At The English Muffin, we believe that coffee is an integral part of breakfast. That’s why we think of ourselves as a coffee shop as well as a diner. Coffee is important to many people, whether it’s a morning ritual or the boost you need to make it through your day. Coffee brings people from all walks of life together, and Americans’ love for coffee bridges many divides. Whether you enjoy one cup in the morning or drink it all day long, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about coffee.
Your favorite diner and coffee shop has some cool facts about coffee to share with you!
- Coffee is incredibly popular. This one you probably knew. Coffee may be the most popular beverage in the world, with an estimated 2.25 billion cups consumed daily worldwide.
- We get the name from Arabic. The word “coffee” comes from the Arabic word qawah. It translates to “wine of the bean.” Pretty classy, no?
- They’re not actually beans. We call them beans, but they are actually the seeds of the fruit of the coffee plant. That’s a little wordy, so we’ll stick with beans.
- Most coffee comes from two species of plants. There are multiple varieties of coffee plants, but most commercial production uses arabica and robusta. Arabica beans have a smooth, nuanced flavor, and robusta beans have more caffeine.
- You can thank an Ethiopian goat for its discovery. It may only be a legend, but people did first discover coffee in Ethiopia. According to the story, a goat herder noticed that his flock was more energetic after eating particular plants. He tried it for himself and discovered the stimulating properties of caffeine.
- Millions of people owe their jobs to coffee. And we don’t mean because it keeps them awake throughout the day. The coffee industry employs millions of people around the world, from farmers and pickers to roasters and baristas.
That’s right, your favorite coffee shop is part of an important global industry!
- The world’s most expensive coffee is…a little gross. It’s called kopi luwak, or civet coffee, and you can read this if you really want to know more.
- It’s huge in Vienna. Coffee culture is essential to the identity and history of Vienna, Austria. UNESCO recognizes its traditional coffee houses as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
- Caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive substance. Caffeine is the naturally occurring stimulant found in coffee beans. It’s also the most widely consumed psychoactive substance around the world.
- It has health benefits in moderation. Moderate coffee consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of some diseases, including liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and type 2 diabetes.
