Coffee Facts

Coffee Facts Infographics

King Gustav III from Sweden experimented with the effects of coffee on human health.

The king had ordered this experiment to be conducted on identical twins who were sentenced to the death penalty. Their penalty was commuted to life imprisonment on the condition that one twin drinks only coffee and the other drink tea for the rest of their lives.

Two physicians were ordered to take tests and deliver the results to the king directly. However, these physicians mysteriously died, presumably of natural causes. Before the King could conclude his study, he passed away as well.

The name 'Cappuccino' was inspired by monks.

This name was adopted from the clothing that Capuchin monks wore. The color of espresso mixed with frother milk was much similar to the color of their robes. These monks were members of the larger Franciscan orders of monks found in 16th century Italy.

Americans spend an average of $1,092 on coffee every year.

This breaks down to roughly $92 a month, which is about $3 worth of coffee a day. 

You should not drink coffee at night.

Caffeine consumption during the evening or during times of rest can cause a delay in our brains. This slows down our melatonin production. It also interrupts our circadian rhythm by about 40 minutes.

Starbucks opens a store every day.

Ever since the year 1987, Starbucks has opened 2 stores per day since. Today, Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world with more than 27,000 retail stores worldwide. 

Starbucks has multiple drink combinations.

This totals to over 87,000 different drink combinations.

A man’s coffee travels to his semen.

Much like how caffeine can enter your blood, it can also mix with a man’s sperm. Since coffee is found to raise blood levels, there has been researches conducted to see if coffee can affect a man’s fertility.

According to one study, drinking more than 4 cups of coffee each day can result in oddly shaped sperm cells.

You can overdose on coffee.

Studies have shown that you would need to consume over 70 cups of coffee to kill a 70 kg person. The amount of caffeine from this can trigger heart palpitations and cardiac arrest.

This would mean that you would need to drink about 3 cups of coffee every hour for 24 hours for it to be lethal.

You cannot become dehydrated from coffee.

You feel more dehydrated after drinking caffeinated drinks due to its diuretic effect. Drinks such as coffee or tea have caffeine that causes you to urinate more.

Coffee was most likely discovered in Yemen.

It is believed that coffee was first discovered in Yemen in the 15th century. Records show that Sufi Muslim monasteries brewed the dark beverage in the town of Mocha. Coffee drinking then spread through the Middle East and Northern Africa.

Brazil is known to be the largest producer of coffee.

Brazil is responsible for ⅓ of the world’s coffee production for over 150 years. The second-largest coffee producer is Vietnam.

A tea importer popularized coffee in Britain.

It seems funny now, as tea and coffee are often pitted as rival beverages, but a tea importer actually brought the caffeinated drink to Britain. The British East India Company, which traded with India and China, brought tea, salt, and silk, among other items, to Britain. The company began importing coffee and, through their work, the energizing drink became popular in Britain.

It takes a day to fully eliminate caffeine from your system.

Half of the consumed caffeine in your system can be cleared from your system within 5 hours. The effects of caffeine reach its peak around 30 to 60 minutes from consumption. 

Coffee accelerates metabolism.

Coffee naturally contains caffeine, which is a stimulant, and temporarily increases the metabolism. Some fitness trainers even advise drinking coffee before a workout to maximize fat-burning potential.

Coffee pods are banned from German government buildings.

This rule was established in 2016 because it was found to create unnecessary waste that contained aluminum.

You can reduce the risk of alcohol-related cirrhosis with coffee consumption.

Studies have found that drinking 2 cups of coffee a day can reduce this risk by at least 43%.

Your office coffee mugs aren't as clean as you think they are.

About 20% of coffee mugs from offices contain fecal bacteria. This is possible mainly due to the communal cleaning materials such as brushes or scrubbing tools in the break room area. 

You would need about 37 gallons of water to grow a coffee bean.

More than 1,300 gallons of water are needed to produce one 12 oz. cup of coffee. 

Coffee helps reduce liver damage.

Research studies suggest that drinking coffee could help reduce liver damage from alcohol. This study conducted an experiment where over 430,000 participants with liver damage drank 2 cups of coffee a day. 

This was linked to a 44% lower risk of developing liver cirrhosis.

Drinking coffee lowers suicidal risks.

Drinking around two to four cups of coffee every day has been found to reduce the risk of suicide by 50%. More people who are non-coffee drinkers have a higher number of performed suicide rates than people who drink coffee. 

Drinking coffee was once punishable by death.

During the 17th century Ottoman Empire, it was believed that coffee contained mind-altering effects. The ruler of this period believed it to be a type of narcotic and banned it from public consumption.

