A sip of fragrant hot beverage for breakfast. A cardboard cup from a nearby cafe for lunch. Cappuccino with vanilla syrup at a meeting with friends. These are the simplest and most understandable ways to use coffee. But that's not all! We would like to remind you how useful coffee can be... Here are other areas where coffee takes place;
medicine
More precisely, it is not coffee itself, but its main active ingredient - the alkaloid caffeine. Thanks to caffeine, we quickly cheer up and concentrate better after a cup of coffee. Caffeine was discovered by Ferdinand Runge in the early 19th century and was first synthesized artificially in 1897. Immediately after that, it began to be used in medicine: both in "pure" form and as part of other drugs.
Caffeine-sodium benzoate (“caffeine in tablets”) helps to reduce mental and physical performance, relieves drowsiness, is used for intoxication and CNS depression with opioid analgesics. If you take it when you have SARS and the flu, chances are you won't have fever and chills, as well as aches and headaches all over your body. Caffeine as an auxiliary substance, pain reliever and antipyretic, is part of migraine drugs.
But it's not caffeine alone! In 2018, scientists from the Brain Research Institute at Krembil published a paper containing the results of a study on the effect of coffee on the development of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. It turns out that the phenylindane substances synthesized during coffee roasting prevent the appearance of beta-amyloid and tau protein (those that provoke the development of "senile" brain diseases). The good news for lovers of dark roast coffee is that these coffees are the most effective.
Important: All drugs have certain contraindications and side effects! Please consult your doctor before use.
Cosmetics
We all know that coffee grounds make an excellent face and body scrub. It was known to Arab women in the Middle Ages. But the use of coffee in modern cosmetology and dermatology is not limited to peeling "old" skin. The extract obtained from the green grains is used in the production of shampoo, conditioner, cosmetics and perfumes.
Most often, caffeine is included in the composition of creams and face masks. The thing is, caffeine causes blood vessels to dilate, speeds up metabolism and improves the synthesis of collagen and elastin. But that's not all: coffee is used in anti-cellulite cosmetics and effectively fights "excess" subcutaneous fat.
Important : An allergic reaction to the extract of the green seed may occur.
Cake, Cookies and Marinade
Confectioners love coffee the most. There are many flavors to add to coffee: biscuits, creams and cookies. If we talk about classic recipes, of course, we need to start with tiramisu. Italian housewives dip savoiardi cookies in espresso.
The British, the Americans, and after them the Japanese are big fans of coffee jelly. And if in the West this dessert is a local delicacy and is common only in New England, then in Japan love is ubiquitous. Served with whipped cream as a separate dish. Cut into cubes, add jelly to ice creams, desserts, milkshakes and soft drinks. (If you are making Turkish coffee jelly, do not forget to strain it.)
Non-obvious use of coffee for meat lovers: marinade. Yes, for the barbecue. We brew coffee (in a coffee pot, mocha pot) and marinate the chicken or beef in the refrigerator for 10-12 hours. The original recipe came to Europe from Mexico, where "Chili con carne" was prepared with the addition of coffee infusion.
Fertilizer
Do not rush to throw out the coffee grounds from the coffee machines. If you have a garden, coffee grounds can be a great addition to standard fertilizers. It contains magnesium, potassium, nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus.
In addition, coffee in the soil repels pests, but attracts worms, which saturate the soil with oxygen. It should be added to compost or water during irrigation.
Important: Coffee strongly oxidizes the soil, so it is not suitable for fertilizing many vegetables. But fruit trees, rose bushes, evergreen shrubs and ferns will enter into active growth.
Decoration
Lovers of needlework mainly use coffee beans. They can be filled with anti-stress toys, pasted on handmade candles, decorated with pictures and appliqués. There is an alternative option: use the coloring effect of the finished drink. Thus, artist Karen Eland copies painting masterpieces using coffee instead of paint, and Russian designer Nikolai Mirumyan creates small drawings with coffee grounds.