Coffee is a widely consumed beverage prepared from the roasted seeds — commonly referred to as beans — of the coffee plant. Though usually served hot, it can also be served cold. A typical 7 fluid ounce (ca. 207 mL) cup of coffee contains 80–140 milligrams of caffeine, depending on the bean and method of roasting and preparation. Some people drink coffee "black" (plain), others sweeten their coffee or add milk, cream or non-dairy creamer. Coffee represents 71% of all the caffeine consumption in the United States, followed by soft drinks and tea. Coffee, along with tea and water, is one of the most popular beverages world-wide, its volume amounting to about a third of that of tap water in North America and Europe. In 2003, coffee was the world's sixth largest agricultural export in value, behind wheat, maize, soybeans, palm oil and sugar.
Etymology
The English word "coffee" is believed to be derived ultimately from the Arabic word qahhwa; it is called būnn or būnnā in Ethiopia in Amharic and būnnī in Tigrinya, and other variations on the original būnn in other languages. Coffee's Arabic name, qahwa (قهوة) is a truncation of qahwat al-būnn, or wine of the bean. Traditional Islam prohibited the use of alcohol as a beverage, and coffee proved to be a suitable alternative.
The Arabic qahhwa was borrowed by Ottoman Turkish as kahve, which in turn was borrowed into Italian as caffè with French and Spanish as café. Early forms date back to the last decade of the 16th century, but the word "coffee" itself did not come into use until the early to mid 1600s.
