Coffee, one of the world’s most popular drink, second only to water and tea.

That aside, this

essay mostly talks about general knowledge around coffee.

A. Coffee in General
1. Coffee as a Part of History

Back in the late 6th century, there was a young goat herder named Kaldi in the
province of Kaffa, Ethiopia. According to the legends, he noticed that his flock became
strangely restless after eating the berries and leaves of an unknown plant.

This phenomenon was heard, and after various trials, it was discovered that by
roasting, grinding, and infusing it with water, the seeds of this plant can create a unique
beverage which can help people stay awake.

Word quickly spread throughout town, and it was soon drunk in coffee houses in the
holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Since this plant was incredibly valuable as an export,
Arabian leaders banned the export of fertile beans. Eventually, a man named Baba Budan
smuggled some seeds outside the country, which eventually led to the spreading of this plant
all around the world.

That was the most popular story on how coffee was found, there is of course no way
to know or prove how true this story is, or when it took place. There are other origin tales, but
this one is the most well-known of them all. Although there is no telling whether the story is
true or not, there are some events which were confirmed and written in history.

By the mid 1550’s, coffee houses became commonly found all around Egypt, Syria,
and Ethiopia. During that time, coffee was so prominent that a wife who couldn’t brew coffee
is suitable to be divorced. There were many attempts by Muslim clergy to ban coffee, as they
fear that it may cause people to stray from their religious path, one governor of Mecca even
closed down all the coffee houses he could, but all these attempts failed, and the governor
was executed instead.

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 With the annual visit to Mecca, coffee spread beyond Africa and Arabia, towards
Europe. When coffee reached the Republic of Venice, it spread like wildfire. In 1615, coffee
was sold by street side vendors. Some of the local clergy tried to ban it, calling it the “bitter
invention of Satan”, but it was quickly turned down.

By 1645 and over the next 30 years, coffee became prominent in Italy, Austria,
france, Germany, England, and the rest of Europe. By 1699, Dutch traders had taken coffee to
Java, Indonesia, as a method for large-scale business opportunity. Noticing Dutch’s success,
other nations started doing the same. And by the 1800’s, Brazil became the world’s leading
coffee producer, at one point even producing an astounding 80% of the world’s coffee beans,
followed by Vietnam, Colombia, and Venezuela.

2. Coffee as a Plant

Everyone recognizes coffee beans, the small dark-brown beans that are roasted and
ground to brew coffee. These beans are the seeds of the coffee plant, but not everyone
recognize the plant itself

Coffea is a genus of flowering plants whose seeds are called coffee beans. These
coffee beans are used to make various coffee beverages and products, including coffee
sachets, cosmetic products, and even fertilizers. There are over 120 species of Coffea, but the
two most popular ones are Coffea Arabica (Better known as “Arabica”), which takes up
around 80% of the world’s coffee production, and Coffea canephora (known as “Robusta”),
accounts for about 20%. Most commonly cultivated coffee species grow best at high
elevations, but cannot thrive in freezing temperatures.

When mature, coffee trees may become 30 or more feet tall, and their roots may
extend 1 foot into the soil.

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 Coffee trees can generally be grown in large beds within nurseries, they are frequently
watered and shaded from bright sunlight until they are able to be permanently planted.
Planting is often times done during the wet season, as there are plenty of water, the soil is
moist, and the roots can start to establish itself. Depending on the variety, it may take up to
four years for newly planted coffee trees to bear fruit, though most coffee plants become most
productive between the ages of 7 and 20 with proper pruning and fertilization. Most coffee
trees’ lifespan extends to about 60 years, or 40 if they were cultivated, but there are evidence
that suggest coffee can live up to over 100 years old.

Within 15 weeks of fertilization, coffee plants start producing edible red or purple
‘cherries’ each containing one to two seeds called “Coffee beans”, these seeds are what can
later on be processed into coffee. This means that what we call “coffee beans” are actually
seeds of a cherry-like fruit produced by coffee plants. These cherries can be found in clusters
along the branches of the plant, and as they ripe, their color will turn bright red

Every year, there are usually only one harvest, and the time varies between locations.
Generally, harvest in the north of the equator takes place between September and March,
while the south takes place between April and May. Coffee “cherries” are generally harvested
by hand, either by hand-picking each cherry, or stripping all the cherries off the branch.

