Research
From coffee shops to the instant
coffee industry, spent coffee grounds
can be generated in massive quantities.
Enterprising researchers have investigated
using coffee dregs for:
• growth media for lab insects and
earthworms;
• sileage and herbal remedies for
livestock, including cattle, buffalo,
sheep, pigs, and chickens;
• biofuel and biogas production;
• composite building materials;
• controlling mosquito larvae (albeit
with variable success);
• treating wastewater;
• a natural antioxidant for treatment
of diabetes and cardiovascular
disease; and
• compost and mulch materials for
gardens and landscapes.
Before discussing these last studies,
let’s consider the chemistry of your used
coffee grounds.