Happy International Coffee Day!

By Shannon Ostrowsky, Markets Media Life Correspondent

Oh, coffee. Mornings, all-nighters, and life in general would not be the same without you. We love coffee so much, that September 29 is officially marked as International Coffee Day in select countries around the world. It is also a day to promote fair trade coffee and to raise awareness for the plight of coffee growers.

As much as we would like to deny that the world revolves around coffee (some, myself included, literally can’t function without it), it really does play a generous role in our lives. One of the very first things we do when we wake up is get the Keurig going, the only thing motivating us to get to work on a Monday when we are already thinking about Friday. The smell soothes the soul, and the very first sip sends an immediate, welcoming reaction throughout the body. It grounds us, revitalizes us, and comforts us all at the same time.

Since we can’t get enough of the stuff, knowing a thing or two about coffee can make your day just a little better. As if coffee can’t do that alone.

1. It was originally regarded that coffee was seen as a brain tonic or as a way to stimulate religious beliefs in Yemen and Arabia.
2. More than 500 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year.
3. The Dutch were the first Europeans to enter the coffee trade.
4. One third of the tap water used for drinking in North America is used to brew daily cups of coffee.
5. Studies show that men who drink six or more cups of coffee daily decrease their risk of developing prostate cancer by 20%.
6. Starbucks offers over 87,000 possible drink combinations.
7. The coffee bean is actually a seed inside a bright red berry.
8. Finland drinks the most coffee per capita in the world.
9. New Yorkers drink almost seven times more coffee than other cities in the U.S.
10. The best time to drink coffee is between 1:45 p.m. and 2 p.m. when energy levels are at their lowest.
11. In Africa, many people will soak raw coffee beans in water and spices and then chew on them as a caffeinated treat.
12. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world.
13. The antioxidants in coffee are the reason for its bitterness.
14. Starbucks opens two or three stores daily.
15. It takes about 30 to 60 minutes for caffeine to reach its peak in the blood.
16. Energy drinks have less caffeine than coffee.
17. Dark roasts have less caffeine than lighter ones.
18. Drinking coffee can help you burn fat (yay!).
19. All the coffee grown on the planet is from an area called “The Coffee Belt.”
20. People who drink four cups of coffee a day are 80% less likely to develop cirrhosis, a condition that develops from several diseases affecting the liver.

Sources:

http://facts.randomhistory.com/coffee-facts.html

http://www.thecultureist.com/2013/10/23/35-unusual-facts-about-coffee/

http://www.healthcracker.com/4-weird-facts-you-didnt-know-about-drinking-coffee/

http://coffeemagazine.com/10-weird-coffee-facts/

http://www.livescience.com/2536-10-coffee.html

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/10-surprising-facts-about-caffeine/slide/10

http://news.distractify.com/people/amazing/reasons-why-you-should-be-drinking-coffee-right-now/

Feature image via Dollar Photo Club