20 Most Interesting Facts About Coffee You Should Know

You probably already know that coffee is not only a great source of caffeine and energy, but also can produce some of the most amazing flavors known to man (maybe an exaggeration). But did you know that one single serving of black coffee is only one calorie? Or that decaf doesn’t necessarily mean zero caffeine? 

We’ve put together a list of 20 of the most interesting facts about coffee that you should know so that the next time you’re sitting around a campfire telling stories, you can show off your knowledge about the most popular beverage in the world.

1. Light roast coffee has more caffeine than dark roast coffee

Contrary to popular belief, darker coffees don't equate to more caffeine. In fact, the darker your coffee is roasted, the less caffeine it has. This is because as the coffee is roasted longer, the caffeine is slowly being roasted out as well. So the longer you roast coffee, the less caffeine you have. However, darker coffees tend to pack a bigger punch in terms of the strength of the traditional coffee flavor, so if the dark, roasty flavor is what wakes you up, then dark coffee is the way to go!

2. Arabica and robusta are the two main species of coffee most commonly used for drinking

There are about 100 different species of coffee that fall under the genus coffea, but arabica and robusta are the two most common in coffee drinks. Arabica coffee is a higher quality bean that leads to a more appealing cup of coffee while robusta is commonly used in cheaper, lesser quality coffees like instant or cheap ground coffees that come in buckets which helps bring down costs. Kuju Coffee only uses 100% Arabica coffees.

3. Instant coffee has about 40% less caffeine than regular coffee

While instant coffee can be convenient, a little known fact about instant coffee is that it has 40% less caffeine than brewed coffee. According to the Mayo Clinic, an 8 oz cup of brewed coffee has 95-165 mg of caffeine while an 8 oz cup of instant coffee only has 63 mg. If you're looking for a caffeine kick, brewed coffee is a better option.

4. Coffee comes from a cherry and the bean is actually the seed of the cherry

It's true, a coffee bean is like the pit of a cherry, which makes harvesting and washing coffee a laborious process. Not only does every single cherry need to be picked individually, but the fruit part of it needs to be washed away to reach the bean. Below is a picture of what the coffee looks like when its still on the tree.

5. The coffee cherry flesh is edible and is called cascara

While we don't usually see the flesh that comes from the coffee cherry, it is actually edible and is sometimes used to make teas. Next time you're at your local coffee shop, ask about it!

6. A serving of plain black coffee has only one calorie

That's right. A cup of black coffee only contains one calorie. So if you've been wondering if those 10 cups of coffee you've been drinking every day will make you gain weight, chances are that the coffee itself won't put on pounds. However, if you add cream or sugar to the mix, that's a different story. Those ever-so-popular pumpkin spice lattes can have up to 400 calories!

7. California and Hawaii are the only states in the U.S. that commercially grow coffee

The U.S. is not known as a coffee producing country, and that's because very little is grown in the land of the free. California and Hawaii are the only states that commercially grow coffee, but because the volume is low, the price can be quite high at up to $1200 a pound. Does this make it better? We don't think so. These coffees can fetch a price because they're rare.

8. The top 3 countries that produce the most coffee in volume are Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia

According to the International Coffee Organization, in 2017-2018, Brazil produced 51 million 60 kg bags of beans. That's almost 6.8 billion lbs of beans. Vietnam followed with around 29 million bags then Colombia who produced around 14 million bags.

9. Decaf coffee is made by soaking raw green beans in hot water

One of the most common decaffeination processes soaks green coffee beans in hot water with a solvent to extract the caffeine. However, because the caffeine is extracted, the coffee can lose some of the flavor notes that are a result of caffeine content. The decaffeination process extracts 96% to 98% of caffeine.

10. Decaf coffee doesn't mean zero caffeine

Decaf coffee still contains some caffeine. Although, it is only about 2-4% the amount of caffeine when compared to regular coffee, which would mean 2-4 mg of caffeine per cup.

11. An 8 oz cup of coffee on average has about 100 mg of caffeine

While caffeine contents can vary amongst different kinds of beans and roasts, in general a regular cup of coffee has about 100 mg of caffeine. Compare that to an 8 oz cup of brewed green tea that has about 25 mg of caffeine.

12. Espresso has less caffeine per serving than a regular cup of coffee

Although espresso has a stronger, more concentrated flavor, it has less caffeine per serving when compared to a serving of brewed coffee. An 8 oz cup of brewed coffee has about 100 mg of caffeine while a 1 oz serving of espresso only has about 50 mg. If you're looking for the same amount of caffeine, you can ask for a double shot.

13. Some of the most expensive coffee beans in the world are the result of a cat eating and digesting the beans

In Southeast Asia, there is a coffee that is pooped out by a cat-like animal called a civet. It is created by feeding coffee to the civets who then poop out the digested beans. Some say the process adds flavor to the coffee, but often times the civets are force-fed coffee, which is something we don't support.

14. In coffee history, there are 3 phases or "waves" of coffee

The first wave was when coffee first became readily available in cans at stores. Before it wasn't so easy to make a cup of coffee at home. The second wave came when consumers started paying more attention to the quality of coffees and cafes started popping up. Lastly, the third wave is when coffee lovers really started paying attention to coffee tasting notes, quality and specifications such as how the beans are processed or how they're roasted. We are theoretically still in the third wave. It's still a question of what the fourth wave will be. Perhaps single-serve pour over?

15. On average, Americans drink 3.1 cups of coffee per day

In the U.S. we drink a lot of coffee. And we like it like that.

16. 56% of American drink coffee

Given how big coffee is a part of our culture, it is surprising that only 56% of Americans drink coffee. However, coffee is still one of the most prominent beverages in the world.

17. Coffee drinkers are proven to live longer

According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death. The study included 500,000 participants in the United Kingdom over the course of 10 years. While it doesn't necessarily mean you should increase your coffee consumption, it does mean that coffee can be part of a healthy diet.

18. Coffee can improve your health

In addition to helping you potentially live longer, coffee has health benefits. Some of these benefits really help with working out.

19. The number one factor in a great tasting cup of coffee is the quality of the bean

No matter how good your brewing equipment is, how perfectly you grind your beans or how much coffee you use in your ratio, if you have poor quality coffee beans, you'll end up with a less than ideal tasting cup. This is because the quality of the bean is the most important factor for making a great cup of coffee. Low quality beans means a low quality cup. We use high quality specialty-grade beans and our single-serve pour overs make sure every cup tastes great.

20. Coffee tastes better when in the outdoors

Yes this is fact. Coffee tastes way better when you're out camping or in the outdoors. So be sure to grab some Kuju for your next camping trip!

---