The history of coffee dates back to more than a thousand years. Originally, coffee beans were used as food. East African tribes would grind the coffee berries together, mixing the results into a paste with animal fat. Later, around 1000 AD, Ethiopians made a type of wine from coffee berries, fermenting the dried beans in water. Coffee also grew naturally on the Arabian Peninsula where it was first developed into a hot drink. Despite decades of research on coffee and caffeine, there are many misconceptions about the potential health risks associated with coffee. Coffee is one of the world’s most important primary commodities; it ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars traded worldwide. With over 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is the world’s most popular beverage.