No, coffee is not a grain.
Instead, a coffee "bean" is actually the seed of the coffee plant, which is a flowering shrub or tree. After harvesting, these seeds are processed (dried, roasted, and sometimes ground) for brewing coffee. Unlike grains, which are seeds of cereal grasses, coffee "beans" originate from a fruit often called a coffee cherry.
| Feature | Coffee Bean/Seed | Grain |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical Origin | Seed of coffee cherry | Seed of cereal grass |
| Plant Type | Shrub or tree | Grass |
| Use | Brewed beverage | Food staple |
In short, thinking of coffee as a grain is incorrect from a botanical perspective. While coffee seeds can be planted and grown into coffee trees, their primary function is to be processed into the beverage we know and love. They belong to a completely different plant family than grains like wheat, rice, or corn.
