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Which country does coffee come from? Is coffee bad for you? And is coffee really a fruit? Here are six answers to frequently asked questions about coffee. Have you always wanted to be a coffee expert amongst your friends? Read on!
Researchers generally agree that a moderate intake of coffee can have a positive effect on health. A moderate intake is estimated to be about 400-500 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to about 4-5 cups of filter coffee.
Within these limits, it has been shown that coffee can increase concentration and increase physical endurance.
Wilfa’s home-country Norway is at the very top of the world in terms of average annual coffee consumption, only behind Finland. On average, a Norwegian drinks 9.9 kg of coffee a year. A Finn drinks 12 kg, and a Brit drinks 1.7kg.
The first sip of coffee is said to have been drunk in Ethiopia about 1,500 years ago. The legend goes that a goat farmer named Kaldi noticed that his goats were so full of energy after eating red berries from bushes in the area. The farmer became curious and then took these berries to a monk. The monk mixed the berries in hot water and consumed the drink. The result was a perky monk full of energy, and thus coffee, like the hot drink we know today, was created.
While coffee almost certainly first grew wild in Ethiopia, today it is grown in several tropical and sub-tropical countries. Generally coffee grows best around the equator, known as the ‘bean belt.’ Brazil is the top-producing country but it is possible to sample incredible coffees from a variety of countries.
We usually distinguish between three main types of coffee: Arabica, Robusta and Liberica. Of these, Arabica is by far the most widespread and accounts for 65% percent of all coffee in the world. Robusta has taken a clear second place, while Liberica only covers about one percent of the total market.
Coffee is considered to be the world's second largest commodity, after oil. This oft-quoted pub-quiz fact is generally now considered incorrect, but coffee is certainly an important global commodity. Coffee is produced in about 70 different countries, and the industry employs close to 100 million people.
The Coffea species (coffee’s Latin name) is an evergreen tree in tropical and subtropical regions. The trees can grow up to 12 meters high, and red stone fruits grow on the branches. Inside each of these stone fruits there is usually a pair of seeds, which is what we call coffee beans. In other words, coffee beans are technically seeds. They grow inside the fruits of the coffee plant, which are generally referred to as cherries. Confusing? It definitely is!
