6 Facts About Your Favourite Coffee

The world's favourite drink has to be a cup of coffee.

Like it or not, most of us can't fully function without that cup first thing in the morning. And even though there are new varieties, perhaps we can all agree that there's nothing quite like the classic! After all, it has always been since the day of its discovery! Check out these amazing facts about our favourite drink.

Fact 1: Coffee was first consumed in Africa.

It's said a goatherd found his goats acting quite funny after eating some berries. He tried out some berries himself and he thought they were quite refreshing. The word spread quickly and soon this berry was being cultivated in the Arabian Peninsula.

Fact 2: Brazil is the largest producer of coffee today.

The country started growing coffee in the 1700s whereas it was introduced in Europe in the 1600s. Instant coffee was invented in 1901, decaffeinated in 1903, and freeze-dried in 1938. Today, coffee is the largest commodity second only to petroleum.

Fact 3: Statistics say an average person consumes over 10 pounds of coffee in a year.

Most of the consumption is during breakfast and 35% prefer to have black coffee. Tea used to the favorite beverage but coffee seems to have displaced it - especially after the Boston Tea Party and considered very patriotic to drink coffee instead of tea! About half of the US population partakes in the beverage - worldwide yearly consumption adds up to over 400 billion cups!

Fact 4: Columbia and Brazil account for the production of ¾'s of the world's coffee.

And mostly hand-picked at that, with the berry's seed. The unroasted coffee can last up to 2 years. Coffee is best when consumed directly after roasting as the flavor decreases once you roast it. Refrigeration doesn't help in keeping them fresh and it might even taste strange as the roasted coffee will readily absorb the flavors from other food, yikes!

Fact 5: To yield 130 pounds of green coffee beans, 100 Arabica bushes must be cultivated.

Coffee beans have different varieties and flavors, and the growing conditions affect the flavor of the coffee.

Fact 6: Coffee contains antioxidants and minerals, which help prevent some diseases.

The risks of diabetes and Parkinson's disease are thought to have been decreased by drinking coffee. It also has bacteria-fighting elements that can help fight tooth decay. Some of its anti-oxidants stimulate enzymes that may protect against colon cancer. All of us know that caffeine in coffee can help us keep alert and help in concentrating better. It also relieves symptoms of asthma by dilating bronchial tubes and gets rid of tension headaches.

The list can go on because there's so much to say about coffee, really! Have facts about coffee that you want to share? We'd love to hear from you!