What is Arabica Coffee and Where is it From?

High-end cafes and restaurants take tremendous pride in their Coffee. You’ve probably seen the blackboard outside with the words, “100% Arabica Coffee Beans,” almost as if it was a badge of honour.

And it is, in a way. But what is Arabica Coffee and where is it from? We’ll find out in the following article, so please keep reading to discover its true potential.

We will first examine its botanical features before determining its origins. We will then move onto Arabica Coffee’s nutrition facts and compare it to its greatest competitor, Robusta.

Once you’ve soaked in the information, you can buy 70 Types of Coffee here at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company. We pack each one fresh to order, ensuring not only quality but also consistency.

What is Arabica Coffee?

The Coffee Arabica plant (Coffea Arabica) is a species of the Coffea genus in the Rubiaceae family. It can grow up to twelve metres (39 feet) high in the wild, boasting an open branching system.

It has simple elliptic-ovate to oblong glossy dark-green leaves, while its seeds are contained in a drupe (better known as a “cherry”). Within these are what we call Arabica Green Coffee Beans.

Cultivated plants tend to be bushes. However, when left unchecked, they can become trees. The ideal climate for them varies between dry and humid as the flowers need ample rain and sunshine.

Even then, though, maturity for harvesting can take up to four years. The plant also struggles with frosts, which can cause a significant amount of harm. So, with these factors in mind, where is Arabica Coffee grown?

Where Does Arabica Coffee Come From?

You know the basic answer to, “What is Arabica Coffee?” What we need to establish now is, “Where is Arabica Coffee from?” It appears to originate, specifically, from Ethiopia and surrounding regions in East Africa.

According to a legend dating back to the 9th or 10th centuries CE, it was a local goat herder who discovered Coffee. But that’s another story - and another article!

The beans have since spread throughout the world, thriving predominantly along the equatorial belt. Today, there are around eighty producing countries from Colombia to Brazil to Indonesia to New Guinea.

Each one has something unique, indeed extraordinary to offer when it comes to the Arabica Coffee they make. Yet they all have one thing in common: Their beans’ nutritional value.

Arabica Coffee Nutrition Facts

Wherever your favourite Arabica Coffee Beans come from, the chemical compounds within are almost always the same. Most people will already be familiar with Caffeine in Coffee, which is a stimulating chemical compound that, in reality, needs little introduction. It exists in around sixty plants, including Camellia sinensis (Tea) and Ilex paraguariensis (Yerba Mate).

Caffeine famously gets us out of bed in the morning because of the energy boost it provides. However, there are other constituents worth noting, namely chlorogenic acid, diterpenes and trigonelline.

Preliminary research (emphasis on “preliminary”) suggests that these may positively influence our health and well-being. They might reduce blood pressure and even promote weight loss.

Which is the Best Coffee - Arabica or Robusta?

Is all Coffee Arabica? Far from it. Many species exist, though its greatest competitor is, undoubtedly, Robusta. So, which Coffee is better - Arabica or Robusta?

Statistics might serve as a bit of a giveaway as the former accounts for 75% of global production while the latter stands at 25%. What’s more, the namesake of this article is often an older, more mature type of bean, which accommodates higher quality.

Brewed Arabica Coffee has a characteristically heavy aroma with smoother tastes and less caffeine (1.5%) than Robusta. They also contain 60% more lipids and almost twice the amount of natural sugars.

Their appearance, too, is distinct, being longer and having a more curved central cut. This is why they tend to be more expensive on the market and, indeed, more in demand.

But don’t discredit Robusta entirely. After all, these beans have more caffeine, making them an excellent choice if you need extra support starting your day the right way.

They likewise boast a stronger taste with more acidic and bitter notes, which might suit some personal preferences. Finally, they are arguably more versatile and, therefore, are better for making Flavoured Coffee. We’ll let you decide for yourself.

Summary of Arabica Coffee Beans

Our article has given answers to “What is Arabica Coffee?”, where it comes from and, fundamentally, what makes it so popular. Now all you need to do is buy Fresh Coffee or even Loose Tea here at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company.

Whichever brew you decide upon, whether you’ve opted to buy once or have a Coffee subscription, you’ve certainly chosen well.

Author: Richard Smith

Partner at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company

Richard Smith is a Tea expert, entrepreneur, and owner of The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company. Part of a family of renowned Tea planters dating back four generations, he was born in Calcutta (Kolkata), India, where he spent his childhood between Tea Estates in Assam and Darjeeling.

In the late 1970s, having accumulated years of knowledge in the industry, Mr Smith and his mother, Janet Smith, moved to Kent, South East England, to establish a Tea business in the village of Pluckley. Their early days of packing Tea Bags by hand from chests of 10,000 prompted the creation of the company’s flagship infusion known as Pluckley Tea. It remains our most popular product today.

Mr Smith, who studied economics at London Polytechnic, has since specialised in over 1,000 types of Loose Leaf Tea - in addition to around 70 varieties of Roast Coffee - from around the world. These are now available at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company, where everything is still packed by hand and fresh to order, not only to honour tradition but to ensure the utmost quality and consistency.