6 Little Known Facts About Coffee by Dan Linstroth

1 of 8

Slide Notes

Presentation produced by Kindly Coffee. http://kindlycoffee.com/

Between 2.25 and 4 billion cups of coffee are consumed on a daily basis worldwide every day. Many consumers may not be aware of the history of our obsession with coffee or the impact of the beverage that many of us rely on to power through the day.

You might be surprised to learn that more water is needed to produce a single liter of coffee than a liter of wine or that coffee is historically the second most commonly traded commodity on earth, second only to crude oil.

All across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, people grow coffee. In these tropical countries, growing and exporting green coffee is a pillar of the economy. Exports of green coffee globally are worth $15 billion a year.

To these people, coffee is more than a drink.

In the US, far away from where this sacred fruit - yes, a fruit - is cultivated and where 83% of adults drink coffee, little is known of the origin of coffee and what goes into its production. Just to get started, here are 6 little known facts most coffee drinkers don't know.

6 Little Known Facts About Coffee

Published on Nov 18, 2015

Kindly Coffee is uncovering and sharing little known facts about coffee. Come along for the journey!

View Outline

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

6 Little KNown Facts about Coffee

Psst: Most coffee drinkers don't know these

Photo by anieto2k

1,120 Liters of water

are needed to produce just 1 liter of drinkable coffee

1,120 liters of water are used to produce just one liter of drinkable coffee, once growing the beans, packaging and so on are measured. Only 120 liters go into making the same amount of tea. Thousands of liters of water go into making things like leather shoes, hamburgers, and microchips too.

Source: Thirsty Work, The Economist. February 25, 2009.

Photo by Theen ...

"Coffee" Entered English in 1582

But the legend begins in 14th Century Ethiopia

The word "coffee" entered English in 1582 from the Dutch word koffie, which was borrowed from the Turkish word kahve, which came from Arabic qahwa, short for qahhwat al-bun, 'wine of the bean.' Legend has it that the first discovery of coffee came in 14th century Ethiopia, when farmers watched their goats begin to dance after eating the berries.

Source: History of Coffee, Wikipedia.

Photo by dave watts

Coffee is Healthy

2+ cups/day reduces risk of Type II Diabetes by 12%

Coffee has long been linked to cigarette smoking. As a result, it has gotten a bad health rap since the 1970s. As recently as November, 2013, new research indicates that drinking 2 or more cups of coffee a day can decrease your risk of Type II diabetes by as much as 12 percent. Recent studies have also found that regular coffee drinkers have lower risk of depression and Alzheimer's too.

Source: How Coffee, Citrus and Nuts Help Cut The Risk Of Diabetes, The Economist. November 15, 2013.

Photo by marc falardeau

The Bean Belt

region of the world produces all of our coffee

You may have heard of the Sun Belt, which stretches across the South and Southwest of the US, but what about the Bean Belt? From its origin in Africa, coffee growing stretched east and west, generally staying between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, forming what is now known as the Bean Belt. Steady temperatures, moderate sunshine and rain, and rich, porous soil make this region especially perfect for cultivating coffee berries. All of the world's coffee comes from this region, but certainly not all is created equal.

Source: Major Coffee Producers, National Geographic Coffee Map.

Photo by Justin Ornellas

2nd most traded commodity

Only crude oil is traded more than coffee

Second only to crude oil, coffee is historically the second most commonly traded commodity on earth. With estimates ranging between 2.25 and 4 billion cups of coffee consumed globally a day, it is not so surprising. The US consumes the most coffee in the world by volume. Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands are the world's top coffee drinkers per capita.

Sources: What are the most commonly traded commodities, InvestorGuide. List of coffee consumption per capita by country, Wikipedia.

Photo by DFID - UK Department for International Development

Coffee is a Fruit

Coffee beans, or seeds, come from inside of a berry

Coffee bean, or seed, comes from the inside of "berry," which makes it a fruit. These coffee berries grow on a species of evergreen shrubs. Typically, a coffee producing tree can grow as tall as 30 feet high, but growers keep them at 10 feet for easy cultivation.

Sources: Coffee, Wikipedia.

Photo by mrxstitch

Kindly Coffee

Thank you for viewing our presentation.

The world of coffee is vast, intense and powerful. More than a drink, coffee connects us to far corners of the earth and fuels creativity. All across the world, coffee consumption is on the rise. More people are brewing coffee at home and as we continue to learn more about its history and impact on the world, can become smarter about how it is cultivated, shipped and consumed.

Thank you for viewing this presentation. If you would like to learn more about coffee, please join our newsletter here: http://kindlycoffee.com/