Unique Uses of Coffee
For most of us, if not all, our mornings are never complete without having to drink a cup of hot coffee. It is indeed a morning staple for many people; but did you know that aside from being a distinctively aromatic drink, coffee has other unique uses as well?
The following are other unique uses of coffee:
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It Deodorizes the Fridge.
Sometimes when we open our fridge, we smell foul odors coming from certain foods, such as half-rotten fruits and/or vegetables, leftovers, or milk that has already been spoiled. Fortunately, we can get rid of our fridge’s foul smell with the use of grounds of coffee. Just put a bowl of fresh coffee grounds in the refrigerator, and let it sit there for one to two days.
The bad odors will be absorbed by the bowl of coffee grounds. In addition to that, it will also release a pleasant coffee aroma. Coffee is really a good alternative for expensive deodorizers out in the market.
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It Can be Used in the Garden:
As a compost. Many gardeners have already tried and tested putting used coffee grounds to their compost. This is because coffee is also a great composting agent.
The reason behind this is because coffee grounds are rich in potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper.
As a result, their degradation releases nitrogen into the soil, making it rich and healthy. Also, the nitrogen it releases helps plants to convert sunlight into energy.
- As a fertilizer. For certain plants that like high acidity in the soil, such as rhododendrons, roses, azaleas, and blueberry shrubs, sprinkling small amounts of coffee grounds around their roots will make them healthier. These plants do flourish when they receive nutrients from coffee.
Diluted coffee (without cream and sugar, of course) can also be used to treat these plants. Just pour the coffee onto the potted plants.
Coffee has high contents of trace minerals, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen. Therefore, putting a thin layer of coffee grounds on the soil will slowly release these minerals, which will then be absorbed by the plants.
What’s more interesting is that some coffee shops give away their used coffee grounds as a freebie, so try heading to a coffee shop, and enjoy this perk.
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It Exfoliates the Skin.
Aside from its ability to give us a more invigorated and energized look, coffee can also make our skin feel smooth and look tight. In addition to that, the texture of coffee grounds can also help us get rid of dead skin cells. Hence, our skin will look revitalized and rejuvenated.
To achieve this, gently rub a small amount of used grounds of coffee with coconut oil (optional) onto the face to exfoliate your skin. Goodbye, dead skin cells!
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It Adds Shine to the Hair.
It is advisable to cleanse our hair at least every other day, especially when we need to wash off certain hair products that we use. To avoid buildup of these hair products, it is suggested to have our scalp deeply cleaned twice a month. Did you know that we can do this by using coffee grounds?
Brewed grounds of coffee can stimulate hair growth and can add shine to our hair. This can be achieved by massaging coffee grounds onto the scalp for 60 seconds. After that, rinse with cold water, and use shampoo and conditioner as usual.
With continued use, increased hair growth can be noticed, according to a 2014 British Journal of Dermatology study. This is because of the stimulating effects of caffeine. In addition to that, hair will also be noticeably shinier.
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It Cleanses the Olfactory Palate.
Whenever we go shopping for fragrances, we do spritz and spray several different scents. Doing such can result in an inability to know the difference between fragrances. This is called nasal fatigue.
Noam Sobel, a neuroscientist from UC Berkeley, revealed that smelling coffee can actually cleanse our olfactory palate. This is because sniffing coffee resets our sense of smell in between spritzing and smelling fragrance samples.
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It Can Reduce Cellulite.
There are many different cellulite creams in the market. The main ingredient of these creams is caffeine, which is said to enhance the metabolism of body fats and reduce their appearance under the skin. Although their main ingredient is the same, most of these cellulite creams are expensive.
The good thing is that we can still be able to get rid of unwanted cellulitis without having to spend much on expensive cellulite creams available in the market. Why not try using a homemade coffee scrub?
Have a coffee cellulite treatment at home by mixing coconut oil with warm and used grounds of coffee. Then rub onto the skin in circular motions for a few minutes. Rinse after.
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It Can be Used to Deodorize Smelly Hands.
There are some foods that do smell delicious when they are being cooked, such as onion, garlic, cilantro, or fish. However, hours after cooking, they can linger on the hands. Their smell then becomes not anymore pleasing to the nose.
To get rid of stinky hands, rub the hands with grounds of coffee, and then rinse with water. This is because coffee grounds have absorbent properties that can absorb smelly odors.
Conclusion
So why do we have this love for coffee? This is because of its rich flavor, distinct aroma, and its ability to make us feel re-energized. However, there is more to that.
Those seven unique uses of coffee are compelling reasons for us to stock up on it. Whether the coffee beans or grounds are fresh or already used, coffee will never fail to surprise us with its different and sometimes unusual uses.
Coffee is not just a staple of our every morning ritual. No, it is not just a rich-tasting beverage. On the contrary, there are also other uses of coffee outside of the kitchen.
How interesting can coffee be?
References:
http://ecosalon.com/20-unusual-uses-for-coffee-423/
http://www.instructables.com/id/11-unusual-uses-for-coffee/
https://experthometips.com/21-curious-uses-for-coffee-youll-really-love
https://www.rd.com/health/beauty/coffee-grounds-beauty-uses/
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/top-10-coffee-consuming-nations.html