Of legendary origin in Ethiopia, in the Kaffa region, coffee traveled from there to Yemen in the 15th century. Sufis used it to pray during long nights. The port city of Mocha became a center of trade. In Arabia and Turkey, the first coffee shops were founded in the 16th century in Mecca, Istanbul, and Cairo. Colonizers brought the plant to the Caribbean, Brazil, Colombia, and Central America.
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, increasing alertness, elevating energy, and vitality.
It helps release fatty acids as an energy source and can accelerate metabolism. It is rich in antioxidants, contains polyphenols that protect against cellular aging, and can improve circulation and cardiovascular health.
Mental benefits include concentration and memory, improving attention and short-term learning ability, stimulating the release of dopamine and serotonin, generating a feeling of well-being, and combating mild depression, and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Coffee accompanied night prayers to help one stay awake and meditate. In Turkey and Persia, it was called the wine of Islam because it stimulated thought. On a modern spiritual level, it fosters connection in collective rituals, stimulates introspection, and creativity.