Coffee Fun Facts

Coffee drinking is a morning ritual for many Americans. The jolt of caffeine helps get us up and around as much as it prepares us for the day ahead. For many, this classic beverage provides a sense of relaxation and calm that nothing else can deliver.

The fresh aroma of a gourmet coffee blend is enticing and soothing, so it is not surprising that coffee drinkers number into the millions on a global scale. Have you ever wondered where it all began or when the first coffee beans were grown? For all of those who indulge in this drink, from latte sippers to five-cup-a-day guzzlers, here are some amazing facts you probably didn’t know about that grand cup of joe.

Fun Coffee Factoids

• People in New York drink seven times more coffee than the national average. Lending credit to their high-strung, hectic lifestyles, those living in NYC consume more coffee than anyone else in the country. If you are thinking about starting a coffee chain, this is the place to do it (though keep in mind the competition is fierce)!
• Stop drinking at 99 cups, because that last one will kill you. We dare to find anyone who can consume 100 cups of coffee in one sitting, but someone had to have at some point. This has been deemed the lethal dose for the average sized man or woman; excessive consumption of caffeine will lead to heart failure.
• Cream got its start in 1600. A French doctor told his patients to start drinking café au lait, or coffee with milk, to help with their ailments. This is the preferred combination of choice for many people today, though there still exist a large number of black coffee lovers.
• Voltaire drank 50+ cups a day. The famous French philosopher clearly had a love for caffeine (one could argue this helped his creative works), as one morning cup obviously was not doing the trick.
• The ancient Arabs took coffee seriously – so much so that the only way a wife could legally divorce her husband was if he did not give her enough caffeine. It sounds crazy, but we all know the dangers of coffee withdrawals!
• Being a barista is a reputable profession in Italy. The average age for coffee house staff in the U.S. is half that of those in Italy. There you will find middle-aged men and women who take great pride in their work (and who are deemed incredibly admirable).

Hopefully these facts make you enjoy your gourmet coffee a little bit more. People who refrain from drinking this tasty beverage just do not get it!

J. Martinez is the owner of J. Martinez & Company Fine Coffees, selling gourmet estate and single-origin coffees from all over the world, including Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and Hawaii Kona coffee. Learn more about Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee at http://www.martinezfinecoffees.com/specialty-coffee-espresso-blue-mountain/jamaica-blue-mountain-coffee.html