Coffee

Man has had a love affair with coffee ever since the beans were first discovered and why shouldn't he? This rich aromatic drink can help wake you up, enhance your mood, and possibly even improve your health! It's no wonder that almost two thirds of the entire population of the earth enjoys a good "cup of Joe".

While we typically associate coffee with Columbia or Brazil, it actually comes from Ethiopia where the Coffea arabica tree is native. No one knows the identity of the person who first "discovered" coffee, but it is certain that the beans were used even before 1000 A.D. by tribes in Ethiopia who noticed that it gave them an energy boost. Arab traders visiting Ethiopia brought the plants back to their homeland and cultivated them. Yet it wasn't until the 1400's when the Turks were introduced to coffee at Constantinople that it was widely consumed as a drink, and even mixed with other herbs and flavors.

It didn't take long for this tasty drink to catch on. In only a few hundred years coffee houses were springing up everywhere. Soon people were trying to improve on it by inventing decaf coffee as well as ways to conveniently store it for use.

Today, there are many different varieties and flavors of coffee; and they are primarily produced in Brazil, Vietnam and Columbia. Vietnam is actually a newcomer on the coffee production scene and has surpassed Columbia in recent years to become the number two producer of this product.

Coffee needs a special climate in which to grow. It requires a warm temperature, a fairly high altitude, and rich soil. Columbia offers a high-altitude for coffee growing which gives the beams of more acidic taste, Brazil grows coffee at a lower altitude which makes for a sweeter taste. The coffee from Vietnam, although quite popular, is said to be not as good in quality as the other two. How coffee is grown, the altitude at which it is grown, and how it is processed, can impart different tastes to the beans. There are bitter tasting coffees, sweet tasting coffees, fruity, chocolaty, and even coffee that is reminiscent of the taste of wine.

While we all know that coffee tastes good and can help improve mood as well as give more stamina, recent research shows that it can also be very good for the health. Most recently, studies indicate that people who drink coffee have an 80% reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease. It also cuts the risk of gallstones in half, as well as lessens the risk of developing colon cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. Coffee has antibacterial properties and is also loaded with antioxidants. So it can help to boost immune systems, get rid of headache symptoms, improve concentration and even has been shown to help athletes perform longer and better.

So the next time you sit down and relax with a good cup of coffee, feel good in knowing that not only are you doing something that's going to please your taste buds, you are also doing something that can be good for your health.

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