Coffee is a widely-consumed stimulant beverage prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. Coffee was first consumed in the 9th century, when it was discovered in the highlands of Ethiopia.Mekete Belachew, "Coffee," in von Uhlig, Siegbert, ed., Encyclopaedia Aethiopica (Weissbaden: Horrowitz, 2003), p.763. From there, it spread to Egypt and Yemen, and by the 15th century had reached Armenia, Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa. From the Muslim world, coffee spread to Italy, then to the rest of Europe, Indonesia and the Americas. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide.

Coffee berries, which contain the coffee bean, are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus Coffea. The two most commonly grown species are Coffea canephora (also known as Coffea robusta) and Coffea arabica. These are cultivated in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted, undergoing several physical and chemical changes. They are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways.

Coffee has played an important role in many societies throughout modern history. In Africa and Yemen, it was used in religious ceremonies. As a result, the Ethiopian Church banned its consumption until the reign of Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia.Richard Pankhurst, Economic History of Ethiopia (Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie I University, 1968), p. 198 It was banned in Ottoman Turkey in the 17th century for political reasons, and was associated with rebellious political activities in Europe.

Coffee is an important export commodity. In 2004, coffee was the top agricultural export for 12 countries, and in 2005, it was the world's seventh largest legal agricultural export by value. To retrieve export values: Select the "commodities/years" tab. Under "subject", select "Export value of primary commodity." Under "country," select "World." Under "commodity," hold down the shift key while selecting all commodities under the "single commodity" category. Select the desired year and click "show data." A list of all commodities and their export values will be displayed.

Some controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment. Many studies have examined the relationship between coffee consumption and certain medical conditions; whether the effects of coffee are positive or negative is still disputed.

Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market by several recognized methods. Furthermore, the word is used to refer to the aromatic beverage prepared from the cured leaves of the tea shrub by infusion with boiling water.Webster's Third New International Dictionary Tea is also the common name of the shrub Camellia sinensis, which has been cultivated from antiquity in China. This shrub is now widely cultivated in Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and other countries.

The five types of tea are commonly found on the market; black tea, oolong tea, green tea, white tea, and pu-erh tea.

The term "herbal tea" usually refers to an infusion or tisane of fruit or herbs that contains no Camellia sinensis.Dictionary.com search Herbal tea URL accessed February 15, 2007.

Category: Image - :Koeh-025.jpg|right|thumb|220px|Tea plant (Camellia sinensis) from Köhlers Medicinal Plants.

Tea is one of the most widely-consumed beverages in the world, second only to water. It has a cooling, slightly bitter, astringent flavor. It has almost no carbohydrates, fat, or protein. Tea is a natural source of the amino acid theanine, methylxanthines such as caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline,Archive - Food Surveillance Information Sheets and polyphenolic antioxidant catechins (often referred to as tannins).

Category: Image - :HCAM13.jpg|right|thumb|220px|A tea bush.

The word tea came into the English language from the Chinese word for tea (Category: wikt - :?|?), which is pronounced tê in the Min Nan spoken variant. The British English slang word "char" for "tea" arose from its Mandarin Chinese pronunciation "cha''" with its spelling affected by British English arhotic dialect pronunciation.