Coffee is considered as the most favourite and popular beverage worldwide, with over 400 billion cups drunk by people every year. In the United States, about 450 million cups of coffee are served and consumed every day. Each coffee drinker consumes 3 ½ cups each day, which makes it interesting to know how coffee became a hit.
Learn how the world’s favourite beverage became popular and the most sought-after today by reading below.
Coffee Farming and Production as a Source of Living
The history of coffee dates back to as early as the 15th century, where coffee was first used and thought to have originated from Ethiopia. By the 16th century, coffee reached the Middle East, Persia, Turkey, South India, Northern Africa, and the Horn of Africa. In Finland, people consume more than four cups of coffee daily. Scandinavia has the highest coffee consumption in terms of individually consumed cups of coffee in the world.
Today, about 25 million farmers around the world depend on producing coffee for economic livelihood. West Side Publishing has published the Book of Incredible Information and stated that most developing countries export coffee. It is the next valuable commodity after oil, generating $60 billion annually. Today, coffee is grown in over 50 countries in Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. It’s no wonder why coffee is famous worldwide.
Here are the countries that produce the world’s largest quantities of coffee in 2018 based on Statista:
- First: Brazil (61.7 million in 60-kilogram bags of coffee)
- Second: Vietnam came (29.5 million in 60-kilogram bags of coffee)
- Third: Colombia (14.2 million in 60-kilogram bags of coffee)
- Fourth: Indonesia (10.2 million in 60-kilogram bags of coffee)
- Fifth: Ethiopia (7.5 million in 60-kilogram bags of coffee)
Coffee Became More Popular with the Rise of Coffee Houses Worldwide
The demand for coffee shops made coffee more accessible and affordable for everyone. Coffee shops are the best place to enjoy professionally-blended coffee served with pastries like blueberry cheesecake. That’s why many people also became more interested in drinking this beverage.
In 1971, Starbucks was opened by a group of entrepreneurs based in Seattle. Today, about 6,000 Starbucks outlets are serving millions of cups of coffee in the United States. Starbucks also operates stores worldwide (around 36 countries). Because of the tight competition, coffee shops try to use the best coffee beans, and here’s a list to begin with.
It is believed that the first coffee shop opened in Italy in 1645. In 1607, Captain John Smith introduced coffee to people in North America. Prominent people loved drinking coffee even in the past in coffee houses or coffee shops.
Here are the most prominent and oldest coffee shops across the world:
- Café Le Procope: In 1686, this oldest operating cafe opened in Paris. It hosted intellectuals and revolutionaries such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Voltaire, and Rousseau.
- Caffè Florian: This was put up in Venice around 1720, which was the only coffee shop that permitted women. It attracted famous patrons like Lord Byron, Dickens, and Proust.
- Caffè Greco: It is the oldest and most elegant café found in Rome, which was introduced in 1760. It hosted Keats, Lizst, Shelley, Goethe, Wagner, Lord Byron, and Mendelssohn.
- Café Central: This coffee house is a popular historical landmark that served prominent intellectuals such as Freud, Trotsky, and Lenin.
Coffee Stimulates the Mind, Awakens the Senses, and Provides Health Benefits
Coffee is a favourite early-morning beverage because it energizes the body due to its stimulating effects. It keeps you awake and alert, ready to face another day ahead. Also, coffee is a favourite beverage because of its health benefits.
Here are some of the health benefits that drinking a cup of coffee can provide according to Healthline:
- Burns fat
- Contains essential nutrients your body needs (Pantothenic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium, niacin, and riboflavin or vitamin A)
- Lowers risk for type 2 diabetes or lifestyle diabetes
- Reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- Protects the liver and prevents liver cirrhosis and liver damage
- Fights depression and drastically decreases suicide risk
- Lowers risk of certain types of cancer
- Promote heart health (avoid stroke and heart disease)
Conclusion
Coffee is a crowd favourite for many reasons. Even before the rise of coffee shops, coffee consumption was practiced in the homes of coffee farmers and the masses. Coffee is an affordable beverage that everyone can buy. Also, it contains essential vitamins and minerals that provide plenty of health benefits. That’s why it’s no wonder why many people love it and consider it the world’s favourite beverage.
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