Start Zesting Citrus Into Coffee For A Brighter Cup Of Joe

Infusing the morning coffee with a bit of sunshine is easy to accomplish with a little citrus zest. The lemon, lime and orange zest, grated into the coffee grounds before brewing is all it takes to add a new, brighter flavor to a cup of Joe. Zesting the citrus into the grounds differs from adding lemon juice to a cup of coffee or espresso. The infused grounds create a flavorful coffee without the acid that comes with citrus juice. This is good news for the teeth as citrus juices are notorious for eroding tooth enamel.

The amount of zest used to infuse the coffee depends on how a coffee drinker takes their morning cup and how much citrus flavor they seek. For those who take their coffee with cream and sugar, start with a teaspoon of zest per ¼ cup of coffee grounds. Black coffee drinkers can use ⅛ teaspoon of zest per ¼ cup of coffee grounds. Increase the grounds as desired for more citrus flavor. Decrease the amount of the citrus is too intense.

Zesting citrus into coffee is also doable before grinding the beans. Add the zest then grind the beans. Add more flavor to the beans before or after grinding, add nutmeg, cinnamon or both flavors. Experiment with flavored coffees to find new flavors with that bright citrus zing. This type of coffee experiment could just be the start of a journey into the realm of coffee flavors and infusions.

The brighter flavor of the cup of Joe is not the only benefit of adding zest to the coffee grounds. Citrus fruits contain antioxidants and Vitamin C, two important nutrients that the human body needs every day. Antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties meaning that they reduce swelling in the body. They also help prevent heart disease and certain forms of cancer, according to Healthline. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Among its benefits are the ability to boost the immune system and help the body create collagen for healing.

Zesting a lemon, lime or orange into the coffer grounds or beans is a great way to also infuse antioxidants and Vitamin C into the daily diet. This is an important improvement for people whose daily breakfast is a single cup of coffee.

There was some social media buzz about the weight loss miracle of "lemon coffee." Unfortunately, these rumors were quickly debunked. Like the "lemon water" weight loss buzz, the science behind lemon coffee does not support any fat-burning claims. Lemon water did get people to drink more water, which did help hydration and appetite suppression—and other ways that drinking water helps weight loss.

So, any weight loss that comes from drinking coffee with citrus zest in the grounds is likely due to the increased coffee drinking. The infused cup of Joe is tasty enough to make some regular drinkers reach for another cup.