To preserve the freshness of the coffee, coffee cherries are immediately processed
soon after they are picked. The coffee cherries can be processed in many ways, one of them
being “wet-processed”. During wet-processing, the layers of skin and pulp that surround the
coffee beans are removed, and the coffee beans are allowed to naturally ferment for around
20 hours. This fermentation breaks down the slimy substance which surrounds the coffee
bean. Once done, the coffee is washed with fresh water to stop the fermentation process.

Another processing method is called “dry-processing”. It is the second most common

way of processing right after “wet-processing”. Coffee cherries are dried along with the fruit
intact, once dry, the fruit and the coffee beans are separated in a pulping machine.

There are also other

processing methods such as
“wine-processing” and “honey-
processing”. There are also
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 variations on approaching the “wet-processing”, namely “Ethiopia-style” and “Burundi-
style”.

Figure 1 Coffea cherries, Bali

3. Coffee as a Bean

A coffee bean is the seed of a coffee plant and also the source of coffee itself. It is the
main ingredient in brewing coffee and creating most coffee-related products. Coffee beans
aren’t actually beans, they’re seeds; they are referred to as beans because of their
resemblance to actual beans, which also means that if they aren’t processed, coffee beans can
be planted and they can become coffee trees.

Just like many agricultural

products, coffee is perishable; freshly
roasted coffee beans can last for two or
three weeks while retaining its flavor.
Even though they’re no longer fresh
after three weeks, coffee is still safe to
drink for around 6 months, assuming
it’s kept in a cool, dry place.

Figure 2 Coffee Beans

It is also important to note that the temperature in which coffee is kept in won’t
prolong the duration of its freshness, and may even cause the coffee to spoil, coffee becomes
stale as the beans release gases containing compounds, which means storing it in a fridge
won’t do anything at best. But you don’t have to drink old coffee, coffee beans can be used
for many other things, such as making coffee ice cream with them, or use them to bake cakes,
or even as air fresheners.

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 Coffee plants are grown all around the world, where oils and fats that determine the
bean’s aroma and varying altitude, sunshine, temperature, humidity, soil, and even the
processing method differs greatly between each region, the harvested beans in turn may taste
and smell differently from each geographical area. As a result, some coffee beans may have a
stronger aroma and flavor, some may not even have any smell or flavor.

When purchasing coffee beans, it is recommended to buy whole beans rather than pre-
ground coffee, even though pre-ground coffee just seems more convenient, air is the enemy
of flavorful, aromatic coffee, the oxidation process becomes accelerated once the bean shell
is cracked and ground, which means the flavor will become mild more quickly. The closer to
brewing you grind, the fresher and more flavorful your cup of coffee is.

4. Coffee as a Drink

For most people, hearing the word “coffee” creates an image of a drink – maybe
black, or light brown filtered coffee, complemented with milk, whipped creams or even
syrup, served hot or cold. It’s a unique beverage full of complex flavors and aromas, and lots
of people love it!

Over the years, coffee has grown steadily in popularity, as sachet and instant coffee
hit the market, many people are starting to get addicted to this flavorful beverage. And even
now, coffee-brewing competitions are held all around the world, such as the World Latte Art
Championship, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, World Cup Tasters
Championship, and The World Brewers Cup competition.

Coffee can be drunk by most people, though there are certain restrictions, kids below
the age of 12 have enough energy as they are without the help of coffee, so it is best to avoid
giving them coffee at all. Coffee is not something you can drink at any time, unlike water,
coffee contains caffeine, which, while it can be considered a type of drug, it can also cause
certain effects on the drinker.

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 Most coffee researchers suggest that coffee is best drank in the late morning or
afternoon; as long as it’s at least 6 hours before bedtime. Coffee can be drunk at home, at
work, at cafés; just about anywhere.

Despite being one of the top coffee producing countries in the world, Indonesia
doesn’t come anywhere near the top 10 coffee-drinking countries. Brazil, being the world’s
largest coffee-producing country, is responsible for around one-third of the world’s coffee
production.

