If you’re a person who loves coffee, you may think of using it twice to brew another cup of coffee the next day. Now the question is, can you use coffee grounds twice?
You can use coffee beans twice to brew another cup of coffee, but the taste you will get will not be the same due to the presence of bitter-tasting compounds in the second brew.
Do you get the coffee with the same taste and flavor as the second brew? No.
Coffee extraction is the method that occurs during the preparation of the coffee. Naturally occurring desirable compounds are dissolved during the process of extraction. The coffee solubles are lipids, fruit acids, caffeine, melanoidins, carbohydrates, and plant fiber.
What happens when you brew your first cup of coffee?
When you pour water on coffee beans, the extraction starts, and the coffee’s soluble compounds ( fruit acids, sucrose, sugars, and coffee oils) starts dissolving in the water. The aim is to dissolve 30% of the compounds in the coffee, if you brew it for a longer time, bitter solids from coffee will start dissolving.
Most of the taste and flavor producing solids are dissolved during the extraction of the first cup. So if you are using the coffee grounds the second time, you will get bitter-tasting tannins in your cup.
Also, when coffee comes in contact with water, it produces carbon dioxide.
Compounds released during the extraction
During the extraction, solids that get dissolved in a coffee cup depend a lot on the extraction method. The most common methods to extract Coffee grounds are the drip method, french press, espresso.
As long as you use creamer and other flavoring agents to make the coffee, you will not feel the taste change.
It is best to avoid using coffee grounds for the second cup.
Cons of using coffee grounds the second time
When you brew the coffee the first time, most of the solids responsible for fruity flavors and sweetness dissolve with the water.
If you are using a paper filter, only dissolvable solids will pass to the cup.
Coffee extracted with other French press, Turkish fabric, espresso will allow even non-dissolving solids in the cup. This is the reason why coffee tastes bitter at the end.
If you try to reuse the coffee grounds to make one more coffee, it may taste unpleasant.
Due to moisture and the temperature, used coffee grounds are a perfect place for bacteria and molds.
How to reuse coffee ground
If you don’t want to waste coffee grounds, there are other ways to reuse them.
Coffee grounds can be used in personal care as
Face and body scrub
Coffee grounds can be used as a face and body scrub to exfoliate the dead skin. The abrasiveness of the coffee grounds helps in removing dead skin cells. Make a coffee ground scrub by mixing an equal amount of brown sugar and coconut oil. Scrub your body in the shower and wash it.
As the deodorizer
If you want to remove any bad odor from your shoes, sprinkle the grounds inside your shoes and keep them overnight. Coffee grounds will soak any odor, and your shoes will smell better.
For hair shine
Use used coffee grounds on your hair after washing them. Apply coffee grounds as a final rinse and rinse with cold water. They give a beautiful shine to your hair.
For removing cellulite
Cellulite gives a dimpled appearance to the skin. It is the condition in which fat deposits push through the connective tissue. 80-90-% of adult women get this, and coffee grounds can help you relive this problem. Mix coffee grounds with coconut oil and scrub for 10-15 minutes twice a week on the affected area. Scrubbing helps the uniform distribution of the fat and proper circulation, which is a good sign of healthy skin.
To remove under eye dark circles.
Dark circles under your eyes are the problem most of us get at a point in our lives. The skin around the eyes is low in fat and easily get puffiness around them with age. Caffeine in coffee grounds can help you relieve the dark circles and puffiness. Make a paste of coconut oil and coffee and apply it under the eyes. Remove after 10 minutes and wash your face.
Reuse coffee grounds around your house
As bug repellent
A strong smell of coffee, caffeine, and diterpenes helps keep bugs away from your house. These compounds can be toxic to bugs. Sprinkle dried coffee grounds around your house and be bug-free.
Fertilizer
Reused coffee grounds make a great fertilizer. Sometimes the soil does not contain the required nutrients for the growth of plants. Coffee grounds are high in minerals like nitrogen, calcium, chromium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. Minerals are required for the proper nourishment of the plants.
As compost
Coffee helps maintain the composite’s pH; hence, it also degrades the food properly into compost. A study found a higher percentage of nutrients present in the compost containing the coffee grounds.
Other use in kitchen and home
To clean pots and pans
Coffee grounds are coarse in texture, which helps clean the pots and pans with caked food on the base. Scrub the pan with coffee grounds and wash them properly.
Drain cleaning
Boil coffee grounds in water and pour that water into the drain. It will help unclog as well as deodorize the drain.
As refrigerator deodorizer
As of now, we know that coffee helps in deodorizing; use coffee grounds to keep your fridge smelling good. Tie coffee grounds in cheesecloth and keep them on a fridge shelf. Coffee grounds will soak all the bad odors and keep your refrigerator smelling good.
To grow mushrooms
Use coffee grounds to grow mushrooms. Mushrooms need a specific type of soil base to grow. Coffee grounds make a good base as these are packed with the nutrients that mushrooms love.
Summary
You can make another coffee cup to reuse coffee grounds, but your cup will be more bitter than your first cup. You can make a cup with creamers and other flavoring agents. To avoid wastage, reuse the coffee grounds for making fertilizer, personal care, and as a deodorizer in the kitchen.