Coffee

Where did coffee originate? Coffee lovers around the world today may be numbering in the millions, but only a small number could be fully aware on the beginnings of this well-loved beverage. The history of coffee is definitely as rich as its flavor, spanning numerous centuries and dating as far back as 6th century A.D.

The oldest coffee legend

In the 6th century AD, farmers from Yemen were already growing coffee cherries. According to legend, a goat herder in Ethiopia was bewildered to discover that his goats were showing inexplicable energy after consuming a particular kind of cherries. After this goat herder tried the berries for himself and found that he too felt a surge of energy, Muslims discovered a way to extract the brew from the cherries, transforming the beans into a heady beverage. Thus, coffee became a secret beverage of the Muslims for a while, revitalizing them even during lengthy periods of worship. When 900 AD came round, coffee was already commonplace in the entire region of Arabia. From this period until 1500 AD, coffee farming practices were still a well-kept secret, although coffee beans were already exported to other places.

Coffee invasion in Europe

Before long however, Europeans found a way to bring coffee seedlings into their own lands. By 1615, merchants from Venice were able to bootleg a coffee plant out of the Yemen borders and into Europe. This time, coffee was used for its therapeutic purposes, being sold both as a drink and as a health remedy. When the Dutch got hold of the Ethiopian territory, they were able to bring coffee plants into Holland.

When it was discovered that Holland’s climate was not conducive to coffee farming, the Dutch brought the plants to other regions. When the first coffee shop opened its doors to the public in Oxford, England by the year 1650, women were forbidden to enter the shops. It was only three years later, when a teahouse was opened, that women found a place to converge.

The love story behind coffee Arabica

A Brazilian coast guard officer found two things he loved when he visited Cayenne in French Guyana in 1727: one, the coffee and two, the Governor’s wife. It was this affection that led him to acquire a few seeds which he took back to Brazil, initiating the Arabica coffee variety production in the country. Brazil eventually became the world’s largest coffee producer in 1800.

Afterwards, coffee traveled from country to country, spreading its popularity as a principal beverage of choice. The British introduced coffee to Jamaica in 1730. In 1774, Americans expressed a predilection for coffee during the Boston Tea Party, as a sign that they are replacing tea with coffee, due to the exorbitant taxes levied on tea trading. Costa Rica acquired coffee from Cuba, and this eventually spread to Mexico. The Island of Martinique cultivated coffee in the 1700s and Hawaii in 1825.

Present day coffee and coffee houses

Coffee houses are popular in Arabia; however they are as popular in Europe as well. From the 1600′s to the mid 1900s, coffee shops had already proliferated in Paris, reaching to approximately 3,000 in number. Presently, coffee is second to oil in terms of the most traded commodity worldwide.

Yogi Shinde is the webmaster offering coffee maker reviews on various brands of coffee makers like Braun, Krups, Mr Coffee and many others, helping you find the best coffee maker to suit your needs.

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The first recorded use of coffee as a beverage goes back to the ninth century in highland Ethiopia. According to the legend, a shepherd named Kaldi in Ethiopia noticed that his goats seemed to dance about and to have a higher energy level after eating bright red berries from the coffee plant. Coffee use soon spread to Egypt, Yemen, and Arabia where raw coffee beans were processed by being roasted and then brewed into a beverage. By the fifteenth century coffee drinking had spread throughout the Middle East and into Turkey, Persia and all over north Africa. At the end of the sixteenth century a German doctor traveling in the Near East described coffee as a drink as black as ink which is useful in the treatment of many illnesses, especially stomach disorders.

The thriving commerce between the Middle East, North Africa, and Venice soon brought coffee and coffee drinking to Venice, from where it quickly spread throughout Europe. Although there was suspicion of the drink due to its Muslim origins, Pope Clement VIII declared coffee to be a respectable Christian beverage in 1600, which decree made coffee drinking socially respectable and increased its popularity. The first coffee house in Europe opened in 1645 in Italy. Soon Dutch traders began importing large quantities of coffee to northern Europe. In spite of Arab prohibitions against allowing green coffee suppliers to export unroasted seeds or living coffee plants, in 1616 a Dutch trader named Pieter van den Broeck was able to smuggle some live coffee seedlings out of Aden to Europe. The Dutch began to grow coffee in their colonies in Ceylon and Java, and in 1711 coffee was first exported from Java to Holland. The English East India Company was also active in coffee growing and exporting at this time, and in 1657 coffee was first introduced in France. Coffee came to Poland and Austria after Turkish invaders were defeated in the Battle of Vienna in 1683 and their supplies of coffee were captured by the defenders.

