15 Captivating Truths About Coffee

Coffee: It's the morning essential you can't live without, but how deep is your knowledge about this energizing drink? Dive in and discover more.

1. Coffee was first consumed by chewing.

While sipping is the modern way to enjoy coffee, it wasn't always a drink. Historians reveal that ancient African tribes would grind coffee berries, mix them with animal fat, and shape them into small, energizing snacks.

2. Decaf coffee consumption supports the soda industry.

Once coffee beans are stripped of caffeine, many producers sell the extracted caffeine to soft drink and pharmaceutical industries.

3. Instant coffee has existed for almost 250 years.

Instant coffee has a long history, first emerging in England back in 1771. However, it wasn't until 1910, 139 years later, that the first commercially produced instant coffee was launched and patented in the United States.

4. Americans typically spend around $2000 annually on coffee.

As reported by The Perfect Brew, women spend roughly $2327 per year on coffee, while men spend slightly less, averaging about $1,934 annually. Despite these high expenditures, the U.S. doesn't hold the title of the most caffeinated nation...

5. Finland reigns as the global coffee hub.

Despite not growing any coffee beans domestically, Finns consume more coffee than anyone else. On average, a Finn drinks about 4 cups daily—

6. Beethoven was a barista's ultimate challenge.

Beethoven was a coffee enthusiast with a precise demand: every cup he drank had to be brewed using precisely 60 beans.

7. Coffee beans funded Brazilian athletes' journey to the 1932 Olympics.

In 1932, Brazil faced financial constraints in sending its athletes to the Los Angeles Olympics. To overcome this, they filled their ship with coffee and sold it during their journey.

8. Coffee has faced multiple efforts to be completely banned.

Even in the 18th century, authorities sought to eliminate coffee, citing reasons like its ability to encourage “radical ideas.” Sweden went as far as banning not just coffee but also its accessories, such as cups and saucers, in 1746.

9. Coffee might help your cat live longer.

It might be a fluke, but the Guinness World Record for “Oldest Cat Ever” was held by a 38-year-old feline named Creme Puff, who enjoyed a daily cup of coffee throughout her life, along with bacon, eggs, and broccoli. Interestingly, the previous record-holder, a 34-year-old cat named Grandpa Rex Allen, shared the same owner and diet.

10. Women in the 17th century believed coffee was transforming their men into “lifeless bodies.”

In 1674, the Women’s Petition Against Coffee argued that the drink was reducing British men to “lifeless bodies” and suggested prohibiting it for anyone under 60.

11. Chock Full o'Nuts coffee doesn’t contain any nuts at all.

The brand’s name originates from a series of nut stores that the founder eventually transformed into coffee shops. Despite its potential confusion, the name remained unchanged.

12. The globe’s priciest coffee is sourced from animal feces.

Kopi Luwak, among the most expensive coffees globally, derives its high cost from an unusual production process: digestion. In Indonesia, the Asian palm civet, a small weasel-like creature, consumes ripe coffee cherries but cannot fully digest the beans. These beans are excreted, collected by farmers, cleaned, and sold for up to $600 per pound.

13. The first webcam ever created was used to monitor a coffee pot.

While not exactly thrilling, it enabled Cambridge researchers to check the coffee status in the Trojan Room without leaving their desks. After the webcam experiment ended, the non-functional Krups ProAroma pot, typically worth around $50, was auctioned on eBay and sold for nearly $5000.

14. Consuming 70 cups of coffee could be fatal for a 150-pound individual.

Excess of anything can be harmful—even your beloved personalized coffee drink. According to a AsapSCIENCE video, roughly 70 cups of coffee would be lethal for someone weighing about 150 pounds.

15. A Starbucks is located inside CIA headquarters.

Dubbed “Stealthy Starbucks” by some CIA officers, the Langley, Virginia, branch is far from ordinary. Employees here undergo rigorous background checks and are required to have a CIA escort at all times. On the bright side, they don’t need to write down or call out customer names!