BY www.focus.it – Article by Eugenio Spagnuolo
The first part of this article revealed some fascinating facts about the history, benefits, and global consumption of coffee. Now, let’s discover six more surprising facts about the world’s most beloved beverage.
7. Not everyone… drinks it
Prince Charles of England, a strong advocate of alternative medicine, supports the use of coffee enemas as a cancer treatment. This practice is part of the Gerson therapy, which also includes vitamin injections.
Surprisingly, you can even find DIY coffee enema kits available for purchase on Amazon.
8. Coffee is loved by artists
The composer Johann Sebastian Bach loved coffee so much that he dedicated an entire cantata to it: the Kaffeekantate, performed in Leipzig, Germany, between 1732 and 1735.
9. And by athletes too
A study conducted by the University of Queensland, published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, found that 14 cyclists who consumed coffee an hour before a race improved their speed by 2%.
10. Why is coffee stronger in some places (like Naples)?
In some cities, like Naples, coffee tastes stronger and more intense. This is mainly due to two factors:
- The blend used: The two most common coffee species, Robusta and Arabica, have different characteristics. Robusta contains nearly twice the caffeine of Arabica, which is more refined but less strong.
- The roasting process: The roasting level affects both the intensity of the flavor and the amount of caffeine extracted.
11. Decaffeinated coffee… isn’t completely caffeine-free
The only naturally decaffeinated coffee variety is Coffea charrieriana, native to Cameroon. All other decaf coffees are chemically processed to remove caffeine, but it’s impossible to eliminate it completely.
According to a study by the University of Florida, drinking 5-10 cups of decaf coffee contains the same total caffeine as 1-2 cups of regular coffee. On average, a single cup of decaf coffee still has between one-fifth and one-tenth of the caffeine found in a normal espresso.
12. What’s the best way to make coffee?
Before the invention of the moka pot, Italians typically brewed coffee using the Neapolitan coffee maker. This traditional method is still used in some parts of Southern Italy. It works with a dual-chamber system:
- Water is heated in the lower chamber.
- Once it reaches boiling, the pot is flipped over.
- Gravity allows the hot water to slowly pass through the coffee grounds, extracting rich flavors.
The moka pot, on the other hand, uses pressurized steam to push boiling water through the coffee filter much faster, extracting coffee in less than a minute.
Which method is better? Experts argue that the Neapolitan method is superior because the slower filtration process preserves the coffee’s aroma, preventing it from being altered by overheated water.
2017
