Coffee is the most abundantly consumed stimulant in the world. And, no, Starbucks did not invent coffee.

In fact, Mark Pendergrast, author of “Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How it Changed our World,” wrote that legend has it coffee was discovered in Ethiopia around the third Century, when an Arabian goat herder noticed his goats acted strangely after eating certain berries.

Hence, coffee beans were discovered.

According to the National Coffee Association of the U.S.A., Inc., this country is now the world’s largest coffee importer, with an average of 4.6 million bags per quarter.

Also, according to the Association, it takes 3,500 coffee beans to produce one pound of coffee. Coffee bean trees need three to five years to yield that much coffee.

Coffee beans do have their perks, as they contain caffeine, a stimulant that affects the nervous system. It increases mental alertness and temporarily jump-starts metabolism.

One average cup of coffee contains 140 milligrams of caffeine. This makes coffee the most caffeinated drink, in comparison to soft drinks that average 40 to 100 milligrams.

Even decaf coffee contains a small amount of caffeine – most decaf contains three percent.

So, with the United States importing a lot of coffee, that means there are a lot of coffee drinkers.

In Eau Claire alone, there are seven coffee shops.

Senior Becky Piotrowski is a coffee drinker.

“(Coffee shops) provide a good atmosphere to go and catch up with friends and a good break from the hectic college life,” she said.

Senior Evan Brooks, an employee at Acoustic Caf‚, 505 S. Barstow, said its house coffee is the most-ordered drink on the menu.

Why is coffee so popular?

Senior Karin Andersson is another coffee drinker.

“I like it, and it’s social,” she said.

Teresa Oliver, who has worked at Jazzman’s Cafe, the campus coffee stand, for about two years, said the most commonly ordered drink is grande mocha.

Senior Angel Dominguez-Gil Velasco said he normally orders cappuccino and likes stronger coffees.

When it comes to coffee, crŠme brulee and javanilla are among the most common coffees ordered at Jazzmen’s, Oliver added.

Both coffee shop employees, Oliver and Brooks, said they see regular coffee drinkers, students and others alike, everyday.

Not only are there many places to go for coffee, but there are so many coffee choices.

Starbucks has 39 different types of coffee, ranging from mild to bold. Most of these coffees are named after the countries they are grown in.

Coffee lovers can personalize their coffee 19,000 different ways. Not to mention a lot of coffee drinks now can also come blended or iced.

Piotrowski said she prefers drinking Fair Trade coffee.

According to the company’s literature, Fair Trade coffee goes right from the farmer to the consumer. This was a program started to ensure farmers got a fair price for coffee so they could make a good living.

All this because some goats ate some berries.