mod(e) Caff Blend

Caffeine runs throughout the entire caffeine plant, being stored in the stem, leaves, flowers, coffee fruit, and the seeds inside the coffee fruit. The highest concentration of caffeine is in the seeds (beans). Caffeine is bitter tasting and toxic to many insects when consumed in large doses relevant to their size. The levels of caffeine in coffee plants vary by species. Over 98 percent of the coffee consumed worldwide comes from just two varieties; Arabica and Robusta. Arabica coffee has around half the caffeine content of robusta. Because robusta contains so much more caffeine, the plant is able to survive at lower altitudes where a greater number of pests live. Another use of caffeine in coffee plants is to protect itself from competing plants. When the leaves and cherries fall to the ground, they release small amounts of caffeine into the soil that can inhibit the growth of other seeds, thus giving their seedlings a competitive advantage. The flowers of the coffee plant also produce nectar that contains low doses of caffeine, which bizarrely serves to attract pollinators. So in the insect world just like its human counterpart there are some that are repelled by caffeine while others are naturally drawn to it.