Can You Eat Coffee Grounds?

If you love the smell of coffee grounds there’s no doubt you might have wondered if those fragrant coffee grounds are edible. Some questions you might have are: Can my body digest coffee grounds? Will I get sick from eating coffee grounds? Can I use coffee grounds in my cooking? Will my body absorb the caffeine?

I will answer all these questions and more in this article.

In short. YES, coffee grounds are edible and you will not get sick from eating them. Consuming coffee grounds provides your body with caffeine, healthy antioxidants, and dietary fibre. All of these are good and safe for consumption. There are even dietary phenolic compounds that fight harmful UV rays, and the phenols in coffee also help prevent diseases such as cancer and diabetes. You can get all these benefits just by consuming the coffee grounds.

Is Eating Coffee Beans Healthy?

Coffee beans have been consumed long before the invention of coffee. There are findings that coffee beans were consumed daily by the inhabitants in Harar, Ethiopia. So if they used to do it hundreds of years ago, it should still be safe to do it now.

The coffee beans are a concentrated form of consuming all the nutrients that provide the health benefits of coffee. If you want to learn about all the health benefits of drinking coffee you can read this article here.

Usually, by brewing coffee you are diluting the nutrients in the coffee bean with water so you do not get the full benefit of the coffee bean. However, this is also true for anything harmful such as mycotoxins in the coffee. As a result, both the negative and benefits of coffee may be amplified when consuming coffee grounds. With that said it is smart to keep the coffee consumption in moderation because you can suffer from all the negative side effects of coffee such as higher blood pressure, headaches, acid reflux, and anxiety. That being said you will also reap all the benefits of drinking coffee, it is a double-edged sword!

You will also experience a quicker rush of caffeine than a normal cup of coffee. This is because the soft inner lining of your mouth will absorb the caffeine from the coffee grounds like chewing tobacco. When absorbing caffeine through the mouth it will be absorbed much quicker than through the stomach and as a result, may give you an intense caffeine high.

If you suffer from high cholesterol, it may be best to stay away from eating your coffee grounds. There are chemicals in the coffee bean that are potentially harmful to the human body. Usually, when we filter the coffee these chemicals are filtered out and we do not worry about it. However, when consuming coffee beans there will be diterpene compounds which raise blood cholesterol. According to a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition people who considered coffee grounds had an average increase of 26 points in their blood cholesterol.

How Do I Eat My Coffee Grounds?

Coffee grounds are a very versatile ingredient and can be used for cooking. If you are interested in learning how to incorporate coffee grounds into your meal preparations read this article here.

If you have good coffee beans that are properly roasted they should not taste bitter at all. You can add this flavor to meats as dry rubs, cookies for flavor, and in your baking for texture!

Whenever I see chocolate covered espresso beans I pounce. If you ever see dark chocolate or milk chocolate covered coffee beans you should definitely pick them up! They are definitely delicious and addicting with the rich chocolate flavor balanced with the bitterness of the espresso bean. Here is a link to one of my favorite snacks!

What to do with Used Coffee Grounds?

If you have used coffee grounds you’ll be surprised to learn that you can do a number of things with the coffee grounds and you don’t have to eat them or throw them out if you don’t want to!

There are many ways to recycle your coffee grounds.

Coffee contains many important minerals that plants use to grow so you can throw a bunch of your coffee grounds into your garden and watch your plants grow!

Coffee is also great for making compost because they make a great medium for worms and thrive. Just mix this with your other organic waste and it will be turned into compost in a few short weeks!

You can also use the coffee to make coffee scrub for your face and skin! If you want to learn how to make this at home follow this link and follow the instructions! Coffee scrubs are great for your skin and helps reduce acne, ageing, cellulite, and much more!

For a long time coffee has been used as a dye and you can use coffee to dye paper, furniture, and even Easter eggs!

For a larger list of things, you can do with coffee grounds you can read this article to learn more!

Pica and eating Coffee Grounds

If you have watched the show My Strange Addiction you may know what Pica is and how people can get addicted to eating strange materials. While eating coffee grounds is not as bad as eating dirt, sand, baby powder, and other weird things on the show, it may be signs that you may have Pica.

Pica may be a result of having low iron and if you think you have a serious addiction to eating coffee grounds you should see a medical professional.

Drinking Your Coffee Grounds

For those who are interested in consuming your coffee grounds in a liquid form, there is actually a type of brewing method that mixes the coffee grounds with the coffee to create a heavenly concentrated brew.

Turkish coffee uses extremely fine coffee grounds mixed with water in a copper pot. This mixture is pressed into a hotbed of sand and brewed. The coffee is boiled with the water and poured together with the coffee. The result is perfect for those who like coffee grit and rich coffee. Turkish coffee is proof that consuming coffee grounds is safe. There has not been one study done showing death from poisoning from Turkish coffee. So if you’re craving some coffee grounds, go for it!