30 pounds

Each morning, millions of Americans stumble out of bed and head for the kitchen. The reason is to get a steaming cup of fresh black coffee. Many people say they can not live without it. And most coffee drinkers do not stop at one cup. Get down coffee all day. Americans even have a special time of day to drink coffee—the coffee break. This break is even required by law. All in all, Americans use about 1.25 million tons of coffee each year. That is two and a half cups daily for each person. Americans are not the world’ s only coffee drinkers. All around the world, people drink more coffee than any other beverage. Swedes consume the most, an average of 30 pounds each year per person. The people of Sweden have not always drunk coffee. In the 18th century, King Gustav III of Sweden believed the coffee was poisonous. He decided to prove that his belief was correct. He sentenced a murderer to drink coffee every day until he died. By comparison, another murderer was sentenced to drink tea every day. Two doctors watched the two men to see who will die first. The doctors died first, then the King died. Finally, after many years, one of the murderers died at the age of 83. He was the tea drinker. Coffee may or may not give long life, but it certainly gives energy. Coffee contains caffeine. This drug makes people feel awake and alive. This is one reason people drink coffee.