Whatever you may call it - Cup-A- Joe, Kaapi (the pipping hot filtered brew that is the key to a south Indian's heart) or simply - Coffee, you have got to admit there are a few things in the world that are as universal as coffee. Whether you are up in the mountains sipping a hot cup or down in the rain forests in the Amazon, coffee is every where and every one is drinking it.
The origins of coffee is still a huge debate among enthusiasts, while documented
consumption of coffee did not arrive till the 17th century- the
Oromo People of Ethiopia are sort of credited for the discovery of the coffee berry, which is claimed to be in use since the 9th century.
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| An Oromo Tribesman relishing his cup- of coffee (Love the cup though) |
The coffee bean was a closely guarded secret of the Middle East. So whatever coffee left the region was roasted or boiled and sterilized to avoid cultivation, but it was a Sufi Baba Budan who first smuggled it outside the region which led to the spread of the bean throughout the world. It is believed that he smuggled 7 beans, by strapping them to his chest. These beans were then planted in Mysore.
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| Archaic poster of what I can only presume is Baba Budan (mostly because it says so on the poster) |
Not surprisingly then, caffeine is the number one
psychoactive drug used today in the world. Consumed via, coffee, tea, cola
drinks, chocolate and even pills, every body it seems is in a constant need to
stay up and about.
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| Coffee |
Like any other drug, caffeine is lethal at a stupendously
high dose, about 100 cups of coffee in a day, which can be lethal to the human body.
But at its lower dose, caffeine like any other drug has its benefits.
Methylexanthine has a similar structure to adenosine, which basically
signals your brain that it has to shut down for a bit, making you feel more and
more sleepy. if you are at work, or at class, you reach out to your nearest caffeine
dispenser. When coffee enter your system the methylxanthine molecule goes and
binds to adenosine receptors giving you a feeling of alertness.
Bees too seem to respond to caffeine in a positive manner
too. In fact plants seem to be using caffeine to their benefit. Although the
drug is meant for the plants defences, recently a study showed that caffeine
did more than just that. A study published in the journal of Science (G.A. Wright, 2013) , showed that caffeine
in the plant’s nectar enhanced the memory of bees. It was observed that bees
that were rewarded with caffeine remembered the floral scent more keenly, even
after a period of 72 hours, which is quite remarkable.
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| DISCLAIMER this is NOT an exact representation |
In fact caffeine is also being studied as a combined drug
therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease. Regular intake of caffeine, in men is
also theorised to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. However the interesting point is that in
women however there seems to be a reversal, while in men regular caffeine
consumption keeps Parkinson’s at bay, women who have more than 6 cups daily are
at a 4 fold risk of acquiring the disease, while women who have less than a cup
of coffee daily, seem to be protected from the disease. While a regular
caffeine boast during a life time seems to do well to keep Parkinson’s at bay,
while you get the disease however, caffeine seems to have no effect.
Interesting Reads plus my resources !
Whatever you may call it - Cup-A- Joe, Kaapi (the pipping hot filtered brew that is the key to a south Indian's heart) or simply - Cof...