Coffee came to North America with the European colonization, but it was not as successful there as it had been in the old country. The English tax on tea, which led to the Boston Tea Party and other protests by American colonists, turned America into a principally coffee drinking country. During the American Revolution tea imports from England were cut off and coffee demand increased to such an extent that the dealers were forced to hoard the scarce supply of fair trade coffee beans and to raise prices drastically. The War of 1812 also restricted imports of tea from England and created greater demand for coffee. The Civil War was fought on coffee, which became a contraband item at the frontier between north and south: illicit salt and coffee being traded for tobacco and cotton.

Today raw coffee beans are the most valuable legally-traded export item after petroleum. Fair trade coffee beans are the most important cash crop in many countries in the Third World. Over 100,000,000 rural green coffee suppliers in developing countries depend on coffee as their main source of income.

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Beading Necklace

You’ll be pleased to learn that many of the foods and drinks you love are not just “okay” as an occasional indulgence–they’re good for you! Let’s begin with coffee and tea…and I invite you to read my related articles on wine and beer, and on chocolate.

Coffee is made from the roasted and ground seeds of several tropical trees or shrubs of the genus Coffea.

An Arabian legend tells of a goatherd who made a beverage from berries growing on strange shrubs, and after drinking it experienced extraordinary lucidity and wakefulness. The shrubs were said to have been planted by the descendants of the Queen of Sheba, who came from Ethiopia, where Coffea arabica originates.

Nearly 20,000 scientific studies to date have been conducted on coffee or caffeine. Here, in a nutshell, are the results: not only is drinking coffee in moderation no threat to health, it actually can be a boon. It is harmless even during pregnancy, and children are no more sensitive to caffeine than adults.

The average American consumes about 200 milligrams of caffeine daily, roughly the equivalent of two cups of coffee (a figure that of course includes those who drink none at all). “Moderate” consumption is generally defined as 300 mg daily–two to five cups of coffee, or four to eight cups of hot tea, depending on the size of the cup.

Which has more caffeine, coffee or tea? It depends. On a pound-for-pound basis, tea has more. But because less tea is required to make a cup of tea, generally a cup of coffee has more caffeine–approximately twice as much. There are also significant variations in the variety of coffee or tea and the brewing method used. Dark-roasted coffees may contain less caffeine than more lightly roasted beans; arabica beans tend to have less caffeine and milder flavor than robusta.

“Decaffeinated” coffee and tea contain about 5 mg per cup.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. While individuals vary in their sensitivity to caffeine, some generalizations apply. Caffeine can increase the speed of rapid information processing, alertness, energy, endurance, motivation, and concentration. All this has important implications especially for night shift workers and for drivers, as well as for anyone wanting to remain productive on the job after lunch. This alertness-enhancing effect also can relieve the malaise associated with the common cold. (Now, that’s good news for those of us who prefer coffee but feel obligated to switch to herbal tea with the onset of a sore throat or stuffy nose!)

Caffeine soothes headaches by constricting blood vessels in the brain, which in turn reduces cranial pressure. So it’s no surprise that it’s an active ingredient in headache relievers.

Some studies have linked caffeine consumption to a decline in levels of depression and anxiety.

Caffeine has long been known to help asthmatics, many of whom have found regular consumption of coffee to have a moderating effect on attacks. That’s no surprise, either, thanks to the ingredient theophylline–a drug prescribed for symptomatic relief of bronchial asthma.

Higher caffeine intake is associated with a significantly lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease. That’s because caffeine intake reduces the amount of dopamine depletion, one of the characteristics of Parkinson’s.

Last but not least, caffeine stimulates metabolism.

Caffeine aside, coffee has a complex chemical composition. A characteristic of many plants is the abundance of compounds with antioxidant properties, and coffee is no exception. Flavonoids are particularly widespread in plants and likewise important in disease protection.

Antioxidants reduce the risk of cancer and prevent good (HDL) cholesterol from turning into bad (LDL) cholesterol, a cause of heart disease. Antioxidants neutralize the effect of “free radicals,” highly reactive molecules that travel around the body causing chemical chain reactions that can damage cells, by binding with the extra electrons. Free radicals also have been implicated in strokes, cancer, and the aging process. Substances with antioxidant activity are found to be generated in the roasting process.

Coffee is a good dietary source of potassium. That makes coffee a good choice as a diuretic; potassium loss is an undesirable side effect of most diuretics. Coffee can reduce the risk of cirrhosis of the liver.

Tea is made from the leaves of a shrub of the Camellia genus.

