Are Coffee Beans Technically A Fruit?

Origin: Coffee beans are the seeds of the coffee cherry, a small fruit that grows on the coffee plant.

Fruit Classification: The coffee cherry is a type of drupe, which is a fleshy fruit with a single seed inside — like peaches or cherries.

Structure: A typical coffee cherry contains two seeds (the beans) inside, surrounded by a sweet pulp and skin.

Harvesting: When coffee is harvested, farmers pick the ripe, red fruit — not the bean itself.

Processing: The beans are separated from the fruit through various methods like washing or drying.

Edibility: The outer fruit of the coffee cherry is edible and mildly sweet, though it's rarely eaten.

Caffeine Source: Both the bean and the fruit contain caffeine, though the concentration is higher in the seeds.

Cascara: The dried skins of the coffee fruit are sometimes brewed into a tea-like beverage called cascara.

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