According to statistics, more than 50% of the American population drinks coffee every day. If you’re a part of this population, you might have noticed the total cost you spend for coffee every month or year. As such, the idea of saving money by reusing coffee grounds has probably crossed your mind.
But the questions are, can you reuse coffee grounds? Is this safe? Or, is the taste of regular coffee achievable? What are practical ways to reuse coffee grounds? Well, we have found the answers to these questions, and they are fascinating.
CAN YOU REUSE COFFEE GROUNDS?
Of course, you want to know if you can reuse coffee grounds for brewing another cup of coffee. The short answer is – yes! However, most coffee connoisseurs discourage this idea.
The caffeine content, aroma, and flavor are never the same compared to fresh coffee grounds. Regardless of the brewing method or coffee maker you use, nothing will help make reused coffee grounds taste like fresh coffee. Reused coffee grounds make your coffee taste weak and too watered down.
Nothing will ever beat fresh grounds for your delicious cup of joe. Fresh coffee grounds are always equivalent to rich and flavorful coffee.
HOW MANY TIMES CAN COFFEE GROUNDS BE REUSED?
The National Coffee Association suggests that coffee grounds should only be used once. According to them, the best flavors are already extracted and everything left is undesirable and bitter flavors. Even if the aroma and flavor remain, there’s a danger of contamination, and bacteria may be present in the coffee grounds.
But if you are careful in brewing coffee, you can use coffee grounds twice. Just be mindful of the coffee to water ratio. In this way, you can maintain the strong and flavorful features of the coffee grounds.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU REUSE COFFEE GROUNDS TO BREW COFFEE?
The critical components of the coffee grounds are weakened after the first extraction process. That means that the soluble components of the coffee disappear in the water. For this reason, it’s considered a mortal sin for coffee connoisseurs to reuse coffee grounds.
Before you try to rebrew the coffee grounds, it’s imperative to know the facts below:
FLAVOR DISSOLVES
If flavor matters to your coffee, unfortunately, reusing coffee grounds for another cup may not be advisable. The second, third, or fourth cup will taste like water with a coffee flavor. However, using cream and sugar can help it taste better.
That said, if you don’t mind a weakened flavor, it’s fine to reuse coffee grounds. But make sure to drink it quickly or just after you put in the cream and sugar. Brewing the same grounds twice a day is okay, but consuming it the next day is a bad idea.
Later on, you will discover that drying coffee grounds and reusing them the next day will produce soggy and saturated sediment. The result will always be a fertile breeding ground for mold and bacteria. This happens pretty quickly, so if you leave the grounds out for more than 48 hours, you should throw them out.
Moreover, if you are not a cream and sugar person, using the grounds more than twice is not ideal. The taste is horrible, or it won’t have any taste at all.
MAKES DIRTY WATER
Reusing coffee grounds not only results in a bad taste but also is a waste of water. It may be drinkable for some but not for real coffee enthusiasts.
The brewed coffee from a reused grounds is merely colored water because it’s over-extracted. Since the compounds and oils are already removed, the resulting brew is mostly astringent or bitter.
LESS CAFFEINE CONCENTRATION
Many chemicals are released the first time you use the coffee grounds. These chemicals include proteins, vitamins, antioxidants, flavonoids, and, most importantly, caffeine.
So the moment you put the grounds in water, you have already used the caffeine contents. As such, it will no longer be effective as a wake-up call. It won’t give you your much-needed kick in the morning nor an energy booster for the day.
The reused grounds will only make you feel like you’re drinking a decaffeinated coffee. It will also not have the same health benefits as the first cup.
WEAKER COFFEE
Weaker coffee happens when the water and grounds fail to interact properly. This means that the coffee grounds were improperly extracted. When achieving a perfect cup of coffee, the coffee ground to water ratio matters.
But how can you make a perfect brew when you have already used the grounds to their full potential? Well, no matter what you do, the beans have lost their soluble contents. Its value has changed, and it’s now less flavorful.
But, to make the most out of your reused grounds, you can try other variables. You can adjust the water ratio, accelerate the brewing temperature, or add more sugar. It may not end being the best coffee, but at least it’s good and drinkable.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU REUSE COFFEE GROUNDS FOR A COLD BREW?
If you genuinely want to reuse coffee grounds for another cup of coffee, a cold brew can be your best alternative. While the taste may not be as rich as the first cup, reusing the grounds for cold brew is better than any other brewing method. It is less acidic even if you reuse a considerable amount of coffee grounds.
