5 Ways to Use Coffee

There have been some new amazing studies on the antioxidant content of coffee, as well as how coffee affects us and our memory as we age.

Coffee has pros and cons when it come to health, although the cons can be easily managed. For example, drinking too much coffee can interfere with sleep (the easy solution is to have your coffee in the morning but skip that afternoon cup), and ask your doctor about caffeine if you have heart issues.

If coffee is safe for you to drink, you’ll be happy to know that recent studies mentioned in the NY times blog have linked moderate coffee drinking (around three or four 5-ounce cups per day — that’s the size of a dainty tea cup) to a reduction in type-2 diabetes, basal cell carcinoma (the most common skin cancer), prostate cancer, oral cancer and breast cancer recurrence.

Research from the Mayo Clinic says that coffee could boost immunity through liver health along with six other potential benefits.

So don’t toss that cold coffee that’s at the bottom of your coffee pot: try these fun ways to enjoy America’s favorite brew! Store you left-over morning coffee, refrigerated, in a pitcher with a lid to have it on hand for these fresh ideas.

Tip 1: Tired of dry burgers? Stir in 1/4 cup cold coffee and a dash of steak sauce or Worcestershire sauce into 1 pound of beef or turkey burgers to make them moister (click to tweet)

Tip 2: Allergic to soy or concerned about salt intake? Add left-over coffee to your Asian stir-fry in place of soy. It will add richness without adding sodium.

Tip 3: Add 1/2 cup coffee to chili recipes and beef stew to cut back on salty beef broth and preservatives found in store-bought broth.

Tip 4: Stir into your favorite barbecue or skillet sauce to give your sauce a deeper richer flavor, and increase the portion size without adding sugar or fat.

Tip 5: Blend with your morning smoothie — coffee is delicious with cherries or banana. Take left-over, cold morning coffee and freeze in ice cube trays, for the perfect smoothie base.