The Columbian exchange introduced coffee in Columbia.

Coffee originated in Ethiopia and was introduced and spread to other locations in the world after the Columbian exchange. 

Mixing sperm and caffeine in a test tube makes them swim better.

However, this resulted in a premature burn out which makes the sperm inactive enough to properly fertilize an egg.

Men can reduce their risk of prostate cancer by drinking coffee.

Studies suggest that men who drink 6 or more cups of coffee a day can lower their risks by 20%.

There are millions of people who rely on coffee to make a living.

There are about a total of 25 million small producers who use coffee as their main source of income.

Espresso contains more coffee per unit volume.

However, its usual serving size equates that the caffeine is less than what you would get from a standard crewed coffee in a mug.

You should avoid drinking coffee when stressed.

This can result in higher levels of hallucination otherwise. 

Hawaii is the only American state that grows coffee.

To be able to accomplish good coffee growing conditions, coffee plants require high altitudes and tropical climates. Hawaii is the only American state that can grow coffee because of its tropical conditions. 

Coffee has helped Olympic athletes.

In 1932, Brazil could not afford to send its athletes to Los Angeles for the Olympics. As a solution, the government placed them on a ship full of coffee which was sold to finance their trip.

Cream makes your coffee stay warm.

If you prefer to keep your coffee as hot as possible at a longer time, try adding some cream into your drink. This will make your coffee stay warm for 20% longer. 

Coffee is a fruit.

Coffee beans grow from a bush and they are classified as the pit of berries. By this definition, this makes them a fruit. 

There are two main types of coffee beans that are grown, green and red.

Roasting gives color and taste to coffee beans.

After being sold as green coffee beans, these coffee beans are roasted. Roasting is what turns the coffee beans brown. The method and length of roasting give the coffee beans their distinctive flavor and color. The sugar in the beans turns them brown as they roast. Darker beans are considered bolder, and lighter roasts more strongly flavored.

Fairtrade coffee improves quality.

Even if this particular coffee costs more, coffee farmers spend an extra 25% of their time in producing Fairtrade premium coffee. These products are known to have better quality taste and has won over 28 awards. 

There are two main types of coffee.

The two types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta coffee.

Arabica coffee was originally cultivated somewhere in the Arabian peninsula. On the other hand, Robusta coffee originates from a more hardy plant that contains double the amount of caffeine.

Instant coffee makes a fast cup of joe.

A cup of joe is named for the average man.

While one theory suggests the phrase “cup of joe” originated after the US Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels, outlawed alcohol on navy ships, it is more likely the phrase is a reference to the idea that coffee is a plain, universal beverage consumed by the average man, also known as an average joe.

Wild civets produce the world’s most expensive coffee.

The world’s most expensive cup of coffee is made from the droppings of the wild civet. This coffee is sold between $100 and $600 a pound. Kopi luwak is brewed from beans excreted by the Indonesian civet after the mammal ingests the coffee berries.

Controversy has surrounded the kopi luwak since BBC reporters investigated its production and found that some providers were caging civets and treating them inhumanely. These same providers would then sell the excreted beans as if they were gathered in the wild.

Kopi luwak has become popular not just because of its high price tag and interesting production, but also because of its unique flavor. It is said to be less bitter than regular coffee.

The Pope called coffee a Christian beverage.

When coffee was first widely introduced into Europe, much of the Christian population was hesitant to try it, and viewed the dark elixir as a Muslim beverage. It was only after Pope Clement VIII declared coffee a Christian drink in 1600, giving it more of a foothold in Europe.

Fat and coffee are the main ingredients in the Bulletproof Coffee Diet.

Dave Asprey is the inventor of the Bulletproof Coffee Diet. This coffee diet is based on a Tibetan yak butter tea. Made with two tablespoons of unsalted butter, one to two tablespoons of medium-chain triglyceride oil, and brewed low-mold coffee beans, bulletproof coffee can have over 450 calories a cup. Asprey believes the coffee can help suppress hunger and improve brain function. No studies have been done to prove his claims.

Flavoured coffees and specialty coffees have increased consumption.

Coffee can be individualized in many ways. Some people enjoy a basic shot of espresso, or add hot water to it to make a Caffè Americano. Caffè latte is made by adding steamed milk to a shot of espresso. A cappuccino is made by adding milk froth and steamed milk to a shot of espresso. Adding ice, sugar, or cream can greatly change the character of the drink.

There are also many flavored syrups – including caramel, vanilla, chocolate, and hazelnut – that can be added to make a unique coffee beverage. With so many different ways to drink a simple brew, it’s no wonder coffee continues to grow in popularity.