The rich and almost magical beans have a long, rich history. People around the world have been drinking the hot beverage since the 15th century. Today it’s found everywhere from street cafes to skincare products.
Most Coffee Beans Come from Brazil
Brazil outproduces every major country that cultivates coffee beans, producing over 51 million 60kg bags of beans every year. Behind Brazil[1] is Vietnam, Columbia, Indonesia, Honduras, Ethiopia, India, Uganda, Peru, and Mexico. Many of the world’s coffee producers are small farms, and according to the Fairtrade Foundation, over 125 million people depend on the industry to live.
Brits Love a Good Cup of Coffee
But of course, who doesn’t love a good cup of the ground beans? In the UK, households drink 95 million cups of coffee per day. To compare, Americans drink about 400 [2] million cups daily. The most popular coffee in the UK is a latte[3] . However, the people of Finland consume the most amount of coffee each year, surpassing both the UK and the US by drinking 27.5 pounds of coffee each year. (The US is 11 pounds per person and the UK didn’t make a list.)
They’re Seeds, not Beans
Many people don’t know that the happy beans are actually blissful seeds. If your beans [4] weren’t processed, you could grow a coffee tree in the right climate. Unfortunately, don’t expect results right away. It takes between three and four years for a newly planted tree to produce fruit. But if you live in Columbia, a top producer for coffee, you get two harvests annually from each plant.
People have Tried to Ban Coffee
Yikes! Many might consider this a crime. But not long after the beverage was discovered and grew in popularity, leaders in Mecca banned the powerful brew and later, an Italian clergyman tried to ban coffee. However, Pope Clement VII disagreed with the ban on coffee and baptized it in 1600. It’s clear[5] that coffee is blessed by the Catholic Church and is rightfully worshipped by many coffee connoisseurs.
Coffee Grounds makes an Excellent Exfoliator
For naturally glowing skin, you need to exfoliate your body to clear away dead cells that can clog pores. There are several ways to do this, and one is mechanical with a scrub. Many body scrubs now contain coarsely ground coffee beans that not only help exfoliate your skin but have a rich and dreamy aroma that smells like a fresh pot of hot coffee.
For some, coffee’s a regular treat, and for many, it’s a daily necessity. Whichever it is for you, it has a fascinating history with many great stories to tell over a cup of coffee. The future looks bright for continuing to infuse the world’s favourite beans into everything from beverages and ice cream to body scrubs.
[1]https://www.bbc.com/news/business-43742686#:~:text=Coffee%20is%20one%20of%20the,second%20largest%20producer%20is%20Vietnam.
[2]https://disturbmenot.co/coffee-statistics/
[3]https://thevillagekitchen.uk/2019/08/06/fascinating-facts-about-coffee-consumption-in-the-uk/
[4]https://www.ncausa.org/About-Coffee/10-Steps-from-Seed-to-Cup#:~:text=A%20coffee%20bean%20is%20actually,grow%20into%20a%20coffee%20tree.
[5]https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a30303/facts-about-coffee/