Morning Blend, opt for the option with greater specificity. Some brands cut costs by incorporating lower-graded beans into their blends. If a company primarily offers blends among their range of coffees, it may raise doubts about their credibility.
Don’t Buy Too Much At a Time
Coffee deteriorates over time, and reputable roasters prefer their product to be consumed within a couple of weeks, ensuring optimal flavor. Buy the amount you would use up in that time frame.
What’s The Best Way To Store Coffee?
What’s the best way to store your coffee to maximize its freshness and flavors? According to the National Coffee Association store them in an opaque, air-tight container at room temperature, in a dark and cool location. That’s right! Not the refrigerator or freezer.
Coffee’s Flavor Complexity Surpasses Chocolate & Wine
Coffee offers an extensive range of aromatic characteristics, with some sources claiming up to 1,500 flavors, compared to the about 600 in cacao, and about 200 found in wine. The diverse flavor profiles found in coffee contribute to its captivating nature.
Espresso’s Caffeine Content vs. Brewed Coffee
Although espresso has higher caffeine concentration by volume, a 1-ounce shot of espresso contains significantly less caffeine compared to an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee. The smaller serving size of espresso translates to reduced caffeine intake. And PS: Don’t say “EX-presso”. That’s just wrong.
Fresh Coffee Is Best
Coffee loses approximately 70% of its flavor within two minutes. As per coffee connoisseurs, coffee is considered stale after 15 minutes. This highlights the importance of consuming coffee promptly after brewing to savor its full range of flavors.
Caffeine Naps Are a Real Thing
Caffeine naps are a real phenomenon and can be highly effective. To maximize the benefits of an afternoon nap, consume a cup of coffee before dozing off. Researchers have found that this combination leads to increased alertness upon waking.
Cat Poop Coffee
We know you want to know about the very expensive coffee beans that have been pooped out by the Asian palm civet (a type of wild feline). The cat dines on the coffee cherries. During digestion, the cherries ferment, and the intact beans are excreted. The beans and feces are collected and go through rigorous washing and cleaning before they are roasted. It is a very labor intensive process, which ultimately imparts an exceptional flavor to the beans. Kopi Luwak coffee, which can reach $100 per pound. By the way, Kopi means coffee, and Luwak means cat.
Thai Elephant Poop Coffee
Now that you read about cat poop coffee, we figure you’d want to know about the Thai version made by elephants. It is made the same way and called black ivory coffee. Apparently, there is monkey poop coffee, too.
Get Your Buzz On: 14 Coffee-Fueled Recipes That Will Pop Your Top
Many of us start our days with a strong cup of coffee, but that doesn’t mean we don’t like to indulge in that delicious flavor throughout the day. And drinking coffee is only one way to get your flavor craving satisfied. We have 14 recipes for you so that you can eat your coffee! All gluten-free and low FODMAP! Read: 14 Recipes For Coffee Lovers
6 Rich And Fudgy Brownies That Will Make You Want To Lick The Bowl
In our opinion, you can never have enough brownie recipes. We have gathered our top 6; the brownie recipes you don’t have – yet. And you do need them; trust us. Nutella. Peppermint. Toasted almond & Coconut. S’Mores. PB & J – and even a super quick One-Bowl Brownie. Get ready to be inspired. Click for 6 Rich And Fudgy Brownies That Will Make You Want To Lick The Bowl
85 Desserts For The Chocolate Lover In Your Life
Welcome to the largest collection of desserts for the chocolate lover in your life. Each of these are also gut-friendly so that you don’t have to worry about bloating, or a noisy belly when getting romantic! All of these desserts are gluten-free and low FODMAP! Click for 85 Desserts For The Chocolate Lover In Your Life
The Crazy Best and Easy Cookie Recipes Ever!
Cookies – small, large, soft, chewy, crispy, chocolaty, peanut buttery, elegant, homespun, one-bowl, drop, rolled and shaped – we’ll take them all. You can never have enough cookie recipes and ours are all created in our very own Test Kitchen; these recipes work! Several can be prepped in the time it takes to preheat the oven. Click for The Crazy Best and Easy Cookie Recipes Ever!
