13 Strange Coffee Facts
Yes, I have a Pret subscription.
Want to find out what my first real coffee experience was? Read on. (The cool facts about coffee will follow).
It was exam season and at the time I was usually studying till late in the library. There was a spot by the window where I’d normally sit and it had this amazing view of the Shard and London Bridge station.
Looking back it was actually quite distracting..
It was around 9pm and I went across the road to the Sainsburys to grab some snacks and some red bull. Back then I didn’t really drink coffee that much. I sometimes preferred to have an energy drink instead. Anyway so in the shop they just had generic version called blue bolt.
So I did just that, I bolted and instead, I made my way to the hospital coffee shop which was open 24 hours a day to grab a coffee.
It was just across the library. I’d been studying all day, I needed something strong.
I could barely keep my eyes open as I was ordering and I asked the lady if I could have TWO double espressos.
It’s a common drink, I've seen people order double espressos all the time. I thought if I order 2 I’ll be more awake, alert and get through my lectures. The barista didn’t bat an eyelid, poured out two drinks. I paid, poured one into the other cup and then made my way back and drank it at my desk. It was actually disgustingly bitter and not that nice.
400mg of caffeine later and I was shaking and jittering all over the place, couldn’t sleep till the next day and it messed up my body clock for a couple days.
Looking back.
It was one of my first real memories of when I started to actually like coffee.
Anyways, here’s 13 facts about coffee that might surprise you including some health benefits.
Fact #1: It’s an antagonist at the adenosine receptor.
Ok, briefly.
Caffeine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system, producing effects such as increased alertness, reduced fatigue, and improved mood.
Caffeine is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain where it acts as an antagonist to adenosine receptors.
Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep and inhibits wakefulness.
It builds up during the day.
By blocking adenosine receptors, caffeine also increases the activity of other neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which promote wakefulness and arousal.
The effects of caffeine can vary depending on the individual and the amount consumed. In general, low to moderate doses of caffeine (around 100-200 mg) is the sweet spot.
However, higher doses can lead to side effects such as anxiety, jitteriness, and insomnia (as I found out the hard way).
Also caffeine can have different effects on different people. Some individuals may be more sensitive to its effects than others. And regular use of caffeine can lead to tolerance, meaning that higher doses may be needed to produce the same effects over time. Withdrawal from caffeine can also produce symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and irritability.
Fact #2: Did you know that coffee is the second most traded commodity on the planet? (After oil).
Fact #3: Finland is the country with the highest coffee consumption per capita in the world, with an average of 12 kilograms consumed per person each year.
Fact #4: Performance
A review article found that low to moderate coffee intake was associated with better cognitive performance, improved attention, alertness, and reaction time.
Fact #5: Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia by a goat herder in the 1500s who noticed his goats became more energetic after eating coffee cherries.
The rest is history.
Fact #6: Coffee plants can live up to 100 years.
Fact #7: Coffee consumption may reduce the risk of certain cancers.
A meta-analysis of 16 studies with a total sample size of over 1 million men found that higher coffee intake was associated with a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. (Prostate cancer is the 2nd most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK).
Fact #8: The world consumes around 2 billion cups of coffee every day.
Fact #9: Coffee consumption may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
A review that looked at 28 studies with over 1.1 million participants found an inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of diabetes.
Interestingly caffeinated and decaf coffee consumption were both associated with lowered type 2 diabetes risk.
Fact #10: The world's largest coffee producer is Brazil, producing over 2.5 million metric tons of coffee each year.
Fact #11: Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world.
It comes from Indonesia and is made from beans digested from asian civet cats. In other words, it comes from cat shit. It costs around £1000 per kilogram.
Fact #12: Coffee consumption may reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease.
Fact #13: Decaffeinated coffee is not completely caffeine-free; it still contains about 2-5% of the caffeine found in regular coffee.
(NB. Although the studies show associations between coffee consumption and certain health outcomes, they do not necessarily prove causation).
A quote from a great
Caffeine indeed,
Z
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