The sound coffee itself is a refreshment and energetic for diligent individuals all over the world, isn’t it? It is truly said that “A yawn is a silent scream for coffee”. You will be surprised by the fact that just the aroma of this hot luscious beverage contains around 700 substances. Let’s travel back in time to the past when these magical beans were discovered. The Legends believe that the goat herder named Kaldi stumbled upon this magical fruit. One fine day he observed that his goats were acting unusual in the sense more energetic than before.

To read this odd behaviour he followed them and discovered that they were eating red berries and this may be the reason for their odd behaviour. He shared this finding with a local monk. Disappointed with what he was talking about they threw the beans into the fire, which resulted in the pleasing aroma which became the world’s first roasted coffee. Fascinating isn’t it? Discovered in Ethiopia, the coffee plant can be traced back to the 11th century. It took almost 700 years to reach India. In 1670, it was recorded as first-ever coffee-growing which was brought by Baba Budan a Sufi saint from Yemen to the hills of Chikmagalur, Karnataka.

You won’t believe coffee is one of the most commercialized products all over the world. You would be amazed to know the price of the coffee is determined by New York continental commodity exchange and London stock exchange. In 2014, it was recorded that its price increased by 58% in 12 months, which states that it performed better than any other raw material. Coffee is consumed throughout the world and is one of the demanding products since its invention. It seems like everyone is undoubtedly hooked with caffeine. It’s an old stereotype about caffeine which has it’s south (down) side. Let me tell all the scientific facts about caffeine and how coffee is helping you in day to day life. According to the study conducted by Harvard Medical school, drinking between two & four cups of coffee can reduce risk of suicide in men and women up to 50%, as coffee contains antidepressants which help to produce serotonin and dopamine.

Benefits of Coffee

Besides its excellent flavour and aroma, coffee also has various benefits. These benefits obviously may have a bigger impact on some while adverse effects on others. Therefore, while consuming coffee, this should be kept in mind. Here are some benefits of Coffee:

• Caffeine in Coffee is said to improve physical performance. It stimulates the nervous system and increases adrenaline levels. It also helps to release fatty acids from your fat tissues which in turn leads to improved physical performance. Coffee can also reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
  

• Coffee is a primary antioxidant. Caffeine present in the coffee blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in our brains that causes a stimulant effect. Therefore this leads to higher energy levels. mood and affects various other aspects of the brain.

• Coffee also contains important nutrients like riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, potassium, manganese, pantothenic acid so on and so forth. It has a distressing effect too. Besides this, coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
  

• It is good for the liver. When our body digests caffeine, it makes a chemical known as paraxanthine. This chemical slows the growth of the scar tissue involved in fibrosis. Thus, this may help fight liver cancer, alcohol-related cirrhosis and so on.
  

• For women, it can reduce the chance of skin cancer. A research study shows that women who drink more than three cups of coffee each day have a 20% lower risk of developing basal cell carcinoma than women who drink less than one cup a month.
  

• It can also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Many studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes affects many people worldwide and so prevention from it is an important benefit.
  

Did you ever give a thought to all these benefits when having a coffee?

There is always another phase of the story. Now it’s the best time to brag about your favourite beverage to all Non-coffee lovers or all those who talk about caffeine, isn’t it?

Do You Even Know About Your Coffee?

Coffee is the most loved hot beverage around the world, one with a perfect aroma that reinvigorates your mind. It is the perfect thing to start your day with. The taste of the coffee differs in every part of the world, depending on their natural habitat of the coffee bean. There are three main types of coffee bean:

• Liberica -

One of the occult species among these three is coffee Liberica. From the total coffee consumption all over the world, Liberica accounts for only 2%. Maybe it’s exotic? Let’s see ahead. Well, it’s not produced & consumed in many countries; it is only produced in certain countries in Asia where the climate is suitable. It’s nothing like it’s expensive or something; it is sold cheaply. Liberica beans are bigger than the other two Robusta and Arabica. It is popular in Malaysia, Indonesia & Philippines. It is not reputed as good coffee, maybe because of its pungent smell or rancid taste like. Its aroma is not as good as the other two. Maybe that’s why it’s not imported to western countries. Some say it tastes like tobacco liquid, maybe we are not familiar with the taste but it’s popular in their respective countries. If you want to give it a try, it’s available on Amazon.

• Robusta -

Coffea canephora also called coffee Robusta is famous for its higher caffeine content than any other coffee, due to the high caffeine content. Its odd smell has also been described as burnt tire smell or kind of rubbery smell. This pungent smell may be due to the amount of caffeine present in it. Caffeine content may be up to 2.7%. The high amount of caffeine in robusta beans results in its bitterness, the amount of sugar in this bean is less compared to Arabic beans. Due to the high amount of caffeine, it is less sensitive to insects and it yields higher than any of the other types mentioned above. Input cost is less in the cultivation of Robusta coffee. If you’re a fan of instant coffee then it must be Robusta. Robusta is circular beans. In total coffee production, 25% is contributed by Robusta coffee. Vietnam produces the highest amount of Robusta coffee in the world.

• Arabica -

It’s one of the oldest species of coffee originated way before Liberica and Robusta. It was rated as gold standard due to its quality of sweetness. Its aroma is beautifully fragmented with fruity and chocolate tones. Arabica in term means where coffee originated. Caffeine proportion in Arabica is less up to 1.5%. From the total coffee produced in the world, 75% is contributed from Arabica coffee beans. Brazil produces high amounts of Arabica coffee.

The Intellectual Drink

Guess who must have given the title of Intellectual drink to the king of beverages. It was the famous Napoleon Bonaparte. So the question of the day is how can coffee make you intellectual? Have you ever given a thought on how it works in our body, as we all know coffee contains caffeine which directly or indirectly affects the Central Nervous System? You must have heard or observed that most of the caffeine addicts are night owls. What do you think about how it works? Adenosine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that promotes sleep. Caffeine suppresses Adenosine and prevents you from slowing down, and you become alert. Alert in the sense you can go on and on till you see the light of the sun, obviously, it depends on caffeine shots you indulge. It’s like a superpower, and it’s totally up to you if you are going to misuse your power or not. Too much of anything can turn the table the other way around too.

Coffee can do wonders with your brain, as in a fraction of second it can change one’s mood, attention, learning capabilities, in short, general mental function. Some studies found that caffeine may enhance short term memory. Most of the coffee lovers and caffeine addicts drink coffee to energize themselves in a way it suppresses the fatigue. One of the best long term uses of caffeine is to protect against diseases like Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s. Even studies have suggested that coffee is one of the healthiest beverages, as it contains a drastic amount of compounds which is beneficial for health. When hot water runs through the natural coffee beans, the natural chemical compound in the bean mixes with water and becomes part of the drink. Many of the compounds are antioxidants that protect against oxidative stress. Oxidation is one of the reasons for ageing & serious conditions like cancer & heart disease.

Coffee is loaded with antioxidants and is an important part of the western diet, outranking both fruits and vegetables. Besides, it helps you to burn fat, as it reduces the risk of stroke. It helps in your fibre intake and a cup of brewed coffee represents a contribution of up to 1.8 grams. So, you must definitely include coffee in your morning rituals. I remember one of my favourite quotes about coffee which states, “ Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love, guess who I’m.