Dont Throw Away Used Tea Leaves and Coffee Beans

Turns out that throwing away used tea leaves and coffee beans may not be a good idea in the near future. Apart from being hugely enjoyable to consume, they are also rich in antioxidants, which are good for our bodies when the beverages are consumed in the right amount. Tea and coffee are widely consumed beverages, but leave behind a substantial amount of waste which often ends up in landfills. Only 10 percent of their dry weight is consumed while 90 percent ends up in waste. Researchers at the King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia have now proved that waste that's left behind still contains several qualities which can not only extend the life of baked goods like cake, but also add to their overall nutritional value.

The waste left behind from boiled tea leaves and ground coffee according to the researchers contains flavonoids, which not only have antioxidant properties but also are also anti-inflammatory and have antiviral and anticancer properties as well. The easy to use method also helps reduce one's carbon footprint.

As a part of the research, the team soaked black tea leaves and ground Arabic coffee beans in boiling water for ten minutes but found that it still retained plenty of phenolic compounds which included the healthy flavonoids. It was discovered that tea retains a massive 73 percent of a particular antioxidant which is good for those who have high cholesterol, obesity and heart disease. Coffee on the other hand retains 64 percent of a particular antioxidant which also has health benefits. Surprisingly, these healthy properties were retained even after baking these ingredients into sponge cake. Not only was the sponge cake healthier but also saw reduced growth of bacteria which increased their shelf life.

The goal of the researchers is to find more innovative and easy methods to reduce one's carbon footprint by putting nutrient-rich food waste back into food items.