No, we're not joking. And we're not mistaken either. One of the most widespread legends about the origin of coffee revolves around grazing goats. According to legend, one day in the Yemenite city of Moka a shepherd named Kaldi (or Kaddi) noticed that his herd had become restless and demonstrated energy levels that he had never seen before. He discovered that his goats had been eating the red berries from a shiny green plant. It is not clear whether or not he tasted the berries as well, but the mysterious red fruit ended up in the hands of the flock's owner, the abbot Yahia, who ordered the red berries be thrown into the fire because he thought witchcraft was involved.

A few moments later, the aroma given off by the fire was the same rich, invigorating aroma that today makes coffee the most widely consumed beverage in the world. So, astonished as he was by the incredibly pleasing smell, the abbot tried to salvage the beans by immersing them in water. What he obtained was the black brew that we call coffee.

The origin of the name... and it is still a legend

As with the origin of the beverage, the origin of its name is still unknown. Perhaps it comes from the classic Arabic qawha, which means "that which stimulates, that lifts up". Or even the evolution of this word, into the Turkish word kahweh, whose pronunciation takes on a sound similar to today's coffee. Others still think we are paying homage to the Ethiopian city of Kaffa and its indigenous coffee trees, each day as we sip our coffee. No matter where the name came from, it is clear this small bean is rich in history and culture.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away... and perhaps the same is true for a cup of coffee. For coffee lovers, a good coffee should be enjoyed several times during the day. There are some who drink it at breakfast, some during the mid-morning break, some after lunch, some savor it as a replacement for the well-loved English "five o'clock tea", or even after dinner. For others, they'll have coffee in the morning to help wake them up, but avoid it in the evenings so they don't have trouble falling asleep. There are those who sip it like an energy drink, and those who don't drink it at all because they are afraid it will raise their blood pressure. It's seen as a cure for headaches, but also a threat to cholesterol. With all these differing opinions, it's difficult to know what to believe. Its effects will vary from person to person, but here is what we know:

Our body and coffee

A drink at the end of the meal

One of the best benefits we get from a cup of coffee is its effect on digestion. Studies show that coffee stimulates the production of gastric juices in the stomach, which in turn supports the pancreas; key to the digestion process.

Therefore, after eating, coffee is an indisputable cure-all, the best thing around for avoiding that familiar, post-meal drowsiness. If work is waiting and you can't take a break, a cup of coffee should do the trick to get you through the afternoon!