Origin: Coffee’s history dates back to the 15th century. It is believed to be originated in Ethiopia. The native (undomesticated) origin of coffee is thought to have been Ethiopia. The evidence shows the use of coffee for drinking by the people of Yemen. It was very popular in Yemen, Mecca, and Cairo. By the 16th century, it had reached the entire Middle East, South India (Karnataka), Persia, Turkey, the Horn of Africa, and northern Africa. Later, it spread to Europe countries.
Scientifically: Coffee is a brewed beverage made from roasted coffee beans. These are the seeds of berries from certain Coffea species. The genus Coffea natively belongs to tropical Africa (specifically having its origin in Ethiopia and Sudan) and Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, and Réunionin the Indian Ocean. Coffee is now cultivated in over 70 countries across the world. It is primarily cultivated more in the equatorial regions of the Americas, Southeast Asia, Indian subcontinent, and Africa. The two most commonly grown coffees are Coffee Arabica and Coffee Robusta. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. Dried coffee seeds also known as beans are then roasted to varying degrees of temperature to get the desired coffee. These roasted beans are then ground and brewed with boiling water to make the beverage. Unroasted green coffee beans are one of the most traded agricultural items.
The beverage Coffee is dark in color, bitter in taste, slightly acidic in nature. Coffee is a great stimulant because of caffeine content. Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. It is made in different forms and is highly consumed in different parts of the world. It is prepared in different styles like cappuccino, café latte, flat white, etc. It is mostly served hot. Studies have shown that the consumption of coffee is good for health and lowers risk of heart diseases.
Usage: Apart from being a delicious beverage, the coffee has numerous benefits and uses. The polyphenols in coffee and tea have been shown to reduce the threat of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Coffee is high in antioxidants, which help neutralize free radicals that can cause degradation to cells (associated with premature aging) and reduce the risk of cancer.
Coffee also contributes to the weight loss process and boosts the immune system. This popular beverage has many uses in the kitchen, home, and garden. Coffee works excellent as a fertilizer for the plants. It is also a great compost, to improve the health of your plants.
Coffee also helps in neutralizing odor. The coarse particles in coffee grounds work as an exfoliating agent to help remove dirt and dead cells from the skin. It also helps in reducing the appearance of cellulite. Coffee also helps in stimulating hair growth by exfoliating the scalp. It is used as one of the main ingredients in cosmetics today.
Below are some DIYs with coffee grounds:
- Take 1 tablespoon of coffee grounds, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and some olive oil. Mix them together and apply on the face and neck. Gently massage and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse off with scrubbing motion. This helps in removing dead skin.
- Take a tablespoon of coffee and a teaspoon of coconut oil. Mix and apply this paste on the eyes carefully. Leave it on for 5 minutes and then rinse. This helps in reducing the puffiness of the eyes.
- Take a teaspoon of coffee, add a pinch of turmeric with 2-3 strands of saffron to it. Add some milk to make a thick paste. Mix and apply this paste on the face. Leave it on for 10 minutes and then rinse. This is a great skin brightening mask.
- Take a small amount of coffee grounds with a dab coconut oil. Mix and massage the mixture gently over the lips and then rinse.
- Take a teaspoon of coffee powder and add some honey to it. Mix and apply on the face. This mask makes our skin glowing and smooth.