Pepping up the planet

2.25billion cups of coffee are drunk worldwide each day, 55million in Britain

Its use is thought to date from 11th century Ethiopia, when a goatherd noticed his animals became energetic after eating the berries of a coffee plant

Caffeine is now the most widely used drug in the world, consumed every day by 90 per cent of us

The drug stimulates the central nervous system, reducing tiredness and increasing alertness

Coffee is said to protect against womb and liver cancer and reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease, MS, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s

But drinking more than 0.4g of caffeine a day has been linked to anxiety, sleeplessness and disturbed heart rhythm