I’m not a coffee fanatic, I drink it maybe two times a day and I mostly enjoy the warm comforting feeling of the caffeine but as I watch my friends talking about that first cup in the morning, and getting to work with a hot mug of coffee in hand. It’s made me think that maybe there is more to this than just getting through the day.
Where Does Coffee Originate From?
Coffee is the seed of a plant that has been used for thousands of years to make a stimulant drink. It’s called caffeine, which comes from the word caffeine pertains to the seeds of coffee plants. Caffeine is a powerful psychoactive stimulant that alters the balance of important brain chemicals, like dopamine and serotonin. The effect it has on your body depends on how much you consume and how quickly it was consumed.
Which Countries Are Most Famous For Coffee Growing?
The coffee grown in the world’s most productive regions is produced in Venezuela, Honduras, Brazil and Vietnam. But coffee is not a home-grown crop – it has to be grown in these countries and then exported to other countries that consume it.
What’s The History Behind Coffee?
Coffee is being cultivated for as long as historians have been able to write records; this was around 2000 BCE. Around that time coffee was introduced by Muslim traders from Ethiopia into Arabia. After that, coffee was introduced to India. And so on, the history of coffee is intertwined with the history of humankind and trading.
The Different Flavours of Coffee
Green beans are roasted with the application of dry heat, causing the green color to turn brown. This process of roasting changes the chemical composition of the bean and produces a different flavor. Depending on how, when and for how long they are roasted, roasting can result in a range of flavors from light and acidic to dark-bodied and sweet. Popular flavour notes include chocolaty, nutty, earthy, and sweet.
How Does It Compare To Tea?
Coffee is more popular than tea world-wide. Although the popularity of tea in the western world is increasing greatly. In the United States alone there are about two and a half times more coffee drinkers than tea drinkers. For most of us our life would be almost unthinkable without coffee yet it only has been around for a few centuries as compared to thousands for tea.
The Benefits Of Drinking Your Daily Cup Of Joe
1. Coffee is Full of Antioxidants
Free radicals are atoms with unpaired electrons that can damage DNA, cell membranes and other vital cellular components. They are formed as by products during digestion, metabolism and oxidative damage from exposure to chemical substances.
Antioxidants are natural chemicals that neutralize free radicals and prevent them from damaging cells in our bodies. Antioxidants have been linked to a number of health benefits including reducing the risk of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and ageing.
2. It Increases Alertness and Focus
Caffeine increases the reception of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that increases focus and alertness. It does this by blocking the reuptake of dopamine back into your brain cells.
3. The Coffee Can Improve Your Memory
Studies have shown that caffeine improves memory functioning and reduces the risk of dementia in elderly people. In addition, moderate coffee consumption has been associated with fewer cases of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults, according to a study from Boston University.
4. Coffee Can Help You Lose Weight
The caffeine contained in coffee helps to boost your metabolism and helps you burn more fat. This effect is seen fastest when you drink the coffee shortly after a meal which provides the food with time to be broken down by the stomach. Another important point is that it doesn’t seem to take much caffeine for this effect, according to a study published in “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”. A cup (or two) of joe can help you lose weight, especially if you add cream.
5. Coffee Increases Brain Activity
The same way as caffeine increases alertness and focus, coffee also helps to improve brain performance by increasing blood flow to the brain which improves memory and attention.
6. It Combats Depression
Alcohol and tobacco use have been linked to major depressive disorders. However, coffee is the only psychoactive substance that has been shown to improve general mood state and symptoms of depression.
7. It Decreases the Risk of Memory Loss
A recent study showed that moderate coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of developing age-related memory impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
This study, which was published in the journal Neurology, found that drinking three to five cups of coffee per day could reduce the risk by 65%.
8. Coffee Can Improve How You Relieve Stress
In addition to increasing metabolism, caffeine also increases the levels of norepinephrine in your blood stream which helps you deal with stressful situations.
Coffee is an energizing and delicious drink that has a number of benefits from drinking it. There are many different ways to enjoy your coffee, such as adding cream, milk, sweetener or whipped cream. Enjoy your coffee responsibly and think about what you would like to add in order to maximize the taste and health benefits of your drink!