The flavor that cold brew makes will still satisfy your taste buds. Oil extraction plays a crucial role in brewing time. If you plan to reuse your grounds more than once, intentionally steep the grounds for less time for the first brew.
For a perfect second cold brew, make sure to steep the reused coffee grounds longer. This will ensure that the taste is still strong despite using the grounds twice.
PRACTICAL WAYS TO REUSE COFFEE GROUNDS
If you don’t plan on reusing coffee grounds for an extra cup, you’re probably thinking of other practical ways to reuse them. The good news is that the grounds which you have discarded in the garbage can easily be recycled.
Coffee grounds have nutrients and chemicals that are good for several uses. Whether for household or skincare, used grounds should never be wasted.
Here are some other ways you can make use of your used coffee grounds at home.
BODY SCRUB
Coffee grounds are often used as body scrubs. They have natural exfoliant and antioxidant properties. You can use them to eliminate dead skin cells by mixing them with other household ingredients.
To do this, combine 1 cup of used coffee grounds, 6 tbsp. of coconut oil, and 3 tsp of sugar or salt. After mixed, you can apply them to the part of the body which you want to exfoliate. You can also put it on your face like a mask.
STAIN REMOVER
The rough texture of coffee grounds is a great natural scrub. It can clean burnt pans or remove stains from your sink or oven grill. Additionally, they contain antibacterial and antiviral properties.
To effectively clean your pots and pans, soak your cookware in hot water. After 30 minutes, rub the grounds over the surface to remove residue and stains. Take note to use steel wool on grills and baking sheets.
REDUCE EYE PUFFINESS
Studies show that can caffeine can get rid of eye puffiness. You can try this at home by putting the grounds around your eyes. As a bonus, you can also use the grounds to reduce dark circles under your eyes.
HAIR GROWTH
Some of the reasons why people suffer from hair loss are the harsh chemicals contained in styling products and shampoo. By exfoliating your scalp with coffee grounds, you can eliminate these chemicals from your hair. Most importantly, applying caffeine to your hair can stimulate hair growth.
HAIR COLOR ENHANCER
Just in case you aren’t aware of this, coffee grounds can be used to enhance the color of your hair. After shampooing your hair, condition your hair with coffee grounds. While the effect may only last for a few days, it’s a cost-effective way to enhance the beauty of your hair.
For brunettes or red hair, coffee grounds will make your hair darker and glowy. For blondes, however, it will help you achieve an even shinier and darker hair.
SKINCARE
If you use commercial skin care products, you may want to try coffee grounds to save more money. Coffee grounds offer many skincare benefits. They can be used as a facial cleanser, body scrub, or facial mask.
Further, if you want to improve your complexion, coffee grounds will not disappoint. It can also help make your face look younger as it tightens the skin. So instead of the usual expensive creams, why not try coffee grounds?
DEODORIZER
Coffee grounds contain nitrogen which is excellent for eliminating foul odors. Utilize your old grounds by placing them in a container with tiny holes and combine them with baking soda. Then place the container in your refrigerator to absorb odors. You can also leave a container of grounds in a garbage bag or any place that needs to be deodorized.
MAKES A HEALTHIER GARDEN
Coffee grounds have plenty of nutrients such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, chromium, and many more. These nutrients are responsible for keeping your plants healthy. They can also attract worms that are good for your plants.
Interestingly, acid-loving plants like carrots, radishes, and blueberries love coffee grounds. These plants will easily thrive once you put coffee grounds on the base of the soil.
INSECT REPELLANT
Gardens are usually invaded with insects like beetles, flies, snails, and mosquitoes. These are harmful insects that can inhibit the growth of plants. You can get rid of them by sprinkling coffee grounds around your lawn.
MEAT TENDERIZER
Natural acids found in coffee are a great tenderizer. It can also improve the flavor of your meat by adding them with your meat marinade. To make the meat crispy, you can rub the coffee grounds on the meat before cooking.
THE BOTTOM LINE
As a general rule, coffee connoisseurs would not recommend reusing coffee grounds for another cup. It won’t deliver the best flavor nor the best quality. However, the exception of which is if the used coffee grounds are used for cold brew.
As you can see, there are many uses for old coffee grounds. Therefore, you should not waste them after one use. So after every time you make a cup of joe, consider repurposing your coffee grounds. Doing so will not only save more money but also save the environment. When faced with the dilemma of what to do with your old coffee grounds, remember that a true barista will not simply throw away old grounds. They will think of ways to reuse and recycle.
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