The Chinese first gathered tea leaves in the wild, and have cultivated the tea plant at least as far back as 350 AD. The court of England’s Charles II in the 17th century established tea as a fashionable drink for the elite.

The firing, fermenting, and/or oxidizing that is done to the leaves determines whether the tea will be green, black, or oolong.

Tea is a source of vitamins A and B6, thiamin, and riboflavin; nicotinic, pantothenic, ascorbic, and folic acids; manganese, potassium, and fluoride.

Flavonoids are found in all types of tea; green tea has the highest concentration. Tea is being studied for its benefits in enhancing immune function, lowering LDL and raising HDL levels, reducing blood pressure, thinning blood, reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer, increasing longevity, aiding digestion, and promoting dental health.

There is convincing evidence for a protective effect of both coffee and tea against colorectal cancers, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. High coffee intake decreases the excretion of bile acids, which are suspected carcinogens to the colon. Because of its diuretic properties, caffeine may help lower the risk of bladder cancer.

Greater intakes of coffee and tea, both regular and decaffeinated, were associated with a decreased risk of kidney stone formation, significantly more so than water. (A slight advantage was found in caffeine-containing coffee over decaffeinated.) Interestingly, increased consumption of apple and grapefruit juices correlated with increased risk of stone formation.

One study has found that people who drink coffee are less likely to suffer heart disease than are tea drinkers. This may not, however, be a straight cause-and-effect relationship: possibly people who choose to drink coffee have more youthful/healthful lifestyles in other respects.

Science has debunked the dark myths that caffeine contributes to breast cancer, bladder cancer, ulcers, indigestion, and osteoporosis.

Is there any reason not to consume caffeine? In some patients, caffeine is associated with temporary rises in blood pressure, so people with high blood pressure might be advised to avoid caffeine during high-stress times.

Moreover, those more sensitive to caffeine may not be able to drink coffee or tea late in the day because caffeine delays the onset of sleep. Worse, some people may not be aware that they are not as rested the following day as they should be, and thus may be more prone to fatigue-related accidents.

Is it possible to become addicted to caffeine? Coffee drinkers do not exhibit the behaviors that define addiction–severe withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, the need to consume the addictive substance at all costs, and antisocial behavior including crimes. Neither coffee nor other products containing caffeine are classified by drug dependence experts as addictive.

Nevertheless, giving up caffeine suddenly can be unpleasant. The most common withdrawal symptoms include headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, irritability, depression, and flu-like feelings. Weaning oneself gradually–say, over a week–should minimize the discomfort.

So drink up–without the guilt.

About The Author
Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance writer with a specialty in business and marketing communications. She holds a biology degree and has worked in a variety of fields, including the pharmaceutical industry and teaching, and has a particular interest in health matters. She is also a graduate of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI), Americas leading course on copywriting. Contact Lisa J. Lehr Copywriting www.ljlcopywriting.com, for help with your business writing needs. This article Lisa J. Lehr 2005.

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Tissot virtual reality

Coffee is one of the oldest drinks to connect itself to a social activity, the social activity of drinking together as a group is in fact it an almost uniquely human activity, drinking is essential to survival and at one point in human history the habit of drinking together has become one of the most acceptable forms of human interaction and socialization all over the world.

The drinking of coffee together probably dates back a few hundred years ago when Muslims had started using rituals in their coffee preparation.

Almost every adult on this planet has visited a coffee house at some point of his life, even those who do not like coffee or do not even drink coffee are aware of the coffee house being a place of socializing and meeting. It is interesting that it is coffee, one of the worlds most popular drink, one that is consumed in such large quantities in different parts of the world would become a center of gathering for people.

The main quality of coffee is in its caffeine, that makes the drinker more alert and enjoy a feeling of energy regeneration and awakens, but coffee is not only drunk for the propose of keeping awake, it is consumed at all times of the day and in many cases in direct relation to a social meeting of sorts.

The coffee house can be found in most cities in the world, it is one of the truly international habits of people, and you will also find that many nations and individuals value their local favorite coffee as a national treasure, from Africa and the deserts of Arabia to the samba dancing streets of Brazil you will find different views on drinking coffee. The cultural differences between nations in the regard to coffee is intriguing, some people will say that drinking coffee with milk is feminine, others gaze in wonder when they see a full cup of coffee drank in front of them, others are installed by the fact that coffee is produced from boiling water that came out of an electric kettle.

