Coffee And The Environment - Essay Example

Coffee and the Environment Pros and Cons of Coffee Coffee is one of the most drank beverage taken by many people around the world with over 400 billion cups consumed every year. Coffee is prepared from roasted coffee beans. As much the beverage loved by many people around the world, it is mainly supplied by over seventy countries around the world. These countries are mainly in the equatorial region, it because the environment is conducive to the growth of coffee. Examples of countries that grow coffee in large scale are in Africa, Southern Asia, India, and America.

Most often than not most people have like taking coffee because of its health benefits. However, coffee has it pros to the consumers and even to the environment. This article will tackle pros and cons of coffee to the consumers, coffee companies, farmers and the environment. Pros of Coffee To the farmers, large-scale production of coffee resulted to fear trade. In Brazil, investments in coffee production began in 1970.Coffee production dramatically changed the lives of the thousands of small-scale farmers in Brazil.

Production of coffee leads to deregulation, privatization and liberalization of agricultural production process in growing of coffee. Therefore, it leads to high production of coffee in the country (Cleland, P. 11). Value of Pros According to Masood Sadiq, and Tauseef Sultan coffee is one of the greatest sources of antioxidant. The Authors have also stated that black coffee, without milk or cream, has a low-calorie count (364).The calorie count of black coffee is two calories. However, only two cups of black coffee would be beneficial and taking more than two would be introducing a high level of caffeine in the body.

In addition, other health benefits that are associated with drinking coffee are it protects against type II diabetes, liver cancer, and Parkinson disease. Cons of Coffee Coffee farming has several cons to the environment. The first problem associated with coffee farming is soil erosion. According to the author, countries like in Brazil have faced a significant challenge in coffee farming because of soil erosion. Most of the farms in Brazil and the crops were grown along the slope. It maximizes soil erosion has the water quickly moves down the slope carrying way the top soil.

The soiled water also pollutes the available water bodies. Besides environmental pollution, the eroded is also susceptible to climate change. Coffee farming has led to clearing of trees that has eliminated an important habitat for wildlife such as monkeys and tropical birds. That is coffee farming has an effect on the natural environment (Vandermeer P. 275). Cons Value Consumers mainly affected by coffee on their skeletal system, the nervous system, and the cardiovascular system. Coffee contains caffeine, kahweol, cafestol and other phenolic that have adverse effects on the systems as mentioned above.

However, harmful effects of coffee are primarily associated with people who are sensitive to stimulant (Cleland P. 11). Common value between Pros and Cons Pros and cons of coffee to the consumers vary depending on a number of cups consumed by the users, a sensitivity of the consumers to stimulants. Effects of coffee to the environment also depends on different factors associated with the farming and type of farming method that is unshaded or shade method of coffee farming. Works Cited Butt, Masood Sadiq, and M.

Tauseef Sultan. "Coffee and its Consumption: Benefits and Risks."Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 51.4 2011: 363-373. Print Cleland, Danielle. "The Impacts of Coffee Production on Local Producers." New York; Cambridge Press. 2010. Print Vandermeer, John, and Yvette Perfecto. "The Agricultural Matrix and a Future Paradigm for Conservation." Conservation Biology 21.1 2007: 274-277. Print