Coffee

Coffee trees are native to Africa. They produce a red berry that contains two large seeds or "beans." The history of roasted coffee dates back to the 14th century Arab nations. From then, the coffee tree was taken to India in the 1600s, after which it was taken to Java and then to the French Caribbean. Today Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia are the largest exporters of coffee.

There are two main trees that produce coffee beans: Coffea arabica, native to the Sudan, produces "arabica" beans; and Coffea canephora, native to West Africa, produces "robusta" beans. About 2/3 of the beans in the international trade are arabica beans. They develop a more complex and balanced flavor than robustas. They also contain less caffeine, less phenolic material, and more oil and sugar. Robustas are only popular because the trees themselves are more disease resistant.