Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, but there are many fascinating facts about it that you might not be aware of.

Did you know that coffee beans are actually seeds? They come from the fruit of the coffee plant, often referred to as coffee cherries. These cherries turn red when ripe and are harvested for their seeds.

Another interesting fact is that coffee was originally chewed, not drank. Early tribes in Africa would mix coffee cherries with fat to create energy balls. It wasn’t until much later that people began brewing coffee as a drink.

Coffee is also the second most traded commodity in the world, after oil. The global coffee industry is worth billions of dollars and supports millions of jobs.

Additionally, the world’s most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak, is made from beans that have been eaten and excreted by a civet cat. The digestive process is said to enhance the flavor of the beans.

Finally, coffee can actually help you live longer. Studies have shown that moderate coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of several diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.