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Coffee ..the greatest drink in history?
Around 850 A.D it is said that a lonely sheep herder and his charge stumbled across a strange and mysterious berry growing on a secluded and forgotten hillside. Before he could stop them, some of his sheep had already began to sample this strange fruit. After about ten minutes or so the shepherd began to notice something unusual about his sheep. They no longer looked tired after their long trek that day. In fact they appeared to be wide awake and very alert. The shepherd had never seen them behave this way and he was curious. Now being a little tired and weary himself the shepherd decided to try the berries for himself. Just as had happened with his flock he too became wide awake and pardon the pun, extremely "full of beans". Just then a monk happened by and after hearing what had happened proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his foolish indulgence. Having had his say the monk continued on his journey but before he set off he made absolutely sure that a
plant was secured amongst his belongings.
Back at the monastery the monks decided to try this new and exciting substance. Soon the endless hours of praying were endured with the greatest of ease. Coffee, the drink had been revealed to the world. Its widespread use then took a grip in the Ethiopian lands before then migrating on to the Arabian outlands. Here it was to be held for many years as a sacred substance but was eventually to be unlawfully exported by a merchant called Baba Budan. Word of its qualities were soon to spread and within a few years coffee was to emerge as one of the most valued commodities of all time. Now would you believe that each year we drink an amazing four billion cups and there are those among us who would cry at the thought of starting their day without it.
Although coffee is well known for keeping us awake there are also health benefits associated with the drinking of coffee. It is said that those who suffer from asthma and partake of the drink have 25% less symptoms due to a substance called theophylline. This is what is known as a bronchodilator and quite simply it is claimed to help those who suffer from the disease to breathe a little easier. Drinking Coffee on a regular basis is also meant to help lower your risk of colon cancer by a figure also in the region of around 25%. It is thought to do this simply by helping to keep you regular which in turn helps fend off disease and illness.
Besides the benefits that have been mentioned above, it has to be said that simply enjoying coffee as a beverage is a delight that will never be easily surpassed. The unbelievable thing is that most people have no idea of the different tastes and delights that this monarch of all drinks has to offer. One of the fastest growing trends of the past few years has to be the rising popularity of obtaining coffee via the internet. Never before has it been so easy to sample such a huge variety of blends, tastes and aromas, and all at the click of a mouse. I order coffee frequently through the internet and I always make a point to record the country, blend and from whom I purchased.
Well now that you know the tale of the mystical beans I hope that if in the future you are considering visiting your local coffee shop you recall the story of the lowly shepherd and think about just what you might be drinking were he not to have wandered onto that bleak and lonely hillside. Why not take advantage of the internet and try the many different varieties and blends available. Not only will you impress your tastebuds, your friends will be grateful as well.
Latte or latte?
About the Author: Valerie Shapero is the webmaster and operator of
Fuzzy Coffee, Inc. which is
a premier source of information about coffee. For questions or
comments about this article, please visit:
http://fuzzycoffee.com
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