The Journey of Coffee

“Coffee – the favorite drink of the civilized world.” – Thomas Jefferson

This month we are diving into the history of one of the world’s most beloved beverages! Coffee! I’m going to trace the history of coffee from the very beginnings to our modern times. I can’t wait to see what we uncover!

Now, I am much more of a tea drinker myself, but everyone knows someone or is a drinker themselves of this delicious brown juice. Mornings just wouldn’t be the same or run nearly as smoothly for most people without their coffee! One of the biggest reasons people drink coffee is because of the caffeine. Caffeine is a substance found in some plants that has a direct affect on the human nervous system when consumed. Caffeine is different in the different plants that it is found in and affects the body in different ways too. Tea and cocoa have caffeine, but not the same type of caffeine like coffee.

The caffeine in coffee gives us the “wake up and go” feeling that some of us need in the mornings. It can also elevate your mood, help your liver function better and contains antioxidants too. It depends on the type of coffee bean, how it was roasted and how much you drink how much caffeine you are getting from your coffee.

The coffee plant itself is native to Ethopia in Africa. It is a tall evergreen shrub with dark green leaves. The coffee flowers are white in color and give way to the ripe, red coffee berries once they are fertilized. Each of these berries holds two green coffee seeds. If there is only one seed, this coffee is known as “peaberry”.