Coffee Facts – Nangoo Coffee

Coffee Facts

  • You've got goats to thank for your caffeine habit.

It all began with goats, at least according to a widely touted — and delightfully charming — legend. As the story goes, a young goat herder named Kaldi first discovered the energising effects of coffee in Ethiopia over a millennium ago after he noticed his goats “dancing” one day. Intrigued by their bizarre cavorting, Kaldi soon put two and two together -- the goats’ hyperactivity commenced soon after they nibbled on bright red berries from nearby shrubs growing in the highlands. He tried a few for himself and was soon pirouetting just like his goats.

The legend goes further as a passing Sufi monk from a nearby monastery observed Kaldi and his frolicking herd. He asked Kaldi to share the secret behind his energy, and decided the berries might just help him stay awake during long evening prayers. In other versions of the legend, Kaldi visited the abbot of a local monastery to report his electrifying discovery. Whichever way it happened, the monk started drying the seeds he found inside the berries (now known as coffee beans to us), then ground and boiled them to make a beverage. He shared the prayer-enhancing brew with his fellow monks, and word of its invigorating powers soon spread throughout the region.

  • Espresso literally translates to “press out” in Italian 

Espresso does not refer to a particular type of bean, but rather a process of extracting the flavour from ground coffee beans by a combination of not-quite-boiling-hot water and pressure. The word can also refer to the product resulting from this process -- as in "I'll have a cup of espresso, please." Simply put, espresso is the most elementary expression of coffee beans.

  • One cup of black coffee = one calorie 

Provided you don’t go trigger happy with sweeteners and cream! The classic form of coffee is just a black brewed cup. Before someone taints it with the creams and sugars (or other sweeteners like maple syrup or honey), a black cup of coffee merely has 2 calories for a 8 ounce cup.

  • Coffee drinkers tend to live longer 

Linking moderate (3-4 cups a day) coffee consumption to a longer lifespan has been a recent achievement of modern day researchers. Harvard Health Publishing has also linked it to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Parkinson’s.

  • Coffee is good for your skin 

Coffee grounds are about to become your best friend. They are the core (and only) ingredient of your DIY exfoliator. Coffee exfoliant removes dead skin cells and caffeine is believed to improve blood circulation

  • Beethoven loved his coffee 

Born into a musical family, Beethoven learned the fundamentals of musical composition from his father at a very young age. His father was a court singer, but also a drunkard.  Young Beethoven endured severe punishments and disciplinary actions. As a result, Beethoven developed obsessive tendencies.
One such tendency: The legendary composer drank coffee religiously.  Historians often note that he would meticulously count coffee beans. Sixty, to be exact. He meticulously hand counted the beans himself, sometimes double checking. Starbucks be damned — he had to personally prepare it in his glass coffee-maker, even when his guests were around.

  • Coffee can fuel your car  

Ground coffee has successfully been turned into biodiesel. Which means that in the future, coffee won’t just be fuelling you, it will also be fuelling your car.