Coffee plant
Coffee is a drink made from the roasted and ground beans of the coffee plant. It is a popular drink in Europe and America. Many people find that coffee helps to keep them fresh and alert. This is because coffee contains a mild stimulant called caffeine.
The best coffee is made by filtering hot water through freshly ground beans. A special filter coffee pot may be used, or a percolator. Alternatively, hot water can be poured on to ground coffee, and the hot drink decanted off when the powder settles. Many people drink instant coffee, as it is quick and easy to prepare. Instant coffee powder is made by evaporating huge amounts of coffee to make a coffee drink instantly. Today there are even instant coffee products which are decaffinated. The mild stimulant is removed.
About half of the world's coffee comes from Brazil, although the coffee plant came originally from Africa. Coffee grows best in warm highland regions with high rainfall. Coffee bushes grow to a height of about 15 feet. The beans are contained in the red berries that grow on the bushes. After the berries are harvested, the fleshy covering is removed and the beans are left to dry for some weeks. The outer husks are then removed from the beans, and the beans are shipped from the coffee plantations to manufacturers who roast the beans. This process gives the beans their flavor. The roasted beans are then sold to the public, either ground or whole.

Related