What Is Arabica Coffee?
What is Arabica? Arabica Coffee is the most popular type of coffee in the world. Around 70% of all coffee sold is from the Arabica bean. The plant is grown in tropical conditions on either side of the equator and is part of the botanical family “Rubiaceae.”
Why do certain coffee brands say “100% Arabica Coffee” or “Arabica Coffee Blend“? We are here to explain the difference and what they mean. Keep reading.
History Of Arabica Coffee
Dating back to the Kingdom of Kefa, modern-day Ethiopia, in 1000 B.C. The Oromo Tribe would crush the bean and mix it with fat, a form of stimulation when consumed. Arab scholars are the first known written record of coffee bean roasters, saying it helped prolong their working hours and keep them alert.
After the invasion of Turks in 1583, the coffee beans spread to the Egyptians and eventually across modern-day Europe. Now known as the most popular coffee beans in the world.
What Does Arabica Coffee Mean?
The meaning of Arabica coffee came from around the 7th century when the coffee plant crossed the red sea from Ethiopia to Yemen (Yemeni) and lower Arabia hence the term “Arabica Coffee.”
What Does Arabica Coffee Taste Like?
The taste of Arabica coffee often has a chocolaty flavor, beautifully fragrant, and pleasant acidity. This is due to the lipids and sugar content in the coffee beans themselves, making them less bitter and sweeter.
Where Is Arabica Coffee Grown?
Arabica coffee is grown in subtropical regions at higher altitudes between 1800 and 3600 feet or equatorial regions between 3600 and 6300 feet above sea level.
The best conditions for coffee plants to grow are on either side of the equator, where the average temperature is 20°C, with fertile soil and average rainfall for the seasons.
What Brands Of Coffee Are Made With Arabica Beans?
The majority of coffee you purchase will be made with the Arabica bean, and If you drink many cups of coffee in a day and want a reliable taste, give these affordable options a try!
What Does 100 Arabica Coffee Mean?
100% Arabica coffee means no Robusta coffee beans are added to the package. It will be pure Arabica coffee beans. Robusta is commonly used in instant coffee, which is a cheap filler for blended coffee and espresso shots.
With more than 100 species worldwide, there are several coffee plants, but only two varieties are grown commercially; arabica and Robusta.
What Is Arabica Blend Coffee?
Arabica blend coffee is referred to as a blend of both arabica and robusta coffee beans packaged together. Up to 20% of the coffee grounds will often contain low-quality robusta coffee.
What’s The Difference Between Arabica And Robusta Coffee?
Here’s a question most coffee drinkers would be asking or wanting to know between the two most popular types of coffee beans in the world. So
1. Arabica coffee beans are generally more expensive than robusta coffee, often graded as higher quality and harder to grow in specific climates. It can take up to 7 years to fully mature and produce less
2. Arabica coffee is grown at a higher altitude than robusta, usually between 1800 to 6300 feet above sea level
3. Arabica contains around 60% more lipids than robusta. Lipids are the oils, waxes, fats, hormones, and specific vitamins within the beans.
4. Arabica coffee is self-pollinating; robusta requires cross-pollination by insects or wind.
5. Arabica has higher acidity in the flavors than robusta; this adds to each cup’s chocolaty, fragrant taste.
6. Arabica contains twice the sugar than Robusta, if you add sugar to you’re morning coffee then I would recommend trying arabica.
7. Arabica has less caffeine than robusta, arabica contains 1.5% caffeine in comparison to robusta containing 2.7%.
If you have concerns about the effects of higher levels of caffeine then arabica coffee would be the better choice.
8. Arabica coffee is used in many coffee shops around the world over robusta.
9. Arabica color and shape are different than robusta, often larger in size, flat bottom,
10. Arabica produces less yield than robusta, this is due to the beans being sensitive to changes in climate, altitude and time it takes to fully mature.
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What Does Arabica Coffee Smell Like?
Arabica Coffee has a wide smell range; two main factors are the roasting process and the soil used to grow the bean. Unroasted Arabica beans give off a berry scent, whereas roasted Arabica beans give off notes of fruits and sugar.
Where Is Arabica Coffee Grown?
The best conditions for coffee plants to grow are on either side of the equator, where the average temperature is 20°C, with fertile soil and average rainfall for the seasons. As you get closer to the equator, regions, experience heavier rain, with the coffee plants continuously flowering.
What Are The Top 10 Countries For Coffee Exports
1. Brazil – has been the worlds leading coffee producer for over 150 years, producing a staggering 2,595,000 metric tons of coffee beans per year. Brazil’s coffee plantations cover 27,000 square kilometers in the southeastern states, which is ideal for coffee production.
2. Vietnam – second largest coffee-producing nation in the world; coffee export fueled the economy after the Vietnam war. The only more significant export is rice. Since 1975 coffee production has gone from 6,000 metric tons to 1,650,000 metric tons.
