Coffee is one of the nation’s favourite drinks, pulling millions of Brits out of bed every single morning. But the days of simply having to decide whether to have your coffee black or white, with sugar or without, are long over. We’ve got a lot of choice these days, and on top of your trusty morning cuppa, there are many other ways to reap the rewards of this humble bean. Here, Percol Coffee share some of their favourite ideas…
Hitting the gym?
Drinking a cup of black coffee half an hour to an hour before your workout is a great alternative to sugar-laden energy drinks. Caffeine has been known to increase mental focus and energy levels, enhance dopamine production which keeps us motivated and rewarded, help the body use fat cells as an energy source (instead of glycogen) leading to a faster metabolism and reduce muscle fatigue and pain. Coffee is also loaded with antioxidants, which help fight free radicals in our bodies and keep us generally healthy.
Coffee & Coconut Oil Scrub
Add a spoon or two of coconut oil to your used coffee grinds while they’re still slightly warm. Play around with quantities until you get the consistency that works best for you. Coffee grinds make a great exfoliator, are better for the environment than their shop bought counterparts with plastic microbeads and on top of that, when used topically, caffeine has been known to reduce cellulite by tightening the skin and adding antioxidants.
Green Thumb?
Your used coffee grinds can also be put to good use in the garden. You can add coffee to your compost pile – it helps break down other food waste. Sprinkling coffee around your plants adds extra nitrogen to the soil and also acts as a natural repellent to creepy crawlies too.
Cooking with coffee
We all love a good Tiramisu, Mocha Cheesecakes or a classic Coffee & Walnut Cake but did you know you can also add coffee to your savoury dishes? Adding a teaspoon of instant coffee to your Lentil Spag Bol can deepen and enrich the sauce. Give it a try!
