2. Coffee is a caffeine-containing black drink that is made from
roasted and ground coffee beans.
Coffee beans are the fruit of the Rubiaceae family, the Coffea
genus, with two more varieties: Coffea arabica and Coffea robusta
(Coffea canephora). Coffea arabica provides the finest flavors, while the
robust Coffea is bitter and less fragrant. The quality of the coffee is
influenced by the place of cultivation, storage and coffee bean process.
3. Etymology
The name originated from the Koffe region of the Ethiopian
Plateau, where coffee plants were first discovered and then introduced
into the Arab world. Coffee [kafe, kafeː] is pronounced in Turkish
kahve. The word coffee appeared in English through the German word
Koffie in 1598.
Coffee is produced in more than 50 countries around the globe,
with Brazil, followed by Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia and Mexico.
4. Cultivation
The traditional method of planting coffee is to place 20
seeds in each hole at the beginning of the rainy season. With this
method, about 50% of the seed potential is lost, about half of
them fail to sprout. A more efficient coffee breeding method is
used in Brazil, ie the growth of seedlings in nurseries, which are
then planted outside after six to twelve months. Coffee is often
grown intertwined with food crops, such as corn, beans, or rice,
in the early years of cultivation, so farmers can get acquainted
with its requirements.
5. Ecological effects
Initially, the cultivation of the coffee was made
in the shade of the trees that offered a habitat for
many animals and insects.
This method is known as traditional shade or
"shadow growth". Since the 1970s, many farmers
have turned to their own methods of sunflower
production, where coffee is grown in rows under full
sunshine, shaded little by little or not at all. This
causes coffee beans to bake faster and shrubs produce
at higher yields, but requires grubbing up trees and
increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, which
damages the environment and causes health
problems.
6. Processing
• Wet method: Wet coffee is obtained by the wet
method. The trade name of the washed coffee
is "milds".
Coffee beans are placed in special water basins where the
pulp surrounding the beans is removed.
Coffee beans are then introduced into special tanks
where, after fermentation processes lasting 24-48 hours, the
parchment envelope and the silver film of the coffee beans,
as well as the adherent pulp residues, are removed. After
fermentation, the coffee beans are washed, dried and placed
in decoction plants, where the grains finally get a shiny
appearance.
• Dry Method: The dry method produces natural
coffee. This method consists in exposing coffee
beans to flat surfaces of concrete, where they are
left for two or three weeks and moved manually
constantly. To protect the fruit from weathering
during low night or dew, it is tiled and covered
with tarpaulins.
After the pulp has dried, the coffee beans are crushed in
special crushers, where the grains are cleaned of the pulp,
the parchment membrane, and the silver film that surrounds
them. Coffee beans are then sorted into sizes in special
separators. After this processing, the green coffee beans are
packed in jute bags with a capacity of 45-90 kg. In the coffee
trade it is considered for the average weight of 60 kg per
bag.
Processing is a series of processes to be subjected to coffee beans, such as processing,
roasting and grinding. There are two ways to process coffee beans, wet method and dry method.
7.
8. Grinding
Grinding is the last operation by which coffee must pass before it is
actually consumed. Grinding the coffee is done with a coffee grinder.
The degree of milling required is determined by the way coffee is
prepared because the coffee's final taste is influenced by the time the
water and the coffee are in direct contact. The shorter the coffee
preparation time, the more coffee must be ground. Thus, if the coffee is
prepared with a coffee maker, it must be crushed higher because the
contact time between the water and the coffee is higher, while the coffee
prepared on the filter, kettle or with an extractor must be finer ground,
since it takes about 20 seconds to cook.
10. Methods of preparation
• Kettle- The method is very old and is still used in Turkey, Greece, Arabia. For cooking, special hot-
sand trays and a small cup of copper with a long tail called a jar, add fine ground coffee over hot
water.
• Filter- Hot water passes through the coffee in the form of drops. Using a paper filter is used to
retain coffee oil. The method is also called the Americano, being very popular in North America
due to the multitude of professional or household electrical filters. The appropriate proportion is
approximately one teaspoon (7 g) for each 140 ml. of water.
• Espresso- Espresso is a way of preparing coffee by pressing hot water over the ground coffee,
resulting in a hard and bitter coffee. The name comes from the quick (express) preparation time of
the drink. Espressoes are prepared with a special appliance called espressor.
11. The effects of coffee
• Positive effects
Positively stimulates metabolism by the thermogenic
effect, an incentive to burn fat in the body due to caffeine. Coffee
consumption can contribute to weight loss or maintaining it at a
certain level.
The coffee facilitates digestion due to the stimulating
effect of caffeine and its elements, stimulates the secretion of
gastric acid and bile.
Caffeine has the ability to activate lipid combustion in the
body and thereby contribute to the body's energy intake. Caffeine
increases adrenaline levels, increases muscle tension and muscle
contraction. Recent studies show that before sports competitions,
coffee consumption has positive effects on performance and,
moreover, caffeine stimulates breathing, and pulmonary volume
is being used more efficiently.
Coffee is a non-calorie drink and contributes to the
addition of mineral substances such as iron, potassium,
magnesium and manganese. Also, coffee is an important provider
of vitamins like niacin, a vitamin of group B that is responsible
for energy intake, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, vitamin E, vitamin
C and vitamin B6.
• Negative effects
In the case of abusive coffee consumption or other beverages
containing caffeine, the following negative effects may occur:
-tachycardia, (increased heart rate)
-restlessness, tremor (trembling), nervousness, panic attacks
-insomnia
-convulsions
-anemia
-in a mild condition of dependence, in the absence of coffee,
headaches (migraine)
