Coffee Grounds: Good for Your Health and Your Garden

We could be on the verge of another supplement, something drawn from an easily found food source, capsulized and sold to the masses. What will be in these new capsules? Possibly spent coffee grounds. According to a recent study, the antioxidant concentration within spent coffee grounds is remarkable and could provide yet another way to turn trash into treasure.

Antioxidants are natural compounds that help protect the cells of the body from oxidative stress. They have been tied to everything from cancer prevention to a younger looking complexion.

In the recent study, the researchers who published their findings in the ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that used coffee grounds are notably rich in antioxidants. They found that the highest concentration are within grounds from filter, plunger (French press-type) and espresso machines. The smallest concentrations were found in mocha coffeemakers.

The scientists noted that the antioxidants could be extracted from the grounds, leaving the grounds to still be used for gardening and other re-use purposes.

So the question is, could you experience these benefits by somehow using your spent coffee grounds? While some may shudder at the thought of using used coffee grounds, many recipes call for coffee. Using spent grounds may be an option if you are the type to experiment in the kitchen.

If not, you can still use your grounds for other useful applications including:

• Fertilizing plants
• Warding off insects
• As a scouring agent for hands or greasy objects
• As a deodorizer

Finally, don’t forget about the benefits of coffee drinking. Studies have found that daily coffee consumption could be related to reduce your risk of death, of skin cancer, breast cancer, stroke, and hardening of the arteries. It may also reduce your risk of depression and slow the progression of age-related dementia.

Additional Sources:

Portal.acs.org

Stroke.ahajournals.org