made of and why can't some people survive a day without having even just one sip
of this stimulant?
Coffee, normally taken hot, is made from the coffee plant's roasted seeds,
called coffee beans. Considered the second-most traded commodity in the world,
next to petroleum, it is hailed as modern man's chief source of caffeine for
that extra burst of energy. The perceived benefits and hazards of this potent
drink remain the subject of debate among coffee drinkers worldwide.
How did the word “coffee” come into being? The term “coffee” is known by many
names among various peoples of the world. It came to England in 1598, via the
Italian “caffe.” The Turkish term for it is “kahveh,” while the Arabic word for
it is “qahwa.” Its origin is still unknown, although some believe that the drink
possibly came from the Kaffa region in Ethopia, where the plant originally named
“bunna,” the precursor of coffee, came from.
Did you know that coffee drinking was outlawed in Mecca in 1511, and in Cairo in
1532? Due to coffee's immense popularity, the law was made obsolete soon after.
From then on, owing to the pioneering efforts of the British and Dutch East
India companies, coffee found its way to Europe in the sixteenth century.
One of the two main species of the coffee plant is “Coffea Arabica,” its name
implying that its origin was the Arabian Peninsula, but it is indigenous in
Ethiopia. Although Arabica is more prone to disease, coffee lovers consider it
to be more flavourful than “coffea canephora” (robusta), which holds twice as
much caffeine. However, the later is proven to be a natural insecticide and
stimulant, growing in places where the former cannot grow. Thus, it is used as
an inexpensive substitute for Arabica in commercial coffee blends and in almost
all instant coffee products.
Compared to Arabica, robusta is more bitter, with a burnt-rubber smell and
taste. Robusta of finer quality are used in espresso blends for a foamy effect
and for better affordability. In fact, Italian espresso blends are made from
dark-roasted Robusta.
Some blend varieties are so popular and in demand that they command a higher
price, examples of which are the Jamaican Blue Mountain and the Hawaiian Kona
coffees. Often, these beans are mixed with other, less-expensive varieties and
the term blend is added to the label, such as “Blue Mountain Blend” or “Kona
Blend”.
So beat those morning blues with an adrenaline-pumping sip of this favourite
drink among caffeine addicts worldwide.