Pulling off the road, drinking a cup or two of hot coffee and napping or sleeping for 15 minutes could just help you tackle the highway traffic better. Coffee contains caffeine, which is considered a stimulant. For years, coffee has been one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world. Its consumption equals to almost one-third the consumption of the tap water in North America and Europe.

Coffee is also one of the most complex foods, both in taste and its chemical composition. Coffee has more then 850 components in it. However, many coffee chemical components are undesirable on their own but when combined, they give coffee the great taste which we have come to adore.

Though, today US is one of the leading consumer of coffee, it was not always like that. Initially, when coffee had reached the American colonies, it was initially not as successful as it had been in Europe, as colonists found it to be a poor substitute for alcohol. However, during the Revolutionary War, the demand for coffee increased to such an extent that dealers had to hoard their scarce supplies of it and thus the prices of coffee also increased dramatically; part of this was due to the reduced availability of tea from British merchants. Americans’ taste for coffee grew during the early nineteenth century, following the War of 1812, which had temporarily cut off access to tea imports and today, as we all know America is the leading coffee consuming country after Europe.

Coffee and your health

There has also been a fear that excessive drinking of coffee is not good for health. Recent studies show, however, a different result. There is no conclusive evidence that caffeine or coffee is a risk factor for the development of human cancer (as earlier feared). Although, recent studies suggest that coffee drinking may be protective against the development of certain cancers, though more research is required to substantiate this conclusion. There is growing evidence that suggests that drinking coffee may be protective against the development to type-2 diabetes. Coffee contains antioxidants that help control the cell damage that can contribute to the development of this disease.

Caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic that increases the frequency, or the number of times, that we need to pass water, but caffeine does not have a substantial impact on the amount of water passed and therefore moderate consumption of coffee should not result in dehydration. Furthermore, recent studies even suggest that drinking 6 cups of coffee a day might be healthier for you.

Some important terms related to coffee

Acidity: A measure of the acid content of the liquid; in fine coffee acidity results in a pleasant sharpness.

Aroma: The smell released from brewed coffee. The smell of coffee grounds is referred to as the Bouquet. Unusually aromatic coffee is also referred to as earthly coffee.

Bitter: The taste perceived at the back of your tongue. Dark roasts are intentionally bitter. Over-extraction can also cause bitterness.

Tone: The appearance or the color of the coffee.

Coffee- Quality and various types

One of the most important aspects of coffee involves its quality, due to the complexities of what defines a quality cup of coffee; there is no set standard within the industry. Coffee does not fall into categories of good and bad. There are various types of coffees available. Few of them are:

Green Mountain coffee

Kona coffee

Irish coffee

Folgers coffee

These are just a few different types of coffees grown/ made in different parts of the world. You can also have your coffee in different flavors like roasted, vanilla, hazelnut etc.