According to The British Coffee Association, coffee-lovers around the globe consume
a staggering two billion cups of coffee every single day, and despite being one of the top
coffee-exporting country in the world, Indonesia isn’t one of the top coffee-consumers.

Figure 3 Top coffee-producing countries 2017-2018 Figure 4 Top coffee drinking countries 2016

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 5. Coffee as an art

With a cup of coffee and a creative mind, you can create coffee art. Most commonly
known as “Latte art”, it is a method of preparing coffee created by “drawing” on the surface
of the coffee using cream, milk foam, or others. The term is not limited to latte only, it is also
applied for other drinks such as cappuccino or hot chocolate.

Latte art is difficult to create, and even more so to be consistent at. It is limited to
experienced baristas, but the result is beautiful and satisfying

There are two main styles of latte art: Free-pouring, which is more common in
American cafés, and Etching. With the free pouring style, milk is poured straight into the cup
as the barista handles the cup around to create a pattern on it. While with the etching style,
patterns are created using a tool. There are many pattern, from the more common ones such
as the heart shape and fern, to the advanced ones such as the tulip, wave heart, and swan.

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 Recently, 3D coffee art started showing
up in many cafés, and people all over the
internet has also posted their own work.
If you are interested, there are many
tutorials on the internet to help you with
customizing your own 3D coffee art.

Though latte art is a respected and

beautiful culture, it has led to some
people creating coffee solely for its
superficial looks, unfortunately, this has
caused many controversies as they start to
neglect the coffee’s taste in favor of
looks.

B. Coffee Types and Variations

As coffee is a drink with many possible combinations and blends, coffee is often
times subject to people’s creative minds, from adding milk, to coconut milk and even
chocolate syrup, and also considering the ration between coffee and its complements, there
are endless possibilities.

There are many notable coffee drinks in this world, from cappuccino, latte,
americano, with most of them having multiple names, for example, the Espresso is also called
the Short Black, and the Double Espresso is also called the Doppio, and the list goes on. If
like most people, you are foreign to the world of fancy-coffee-drinks, then you most likely
won’t know the difference between most of these combination varieties of coffee drinks.

If you are a big fan of coffee drinks, then it is definitely important to know about
these different coffee blends, as many café menus won’t explain what the coffee you ordered
contains or how it’s made.

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 Figure 5 Many different coffee combinations

The typical distinguishing characteristics between many coffee drinks are the ratio of
espresso, water and milk, and whether syrup, chocolate, or whipped cream were added, and
also the time span and temperature in which the coffee beans are roasted. Additionally, there
are special types of coffee beans such as luwak coffee which is known to be one of the most
expensive coffee in the world.

The most popular types of coffee shop drinks include: Americano, Cappuccino,
Mocha, Café au Lait, Espresso, Latte, and the Macchiato.

The Americano, or Caffe Americano, or “Long Black” is made with one or two shots
of espresso with hot water added. The Cappuccino is a 1:1:1 ratio of espresso, steamed milk,
and milk foam. The Mocha is espresso with steamed milk and chocolate syrup and topped
with whipped cream. The Café au lait is half coffee and half steamed milk. The espresso,
which is used in many other blends, is coffee brewed with a small amount of nearly boiling
water. A Latte, also known as Café Latte is espresso with steamed milk, and topped off with a
small amount of milk foam. Macchiato is double shots of espresso with milk foam on top.

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 Of course there are also many other types, including but not limited to: Affogato,
Bicerin, Breve, Café Bombon, Café Crema, Café mélange, Frappucino, Irish coffee, Liqueur
coffee, Jamaican coffee, Russian coffee, Australian coffee, Kopi Tubruk, Turkish coffee,
Vienna coffee, and Yuanyang coffee.

Figure 6 UK's favoutire coffee drinks 2018

Coffee drinks aren’t all about fancy drinks, though; the typical
home-brewed or instant coffee can be just as enjoyable too, they’re also
usually healthier as coffee from cafés typically put in lots of, which can cause many sugar-
overdose related symptoms.

