Coffee was originally grown in Ethiopia, and then spread throughout the Arab world. Coffee reached Western Europe by the 17th century and was finally introduced into South America by European settlers. Coffee is now one of the world's most important cash crops: millions of people around the world drink cups of coffee every day and an entire industry has built up producing the necessary equipment, including percolators, cafetières and filters, to process it. The Latin name for Coffee is Coffea arabica.
Coffee's best known medicinal action is as a stimulant, thanks to its high caffeine content (3 parts in 1,000). This alkaloid stimulates the central nervous system and increases heart rate (which in turn speeds blood flow through the kidneys, so coffee has a mild diuretic action as well). Palpitations are a common side effect of too much coffee-drinking. Individual tolerances vary – try to not drink more than a maximum of four cups (not four mugs) of coffee a day.
Coffee also helps to counter nausea and vomiting (much appreciated by hangover sufferers) and was used in folk medicine. Powdered coffee beans have also been used as an emergency application for burns and scalds to control inflammation. In homoeopathic doses, coffee (coffea cruda) has the opposite effect and is used for anxiety, stress, nervous headaches and hyperactivity. As a home remedy, a caffeine supplement is worth remembering as a digestive stimulant which can increase gastro-intestinal activity and also for its anti-emetic effects.
You can buy caffeine in supplement form as well. You can buy caffeine capsules and caffeine tablets in dosages ranging from 100 mg to 450 mg. You can also buy caffeine powder. Pure caffeine powder is available in amounts as small as 1 oz.
Caffeine's Medicinal Actions: anti-emetic, anti-narcotic, diuretic, stimulant
Plant Parts Used: Coffee Beans
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