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Ahhh, coffee. Better known as the fuel for mankind. It only makes sense there is an entire day in its honor. Mark your calendars: National Coffee Day is Sept. 29.

It’s hard to imagine life without coffee. Who should you thank for this delicious and essential drink? That would be the shepherds who discovered it in Ethiopia circa 800 A.D. The Ethiopian legend says a goat herder realized the potential for coffee after seeing his goats eat from the coffee bushes and become so energetic they were unable to sleep. When discovered, coffee was considered a fruit rather than a drink. Today, coffee is the second-most traded commodity on Earth, leaving water as the only beverage more popular.

Although coffee beans are often separated into two types, Arabica and Robusta, coffee beans aren’t actually beans. Instead, they are berries from the coffee tree bush. Speaking of tree bushes, did you know if you sprinkle coffee grounds on the ground around plants, it prevents snails and slugs from eating said plant? In addition to your gardening needs, coffee helps wake you up. Yes, the caffeine is a factor, but the smell of coffee also awakens your senses. Better known as “coffee aroma,” studies have shown coffee can help those stressed by sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation isn’t a new idea for New York City, the city that never sleeps, considering the residents consume seven times as much coffee as the average American. Did we mention Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee per day? In fact, the average American spends more than $1,000 on coffee each year.

Humans love coffee SO much, there have been five attempts to ban it throughout history. Separate attempts to ban coffee occurred in Mecca, Italy, Constantinople, Sweden and Prussia. However, that didn’t stop American inventor and businessman, George Constant Louis Washington, from mass producing instant coffee in the early 1900s.

Although instant coffee is considered the most eco-friendly way to get your caffeine fix, companies like Caribou Coffee actively work to supply sustainable coffee to help keep our world green. In fact, Caribou Coffee is the first major U.S. Coffeehouse to serve 100 percent Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee and espresso. They do this to ensure the planet is unharmed and their farm workers, their families and communities are maintained.

It’s obvious Americans love their coffee, but France and Germany are guilty as well. In fact, the United States, France and Germany are the top 65 percent of consumers of the world’s coffee. Coffee is just one step behind the most widely used commodity in the world, oil. However, studies have shown coffee grinds can be used to make a biodiesel and has the potential to run a vehicle. Coffee lovers rejoice.

Regardless of what you use your coffee for, whether it’s running cars, gardening, waking you up, or just to drink, let’s face it, coffee is amazing. In celebration of #NationalCoffeeDay, Einstein Bros. Bagels is offering FREE Caribou Coffee with any food purchase at select locations in addition to providing little-known facts about your go-to drink.

More info: einsteinbros.com