For people who are sensitive to caffeine, there is also something called decaf coffee,
or decaffeinated coffee. It may sound like it contains no caffeine at all, but in reality,
decaffeinated coffee is not completely caffeine-free, the coffee beans are repeatedly washed
in solvents to remove around 97% of the caffeine before roasting, so despite not being
completely caffeine-free, the amount of caffeine is nearly insignificant. It’s nutritional value
should be nearly identical to regular coffee, but the taste and smell may have less of an
impact. This makes decaffeinated coffee more enjoyable to those who does not like the bitter
taste and smell of the typical coffee.

It is also worth mentioning that there are benefits of regular coffee which cannot be
achieved by decaffeinated coffee, which are mostly the effects of caffeine itself, which

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includes: improved mood and reaction time, enhanced athletic performance, lowered risk of
liver damage.

C. Coffee and its Effects

The effects of coffee to the human body can be a controversial topic. On one hand,
researchers have time and time again proven the benefits of coffee towards people such as
prolonging life and protecting against many diseases. But on the other hand, people have
continuously reported that consuming coffee has caused them to suffer from anxiety, loss of
sleep, and withdrawal symptoms.

In a way, one cannot simply say that coffee is all good or all bad. Like just about
everything in this world, there are both good and bad sides, it is up to you to decide on how to
approach them.

i. Coffee and its Benefits

Starting with the benefits, coffee is known to contain some essential nutrients
and is also extremely high in antioxidants. Including vitamin B2, B5, B1, B3, Folate,
Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium, and Phosphorus. While each of these nutrients
only count up to 11% of the daily value, drinking multiple cups per day can turn this
small number into a significant portion of the daily nutrient intake. But coffee really
shines in its rich antioxidants, in fact, a research in U.S. found out that the typical
western diet provides more antioxidants from coffee than fruits or vegetables
combined. This antioxidant is a substance that reduces oxidative damage, and can
help reduce risks of many diseases, one of them being alzheimer’s disease

Coffee contains caffeine, which can be beneficial to the drinker, but can also
cause problems. Caffeine is a stimulant – it can enhance brain function, boost
metabolism, improve mood, and even improve reaction time. However, these effects

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are likely short-term, if you drink coffee daily, you will slowly build up a tolerance
towards caffeine, which results in less powerful effects. Once you have a tolerance
built, you can stop drinking coffee for a few days, and the effect will return once you
start drinking again.

Coffee may protect the drinker from alzheimer’s and parkinson’s disease, both
of which are two of the world’s most common neurodegenerative disease, these
diseases cannot spread, but it cannot be cured, which makes prevention all the more
important.

Additionally, coffee also lessens the risk of type 2 diabetes, liver, and heart
diseases to its drinkers. A Harvard study from 2011 have also shown that coffee
drinkers had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed.

Some studies have shown that coffee drinkers actually live longer, though it is
a given as coffee in itself can lower the risk of many common yet deadly diseases. It
has also been noted that coffee drinkers have lower suicide rates, but this is purely
observational and doesn’t hold any scientific proof, however, there are also some
research which suggest otherwise.

ii. Coffee and its Risks

One of the most common negative effect about consuming coffee is its sleep
disruption, since it contains caffeine, consuming too much of it can lead to a feeling
of irritability, fast heartbeat, anxiety, and even tremors, most of the symptoms involve
the brain and digestive system. Hence why it isn’t recommended to drink coffee 6
hours before bedtime, as it can lead to feeling tired from lack of sleep, or even the
disruption of the body clock’s function

If drinking coffee is reducing your sleep quality, then you should try avoiding
drinking coffee at least 6 hours before sleep, and if the drinker is sensitive to caffeine
and tends to become overstimulated, then they may want to avoid coffee altogether, as
sleep is an important part of the human body; a lack of sleep may cause death, but a
lack of coffee won’t.

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 There is a misconception that if you drink coffee, you can reduce your body’s
need for sleep. This, however, is simply not true, while it does keep you awake, your
body still needs that sleep, and you will still suffer from symptoms of lack-of-sleep.

