If you're someone who drinks coffee, you know that it does wonders for the soul. Whether it's your first cup of the day, or your eighth (I'm not here to judge), coffee is there for you when no one else is. It picks you up when you're feeling low, gives you that extra little push during your afternoon lull, and makes for aesthetically pleasing pictures on social media. Whether you're a Starbucks or Dunkin' drinker, you'll relate on an emotional level.
1. Coffee is the sole reason I can make it through a shift at work.
Once I get three/four hours in, I'm ready to scream. Between customers asking me 30,001 questions, co-workers who are too lazy to give me a hand, and a billion things needing to be done at once, light roast with some half-and-half (and six sugar packets) is the only thing that can bring me back to my happy place.
2. Caffeine messes with my brain, but in a good way.
There's a reason caffeine is one of the most addictive "drugs" that's readily available 24/7. Caffeine blocks Adenosine receptors in the brain, which stops our brain from giving us the cue to take a nap and slow down. It creates hyper-activity in our brain, which is why we get that little buzz we all know and love. For a cute (yet educational) lesson on just how intricately our brains and coffee work together, watch this cute video produced by BI Science.
3. We have dancing goats to thank for coffee's "discovery."
Just like George when he discovered Folger's in George of the Jungle, a few Ethiopian goats were said to have started "dancing" upon eating berries from a rather normal looking bush. Their herder, Kaldi, ate the berries himself to see what exactly all the hype was about. He was filled with such exhilaration (same, Kaldi), that he took the berries back to a monk. The world's first cup of coffee was brewed when, after being thrown onto a fire by said monk, the beans began to roast and let off a delightful aroma. The beans were placed in hot water and voila! coffee! This has come to be known as the Myth of Kaldi and, whether fictional or not, it's still a pretty cute story.
4. Statistically speaking, coffee is going to help me live longer.
Coffee contains high amounts of antioxidants, which are basically these little compounds that help our body sort itself out. Due to oxidative stress (an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants), our body can do things such as cause heart disease and cancer. When there is a balance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants, our body is happy and doting along, doing its thing. Of course, a high majority of coffee drinkers also do things such as drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and eat red meat, so... perhaps this statistic doesn't apply to everyone.
5. There's this really cool place around the equator called the "coffee belt."
There's a lot that goes into growing the perfect coffee bean. A plant's location around the world can change the way it tastes, and its aroma. Coffee beans are grown around what is known as the "coffee belt," which is categorized by continent, then country, then region. For example, coffee grown in Central America tends to be of the Arabica variety, sporting an earthy smell, crisp taste, and light body. Meanwhile, coffee grown in and around Asia and Indonesia tends to have a much more full body, more medium-level acidity, and be much more floral in smell.
6. Coffee is one of the most traded products in the world.
Second only to crude oil, coffee is one of the most traded commodities in the world. It's mostly traded through New York, Japan, Singapore, and London. The coffee industry brings in approximately $20 billion annually, and is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. It's consumed by not only the rich and the poor, but everyone in between.
7. England, just like they did with tea, took their coffee way too seriously.
As coffee grew in popularity in 1660s and 1670s England, the monarchy grew increasingly wary of it. Common folk began flocking to coffee shops for the conversation and the atmosphere they created. Each was unique, much unlike the standard Starbucks/Dunkin' chains we see today. Coffee houses, much like bars and pubs during Prohibition, became meeting places where people could speak about religion and politics. Like every great king before (and after) him, King Charles II didn't take too kindly to this kind of meeting place, and tried to shut coffee houses down. Needles to say it didn't work.
8. Starbucks, as basic as it is, is actually a really great company.
Aside from the Great Christmas Cup Scandal of 2015, Starbucks has been doing a lot of things right. They've recently opened a store, which employs exclusively those who are hearing impaired, with menu cards for those who can hear to write down their orders, and sign language boards. Starbucks also responsibly purchases all of its beans while also supporting farmer loans and forest conservation programs. This not only helps small, local coffee farmers, but sets an example for other companies as well. Starbucks also works to minimize their impact on the environment through green construction, water conservation, and recycling.
9. 'Espresso' is actually Italian.
Espresso comes from Italian (caffè) espresso, which literally means pressed out (coffee). It's called this due to the process of forcing hot water or steam through coffee grounds, producing the strong and highly caffeinated beverage we all know and love.
10. Consumers spend a *lot* of money on coffee.
Sure, not all of us are high fashion icons such as Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), but we do drink a lot of coffee. The average working class citizen spends $20 a week on coffee. Of course, there are a lot of us who spend that much in a day on coffee... and know our Starbucks baristas like they're our high school friends... and need three cups a day to function... but, hey. Congrats to the rest of you who have your lives together and don't need at least three Grande Iced Caramel Macchiato's with light vanilla and two pumps of Classic to make it through the day!
Whether you're the kind of person who drinks a coffee every once in a while, or the kind of person who's been to Dunkin' three times already this week and it's only Monday, a coffee break is the one part of your day where you can sit back, relax, and let the sweet smell of Arabica beans remind you that killing people lands you in jail, and stabbing your roommate with a pen for not doing the dishes isn't worth it.