In Europe the coffee houses became much more than just a meeting place for drinking coffee, the coffee houses became establishments by themselves, in England many of the places that sold the coffee later contributed to coffee becoming a commodity that is traded until today in the stock markets around the world. In France the coffee houses joined the leisure philosophy and combined with the world renowned deserts and cakes and in Austria the coffee houses have become establishments of unquestionable seriousness and professionalism, serving the best coffee and food with full respects to privacy and solitude of the drinker.

Today the coffee house is a much more relaxed version of the ancient coffee house, the corporate world stops for a moment when drinking coffee to enjoy the company of other people, most of them strangers that happen to enjoy a cup of coffee on the end of a working day or on their way to some other place. No matter how you examine it, coffee is still binding people together in one way or the other.

Celia Namart an avid traveler has collected her thoughts and ideas during her many travels around the world, back from a recent trip to Asia Celia writes about Coffee House and natural health remedies.

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The history of coffee has a rich and fascinating tradition, resulting in gourmet coffee available to you in your kitchen or at your favorite coffee house.

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Today, a good cup of coffee ties our world together in ways that are truly amazing through the years.

The Origin of Coffee

No one knows how coffee was discovered. One popular legend says coffee was discovered by an Arabian shepherd named Kaldi who found his goats prancing around a shrub bearing bright red fruit. He tasted the fruit and experienced the same energy.

Kaldi shared his discovery with the local monks, and they used the fruit to stay awake during long hours of prayer. The “mysterious red fruit” spread to monasteries all over the world, starting the relationship between the church and coffee that has lasted for centuries.

Coffee is mentioned in writings as early as the 10th century, and historians since then have followed coffee’s history and use throughout the world.

In 1471, not long before Columbus left to discover America, the first coffee house opened in Constantinople. The merchant trade of Venice brought coffee to Italy, where the first European coffee shop opened in 1645. Coffee houses spread throughout Europe and England and later to America. By 1675, there were over 3,000 coffee houses in England, demonstrating coffee’s tremendous appeal so many years ago.

As coffee production started around the world in different tropical regions, the growing conditions produced new and distinctive flavors. Various cultures invented new ways of enjoying coffee, and starting new traditions.

Coffee Making Through the Years

How we roast, grind and brew coffee has changed tremendously over the years. At first, coffee was boiled after being crushed by a mortar and pestle, as it still done with Turkish coffee.

Drip brewing started around 1800 in France, about the same time as percolators were invented also. Vacuum coffee makers were invented in 1840 to brew coffee that was clear and without sediment. By the end of the 19th century, espresso machines were developed for brewing coffee through the pressure method. Paper filters were invented by Melitta Benz in 1908. She and her husband patented them and started the Melitta family coffee business, which their grandchildren continue to this day.

Drip coffee makers for home use in the United States became popular after the Mr. Coffee coffee maker was introduced in 1972. Prior to that time, most coffee at home was made with a percolator, either electric or on the stove top.

The rise of the corner gourmet coffee house in America is an even more recent event. Founded in 1971, Starbucks popularized dark, gourmet coffee and expanded on a massive scale in the 1990′s. Now there are 16,000 stores worldwide, including 11,000 in the United States and 1,000 in Canada. This rise in gourmet coffee houses has brought a new coffee lifestyle to American society, greatly increasing expectations for coffee quality.

Growing Coffee Around the World

From coffee’s start in the Arabian peninsula, coffee has become one of the largest commercial crops grown around the world.  Coffees are grown in tropical and subtropical areas, including some of the most impoverished areas of the world. The traditional coffee production areas in are in South America (with Brazil and Columbia as the two largest coffee producers in the world), Africa (primarily East Africa) and Indonesia. Other areas grow coffees that have become prized, including Jamaica, Hawaii, Australia, India, and Costa Rica, winning the hearts of coffee aficionados worldwide.

Gourmet Coffee Today

In general, the coffee beans from from Central and South America are known for their mild yet potent flavor. East African and Arabian coffee beans are known for their intense flavor and bright acidity.  Indonesian coffee beans produce smooth, rich and low acid flavors.

Coffee has brought amazing changes to our society and our world in the past 1,100 years. Coffee continues to span the globe, connecting us with people far away. The coffee in your cup came from beans grown in an exotic location far away and transported around the world to you.

What will be next for coffee? Who knows, so enjoy your cup of gourmet coffee and the rich tradition that goes with it!

DJ Toman is a lawyer and coffee enthusiast living in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is the author of http://www.CoffeeDaydreams.com, a site dedicated to gourmet coffee and choosing the best coffee makers. Even beginners get helpful tips about how to brew and enjoy the coffee of their dreams.

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