We're generally unaware of the benefits and alternative properties of coffee, since when we prepare this exquisite beverage, we discard the residue, considering it useless or of little use. However, in this post, you'll learn that the sediment left behind by coffee in the filter once it's been prepared and brewed (also known as grounds, husks, cuncho, borra, or tripio) provides multiple benefits in various areas, which we'll explain later.
This is a contribution from La tienda del café , from which we hope you can get the most out of it, while providing our readers with greater knowledge, thus contributing to Mother Earth by generating different alternative uses for coffee.
Coffee-based fuel.
Would you believe that a fuel capable of propelling a vehicle could be generated from coffee waste? Yes, it turns out that since 2017, the United Kingdom has been reusing coffee to produce a biofuel capable of powering London's iconic red buses. This product is created from the methane gas produced by the decomposition of coffee, which, when combined with other fats, becomes biofuel. Thanks to this, the aim is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 15% in the transportation sector.
In agriculture, orchard or garden.
The most common alternative use for coffee is in the agricultural sector . We have good news for farmers and plant lovers regarding the alternative uses of coffee . It is a product that contains no chemicals, belongs to the plant kingdom, is biodegradable, and is environmentally friendly. Therefore, it has two invaluable uses: as a fertilizer and as a pesticide.
Coffee works as an excellent fertilizer when mixed with soil or compost, as it's composed of nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium—perfect components for maintaining the soil's acidity, aiding plant growth. It's important to keep in mind that ground and used coffee has a neutral pH, while freshly roasted coffee beans have a higher level of acidity. Therefore, if you need to minimize the soil's pH, you can use freshly roasted coffee beans (not brewed) and, as a fertilizer, you can use leftover coffee grounds, even if you have brewed coffee without sugar or milk.
Consider some of the plants that can benefit from coffee: roses, azaleas, hydrangeas, gardenias, and strawberries. Expert gardeners claim that flowers grow more quickly and look more colorful when coffee grounds are added to the soil.
On the other hand, some tests have shown that coffee works as a natural pesticide, as it can repel some deadly pests such as worms, slugs, and snails. It is believed that the texture of coffee makes the soil surface abrasive and repels them, causing them to move away from plants and crops. However, other studies have found that even with coffee, slugs and ants still gain access to gardens.
Neutralize odors.
Just as the cosmetics industry uses ground coffee beans to neutralize the pituitary gland, you can use a tablespoon of ground coffee in a container at home to help eliminate unpleasant odors anywhere in your home, as coffee absorbs those unpleasant odors.
Homemade insect repellent.
One of the alternative uses for coffee you probably didn't know about is that it's a repellent. Because of its strong scent, coffee keeps ants and cockroaches away from the kitchen. Simply placing several containers with a little water and a teaspoon of unstirred coffee grounds in the corners of your kitchen every night will likely scare away these unpleasant insects. It's also said to keep cats away if you place coffee grounds in the places where they tend to hang out most.
For skin care.
As if that weren't enough, more and more people are using coffee as an alternative for body care, and this fruit (whether processed or not) provides multiple benefits to the skin, whether ingested as a beverage or applied directly to the skin.
In addition to so many benefits, caffeine also has a high content of polyphenols and antioxidants that prevent the terrible damage UVA rays cause to the skin. Therefore, there are numerous products in the beauty market today containing caffeine, given its antioxidant power, which helps keep skin glowing and elastic. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, reduces redness, and has detoxifying and diuretic effects. It improves blood circulation in the legs, while also preventing the appearance of new varicose veins.
Coffee grounds, applied to the skin as an exfoliant, are able to reactivate blood circulation, break down fatty tissue buildup, and increase the molecules that burn body fat. Unsightly dark circles, which give a tired look and add years to the appearance of those who have them, can be eliminated with creams and lotions containing caffeine. With its circulation-activating properties, it helps decongest and reduce inflammation, reducing the visibility of dark circles.
For hair.
Caffeine is considered a stimulant of hair follicles, prolonging their growth cycle and helping prevent hair loss. You might wonder, how is this possible? It turns out that caffeine acts as a blocker of the effects of dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. The hair follicle becomes sensitive to this hormone, causing it to become blocked, resulting in hair loss. This is where caffeine does its best work.
So after enjoying a good cup of this delicious beverage, reading about the alternative uses that can be obtained from coffee , you will surely find it difficult to throw away what is normally considered waste, so you will think before throwing it in the trash.