1. Europeans used to call coffee Arabian wine
Coffee coming from the middle east was known in Arabic originally as “qahhwat al-bun”, meaning ‘wine of the bean’. That turned to “qahwah” and went on to “koffie” in Dutch, “caffe” in italian and through to what we know is as today in English: coffee. But before these eventual translations, that initial meaning caused Europeans to think it was some sort of wine - no wonder it became so popular.
2. Coffee is the second-most traded commodity in the world
According to the Global Exchange, coffee is traded more than any other commodity save for - you guessed it - oil [when speaking on value]. But unlike oil, some sources have told us that coffee tastes amazing when you first wake up. This leads us into point three nicely...
3. The New York Stock Exchange was originally a coffee house
Before becoming the central hub of investments that it is today, the New York Stock Exchange building was used as a coffee house known as Tontine Coffee House - opened in 1794 on the corner of Wall and Water St. This cafe was used by brokers, traders and the like for investments, and eventually lived up to the hype to become the famous NYSE home.
4. Drinking coffee can help reduce the risk of alcohol-caused liver damage
Liver disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption is known as cirrhosis, which can cause cancer and liver failure. Studies have found that each coffee cup per day reduced the risk of developing alcoholic cirrhosis by around 22%, or more depending on the study. So whilst a beer with a friend is great, don’t forget the coffee (and water!).