Coffee is consumed all over the world. A lot of people cannot imagine their life without this refreshing, aromatic drink. About 2.25 billion cups of it are consumed every day. It is believed to be the second most traded commodity and concedes only to unrefined petroleum. But how much do you really know about the beverage and its history? Check some interesting facts about coffee that may totally surprise you.
- There exist two main types of coffee: Arabica and Robusta. Seventy percent of the world prefer Arabica due to its mild taste and rich aroma. However, Robusta has its advantages, as it contains twice as much caffeine.
- Coffee is not just a drink. Originally, the berries were mixed with fat to cook the energy-rich snack-balls. Besides, its pulps were used to make wine.
- “Mocha” is not simply one of the coffee names. It is actually a city on the Red Sea in Yemen. Up to the 17th century, this port was the main coffee marketplace. The beans exported from it were so popular that “mocha” become another name for any top-flight coffee.
- The most caffeinated country in the world is Finland. Finns drink three times as much coffee as Americans, though they do not produce any. Norwegians go next, then Icelanders, Danes and Dutches.
- The most active consumers of instant coffee are the countries of Asia Pacific region. They drink more than 40% of the world’s instant coffee. Besides, this product consumption shows a strong tendency to growth. It actually tripled since 2000.
- According to the latest researches, people in Britain turned out to be the real instant coffee lovers. About 77% of coffee they buy to drink at home is the soluble one. It is chosen mainly for the convenience and ease of preparation.
- Women in Japan are sure that bathing in coffee granules helps them to get rid of wrinkles. Besides, this product is a common ingredient of anti-cellulite creams.
- The coffee break is almost a ritual for most of workers. However, not many of them know that this tradition was created in Stoughton, Wisconsin by the Norwegian immigrants in 19th century. To commemorate the lore, the town annually holds a Coffee Break Festival.
- The first instant coffee appeared in England in 1771. However, it got rancid after a short time.
- The person who gave rise to mass production of instant coffee in 1909 was George Constant Louis Washington. That was the reason, American soldiers during the First World War called their coffee “a cup of George”.
- Coffee was the first freeze-dried food. During the freeze-drying process, the extract is rapidly frozen at -40o, and then dried in vacuum chamber to remove water. This method is more expensive than spray drying, but results in a higher-quality product with better taste and due to that is very popular.
- The commercial freeze-drying began in 1960s, and still remains the best method for retaining flavor and aroma of the coffee extract.
- You can easily improve the taste of your freeze-dried instant coffee with the help of cold water only. Just mix both in 1:1 proportion, and stir carefully, until each granule is dissolved. After that, top the concentrated liquid with freshly boiled water.
- Everyone knows, that coffee is good for your health as it lowers the risk of liver and neurodegenerative diseases, boosts metabolism, decrease diabetes risk, etc. But instant coffee can be even more healthy, because it contains less caffeine and more antioxidants.
This is but the very short list of the unusual facts about such a familiar and deservedly loved drink. There are still many historic information and unusual applications that make coffee not only delicious to drink, but also interesting to read about.