How many of you practically can’t get out of bed without a cup of coffee? I admit to being one of those people. I love my morning (and afternoon and evening) cup of Joe. This blog is for all my fellow coffee lovers!

Just look at the numbers. Americans spend an average of $1,092 on coffee every year. This breaks down to roughly $92 a month, which is about $3 worth of coffee a day, according to facts.net. Overall, sales in the coffee market will amount to $81 billion this year, says statista.com.

Do you love your coffee? Tell us what you love most about it, and what kind of coffee you like best. Just leave a comment in the section at the bottom of the page.

It’s Coffee Klatch* Time

There are many fascinating facts about coffee. Here’s a little taste about the java, dirt, mud, daily grind, lifeblood, tar, rocket fuel, worm dirt, etc.

  • Coffee beans are actually seeds. They’re the pits of the cherry-like berries found on the flowering shrubs, but we call them “beans” because of the resemblance to legumes.
  • You would need about 37 gallons of water to grow a coffee bean. More than 1,300 gallons of water are needed to produce one 12 oz. cup of coffee.
  • There are over 120 species of the plant. However, the Arabica species is mostly used. Although less popular, Robusta tastes slightly more bitter and contains more caffeine.
  • Today, Brazil produces about third of the world’s supply, according to the International Coffee Organization, about twice as much as the second place holder, Vietnam.
  • There are only two U.S. states that grow coffee. Since coffee traditionally grows best in climates along the equator, Hawaii’s weather is optimal for harvesting beans. California also recently got into the coffee growing business.
  • Finland is home to the biggest coffee drinkers. The average adult Finn drinks 27.5 pounds of coffee each year, with Norway and Iceland trailing just behind, according to the International Coffee Organization. Meanwhile, the U.S. ranked 26th on the list, since the average American chugs “only” 11 pounds of coffee per year.
  • People from New York drink seven times more coffee than other cities in the United States.

More Coffee Facts!

  • Good news for coffee drinkers! Research has linking moderate consumption (about three to four cups per day) with a longer life span, plus a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
  • An eight-ounce brewed cup of decaf coffee actually contains two to 12 milligrams of caffeine, the Mayo Clinic states. In comparison, a regular cup of coffee supplies between 95 to 200 milligrams, while one can of cola has about 23 to 35 milligrams of caffeine.
  • The word “coffee” comes from the Arabic word for “wine.” Qahwah later became kahveh in Turkish, and then koffie in Dutch, which is where we get the English word coffee.
  • Coffee is the world’s most valuable traded commodity next to petroleum.
  • It is believed that coffee was first discovered in Yemen in the 15th century. Records show that Sufi Muslim monasteries brewed the dark beverage in the town of Mocha. Coffee drinking then spread through the Middle East and Northern Africa.
  • Instant coffee was invented in 1907. It is made by dehydrating coffee, and can be purchased as a powder or freeze-dried granules. It’s faster to make than regular coffee. Instant coffee became more popular after World War I.
  • While one theory suggests the phrase “cup of joe” originated after the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels, outlawed alcohol on navy ships, it is more likely the phrase is a reference to the idea that coffee is a plain, universal beverage consumed by the average man, also known as an average joe.

Sources: goodhousekeeping.com, facts.net, insider.com

Did all that information give you a jolt?

Recording Your Coffee Purchases

Don’t forget to record all of your household’s coffee purchases! Whether you buy a cup of coffee or a package of ground/whole bean coffee, we want to know!

If you buy any type of packaged ground/whole bean coffee that has a UPC barcode, scan the barcode to record the purchase. 

If your ground/whole bean coffee purchase does not have a barcode, scan the Coffee-Ground/Whole Bean barcode listed in the Barcode Reference Booklet if you use NCP’s handheld scanner, or if you use the NCPMobile app, select Coffee-Ground/Whole Bean category in the Non-Barcoded Items section of the app.

You can record ready-to-drink coffee, too! If you buy a cup of coffee select Coffee-Cup of Coffee to record the purchase.

*A coffee klatch is an informal social gathering for coffee and conversation. The gatherings usually consist of a group of friends at someone’s house. The term “coffee klatch” comes from the German word, “kaffeeklatsch,” which translates to coffee (kaffee) + gossip (klatsch).

Have a great day, and enjoy your morning mud!

Best wishes,
Taylor

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