About 850 A.D it is said that a lone shepherd and his flock
came across a strange and mysterious plant growing upon a
secluded and forgotten hillside. Before he could stop them
some of his herd had began to gnaw away at this unusual
berry. After about fifteen minutes or so the herder started
to notice that his sheep were behaving in an odd manner. Not
only were they unusually alert but they also appeared to be
extremely hyperactive. Now being a little weary and
extremely tired the shepherd decided to try the berries and
see if the end results would be the same for him as they had
been for his flock. To his pleasant surprise the shepherd
began to feel wide awake and he too became very alert. After
a few hours had passed along came a wandering monk who,
after being informed of the plants amazing qualities
proceeded to scold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his
foolish indulgence. After he had finished telling the
shepherd just what a sinner he had been the monk set upon
his journey but not before he had added a little something
to his backpack and supplies.
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 mainly known as a sleep suppressant there
are those who consider coffee to have many health benefits.
It is thought that people who suffer from asthma and partake
of the beverage have at least 25% less symptoms which may be
due to a substance in coffee called theophylline. This is
known as a bronchodilator and quite simply it is thought to
help those who suffer with the disease to breath with a
little more ease. Drinking coffee on a daily basis is also
thought to help lower your chances of developing colon
cancer by a figure also in the region of about 25%. This may
be due to the fact that coffee helps to keep you regular.
Coffee can do more than just help you get through your day!
Aside from 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.
About the Author
Valerie Shapero is the webmaster of
Fuzzy Coffee which is a
premier source of information about coffee. For more
information, go to: http://fuzzycoffee.com