Coffee: a Cup of History

Coffee has been used as a kind of social glue for many years now. It's a drink enjoyed by many cultures, enjoyed at home before breakfast and enjoyed without food as long as there's a good conversation. It is the reason for the spread of stores like Starbucks, a Seattle-based company that made espresso popular to the rest of the United States and the world. It is not unusual in Seattle to see more than a few espresso shops within walking distance of each other.

Coffee is thought to have originated and is indigenous to the country of Ethiopia. There are two types of coffee bean that are found there, Coffee Arabica and Coffee Robusta. The difference is that the robusta strain tends to be more bitter. This is actually very good for a shot of espresso, producing better foam and lowering the cost of the drink. Other places where coffee beans are grown are in Latin America, Arabia and in Asia. Different beans from different countries usually have distinct flavors from each other. This isn't because they grow in various places but it is the way that they are grown which makes for the difference.

It is strange to know that what you usually have for breakfast to wake you up has played an important role in many places around the world. In Africa and Yemen, coffee was used in religious rituals and was actually on the verge of being banned as a substance that was as intoxicating as wine. In Turkey, it was banned completely at some point and punishment for its consumption included the death penalty!

Medically, coffee has been speculated to be a therapeutic drink for people who suffer from a range of diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Of course, this is not 100% proven and not much is even known of the risks of drinking coffee, let alone how it is beneficial. There have been findings that it does help in the reduction of certain types of diabetes but it is something that has yet to be medically explained.

What is well-known about the drink is that it is a rich source of caffeine, which stimulates the body. Heart rates, blood pressure, and blood flow to the muscles are increased by drinking it and it also decreases blood flow to the skin and other organs. A chemical known as Dopamine is also increased. Dopamine is a chemical that is naturally produced by the body. It has many functions vital to the brain. It is thought that the chemical provides a kind of signal that allows the brain to acquire new behaviors and motor sequences.

This is one of the reasons why people love to drink coffee. The caffeine stimulates many parts of the body and helps to keep them energized and awake. It is very helpful in that it helps to reduce grogginess and it also helps get rid of fatigue. People will sometimes eat something along with a cup of hot coffee but even as a snack, the coffee is the main focus rather than what is being eaten.