3. Colombia remains a crucial player since losing spot number two against Vietnam due to rising temperatures and precipitation since the 1980s, making it less than ideal for high-quality coffee beans to grow. Still able to produce 810 000 metric tons each year keeps them at spot three.
4. Indonesia – initially introduced by Dutch colonists, coffee production has continued. The coffee plantation covers over 1 million hectares maintained by small-scale farmers; even though the climate isn’t ideal and most of the production is Robusta coffee, they still produce high-grade coffee beans.
5. Ethiopia – it’s no surprise 28% of Ethiopia’s exports are coffee; for over 1000 years, farmers and shepherds have been harvesting coffee beans. Estimates have been made that 15 million people are employed by coffee production. Ethiopia produces around 384,000 metric tons of coffee beans every year.
6. Honduras – has become Central America’s top coffee producer; due to a lack of recognition over Ethiopia or Columbia, coffee beans produced in Honduras are used as a filler or blending other brands. Honduras has 348,000 metric tons of coffee each year since 2011
7. India – the majority of coffee bean production is exported to Russia and Europe; growing conditions are not ideal, which means most of the coffee beans produced are located in the southern part of the country.
8. Uganda – recently passed Mexico in coffee production in 2015; Uganda produces Arabica and Robusta coffee. Since 1991 they have seen an increase of over 5000% with government privatization. A large population works in the coffee industry producing 288, 000 metric tons annually.
9. Mexico – producing high-quality Arabica coffee beans, the majority exported to the U.S. coffee production is located on coastal regions near Guatemala – Mexico border.
In the 1990s International coffee agreement collapsed Mexico’s coffee production leading to the inability to compete in the global market. Slowly recovering since 2005, Mexico has been producing 234,000 metric tons of coffee annually.
10. Guatemala – global demand for Guatemala coffee was established through Association Nacional del Café in the 1960s to increase the export industry after chemical dyes were invented.
Coffee production is grown at altitudes between 500 to 5000 meters above sea level, with an annual 204,000 metric tons per year.
How Much Caffeine In Arabica Coffee?
Caffeine has been proven to increase concentration, focus, and wakefulness and alleviate fatigue. So it’s no surprise millions of people use caffeine daily to wake up or pick me up throughout the day.
Studies have shown beans taken from the same coffee plant have different levels of caffeine. The two main factors affecting these beans’ caffeine levels depend on the roast length (light to dark roast) and bean varietal.
A typical one ounce of Arabic coffee is approximately 40 milligrams of caffeine, roughly the same as an espresso shot. On the other hand, a four-ounce drip brewed style coffee contains 100 milligrams of caffeine which is what a standard American coffee cup (8 ounces) contains.
Arabicas caffeine content varies from 0.9% to 1.7% depending on the process of coffee roasting. The highest caffeine content is found in “the drip” method of brewing coffee; anywhere between 115 – 175 milligrams of caffeine can be produced; on the other hand, decaffeinated coffee only has 2 to 3 milligrams per 7 ounces.
The recommended amount of daily caffeine is up to 400 milligrams per day; that’s roughly the amount in four cups of coffee.
What Are The Arabica Coffee Benefits?
Here are 5 reasons why drinking Arabica Coffee can be beneficial
1. It increases your fiber intake, the recommended dose of daily fiber is between 20 – 38 grams and a cup of arabica coffee contributes up to 1.8 grams of fiber.
2. Protection of the liver against cirrhosis – both regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee decrease the risk by lowering the levels of the liver enzyme.
3. Reduces the risk of colorectal cancer – protective benefits increase with moderate consumption of coffee by up to 26% and reduces the odds.
4. Caffeine allows you to stay alert and focused – caffeine affects many neurons in a positive way, increasing mental focus and alertness.
5. Less risk of heart disease – people who consume three to five cups of coffee daily are less likely to show signs of early heart disease.
How Is Arabica Coffee Grown?
It’s sensitive to hot and humid conditions preferring the shade, typically in tropical regions where it’s spring or summer. During the rainy
The harvesting process comes eight to nine months after flowering when the fruit is shiny, deep red, and has common characteristics as a “Ripe Cherry.”
Inside the red fruit is the coffee bean, the coffee plant’s seed. Often called the cherry, each containing two seeds surrounded by a layer of sweet pulp and a membrane called the parchment.
A standard coffee cherry contains two seeds; particular cherries contain only one source inside, which is called Peaberries.
The arabica coffee plant can’t handle frost or harsh climates, with average temperatures between 15°C and 24°C (59°F and 75°F) in the shade.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re new to drinking coffee or a novice coffee drinker, we hope this article helps. Next time buying arabica coffee, make sure you choose the right roast and blend to suit your every need.
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