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Origin of coffee

The legend

The legend says that it was a shepherd from Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia) who discovered coffee. It was when he saw that his goats were more restless than usual after eating the fruits of a shrub that he decided to try eating some himself. So he was the first to notice the energizing effect of the caffeine in the cherries of the coffee plants.

He then shared his discovery with the surrounding community. The latter made a decoction of it in water, which they quickly appreciated, as it kept them from falling asleep during prayer.

What science has discovered

Despite the beauty of legends, science tends to rationalize facts to bring out the truth. This is how a study found the origin of coffee.

The Arabica coffee tree is thought to originate from Ethiopia, where it has actually been consumed since prehistoric times by the ancestors of the peoples of this region of the world.

Excavations have shown that coffee preparations were part of their diet.