Caffeine is no doubt addictive, it is considered a type of drug. If someone is

already addicted to consuming coffee, missing a few cups may lead to an
uncomfortable feeling and withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, exhaustion, and
irritability, which may last for a few days. It doesn’t end there, caffeine overdose may
also cause severe symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, irregular
heartbeats, trouble breathing, and even shock or death, and since it’s addictive, it
becomes difficult to refrain from consuming more.

This may not be as well-known as other symptoms, but coffee can block the
absorption of certain minerals, including iron. This can obviously cause a problem of
the digestive system, but even more than that, coffee can suppress one’s appetite. If
you choose to drink coffee instead of eating a well-balanced meal, you can end up
with indigestion, nutrient deficiencies and an upset stomach. This is also a good
reason to not give coffee to minors, as it may obstruct many of the nutrients needed
for young kids to grow.

Caffeine consumption may raise blood pressure, especially in those who are
already diagnosed with hypertension and those who aren’t used to consuming coffee.

In a 2013 study conducted on mice, Australian researchers found that drinking

more than 5 or 6 cups of caffeinated coffee a day increased the risk of their metabolic
system and can eventually lead to weight gain.

Another study also found out that young adults who were diagnosed with mild
hypertension had 4 times the risk of heart attack if they consumed caffeine equivalent
to 4 cups of coffee.

If you experience any of the symptoms above, then it is time to cut back on
your coffee intake, so as to prevent further risks and harm.

Most of the disadvantages of drinking coffee largely relies on the individual

themselves, some of these effects don’t apply to those who are already used to

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 drinking coffee. Some people can drink up to 10 cups without experiencing any sort
of issue, but some can take half a cup and become hyper. Of course, since most of the
effects stem from caffeine itself, one can simply opt for decaffeinated coffee to avoid
the risks entirely. All in all, it is best to consume coffee in moderation, so as not to
overdose it and cause problems.

D. Coffee and its Dosage

Watch the amount of coffee you drink, it is important. Since there are no set rules on how
much coffee you should or should not drink – it all depends on the person drinking it. In
regards to that, it is important to know that overdosing may potentially create health risks –
We don’t want that.

An important thing to note is how much caffeine are in each cup of coffee. As a general
rule, you can assume that an average 8 ounce cup of coffee contains around 100 mg of
caffeine, while each cup of coffee are typically made with two tablespoon of ground coffee.
Several sources suggest that 400 mg of caffeine, or 4 cups of coffee, are the safe upper limit
for most healthy adults. Though many people can drink much more without any issues.

Joe Vinson, Ph.D., lead author of a study about coffee being the number one source of
antioxidants in the U.S., emphasized moderation, stating that one or two cups a day appear to
be beneficial.

Coffee is also something you can nicely add to your weight-loss diet. When you’re
dieting, drink your coffee black and avoid going for sweetened coffee beverages so as to not
add to your daily calorie intake in order to effectively lose weight. While black coffee is very
low in calories, espressos, powder mix mochas, or even specialty coffee made with syrup or
milk can contain hundreds of calories. These should be limited or better yet, avoided entirely
in a weight-loss diet.

One study, published in PLos One in 2013, found that cyclists who drank coffee or took
caffeine one hour before exercising were able to cycle faster and had more endurance than
those who didn’t. This means that drinking coffee will support your exercise routine so you

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can burn more calories, combine this with your weight-loss diet, and voila! A good method
on losing weight.

Of course, this goes without saying but, people who are suffering from anxiety issues,
high blood pressure, or insomnia, and also especially pregnant women should most definitely
avoid or severely limit coffee consumption as it can lead to many complications.

E. Closing Statement

At the end, for people who are already enjoying coffee, there is very little evidence of harm
and plenty of evidence of benefit. Though some researches state that 4-5 cups per day may be
optimal, many can tolerate more without any issues, Most of them stress out at the end of
their research that “Moderation is key.”. Due to coffee’s unique nature, it is a heavenly drink
to some people, yet it is poison to others, what decides this entirely relies on the individual’s
tolerance towards coffee and caffeine.

Though, you should still watch how much coffee you drink, if you do not drink
enough coffee, you won’t get the benefits effectively, but if you drink too much, it may
present health risks. Even if you’re used to drinking coffee or has built up a tolerance against
caffeine, there may be other risks we are unaware of.

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