Arabica Coffee, the Best Commercially-Produced Type of Coffee in the World

Arabica coffee is widely-regarded as the best commercially-produced type of coffee in the world. It is known to be the first type of coffee ever consumed by humankind. Most of the coffee you drink comes from Arabica plants, which are grown all over the world. This plant is most associated with Africa and the Middle East, but is now found in the coffee-growing regions of Latin America, as well. Its beans produce one of the most popular beverages in the world, in all its various incarnations. The plant that produces it, however, can be quite fragile.

The Arabica coffee tree is grown on plantations from regions as far apart as Brazil, Java and Ethiopia. This plant is a tree, which produces a berry that contains, at its center, the coffee bean. In Java, plantations are able to harvest at any time of the year, due to the climate. Latin America has more pronounced seasons, and many of the plants in this region are only harvested once a year. There are other varieties of coffee, as well, such as Robusta. Generally, however, the Arabica plant is considered to produce the superior brew. It has some other advantages, as well.

Arabica coffee, depending upon the roast, can have low levels of caffeine. While many coffee drinkers indulge in the beverage specifically for the caffeine, there are a growing number of people trying to cut back on the amount that they consume. Arabica has lower levels of caffeine than the other types of commercially-produced coffee. Remember that lighter roasts generally have more caffeine in them, as well, and that these beans are available at all levels of roast, making them good choices for those who need their caffeine intake cut down, but not out.

Arabica coffee is one of the most important cash crops in the world. It constitutes a major export of several Latin American and Asian nations. There are also a number of nations which are dramatically increasing their exports of either this coffee or Robusta, and the produce of the farms that grow this plant is popular among investors. The plant is actually native to the nation of Yemen but, since that time, it has moved all over the world. The plant, however, is a lover of mountain climates and most plantations are located in areas where there is a rather rugged landscape.