Whole Coffee and Gourmet Coffee Beans.

Coffee beans form the base that gives you the intoxicating Coffee drink. 

They have a rich aroma and a delicious flavor. Standard beans have diversified into whole coffee and gourmet beans.

It gives you one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages. Arabica and Robusta are the most popular beans. These are now ground into Capsules and exotic powders. People give them fancy names like Jamaican Blue Mountain, Hawaiian Kona and the New York coffee beans.

Most beans are grown in Brazil. South America leads with 45% of all coffee exports. It grows on ‘Coffea’ which is the name of a flowering plant. This produces seeds better known as the coffee beans. 

Coffee is a valuable commodity crop in most places. It contributes to many species of coffee available around the world. History has it that in the 15^th century Arabica first spread to Africa. By 16^th century it had reached the middle east. These beans which make up 80% of all coffee next became popular in Italy. Rest of Europe followed.

Coffee plants were first transported by the Dutch to America. It is now widely consumed all over.

Coffee beans have Caffeine which is a widely used psychoactive drug. It has both positive and negative health effects. The pro is that when ingested, it prevents a feeling of drowsiness. It is also good protection against Parkinson’s disease. These tiny beans can also serve to ward off cancer.

Certain cardiovascular diseases are avoided with a good cup of coffee. It improves endurance in people. It also aids performance in athletes by giving them an energy boost. But its intake during pregnancy should be limited. Roasting reduces the caffeine content overall. Dark roasted beans have less caffeine as compared to lighter roasted ones. Roasting the beans enhances the coffee flavor.

It grows on shrubs or small trees in coffee plantations all over. The beans can ripen in 9 months. They grow between white scented flowers. Extra water is required till the beans ripen. Lesser water is needed towards the end. The beans are grown in the shade for a better yield. Though cultivators argue that some unshaded varieties are better with fertilizers.

Having strong coffee before sleeping can give you Insomnia. You might get plagued by disturbed patterns of sleep. But leaving coffee suddenly can make you more irritable. You might get restless or suffer a caffeine crash. These are withdrawal symptoms. So a small coffee bean can do a lot.

Bean varieties that take longer to ripe taste better. They develop more complex tastier flavors. Coffee beans are vacuum packed to prevent oxidation. This lengthens the shelf life. It also inhibits any bacterial growth. Certain coffee plants have a life of 3-5 years only. Others can live up to 100 years.

Used coffee grounds are a coffee waste product. Starbucks and Ground to Ground are two players that are popular for making an effort to recycle. The former gives a customer a free bag of used coffee grounds. This is a gardening boost for budding gardeners. Ground to Ground has a website with tips on garden composting. It highlights the environmental benefit of recycling the grounds.

Coffee beans support biodiversity. They offer greater economic benefit to coffee farmers. People relish their great taste.

No wonder these beans are the world’s largest legal agricultural export.