Caffeine acts as a mild stimulant in the nervous system and produces feelings of alertness and well-being. It works by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain. While caffeine has positive effects in moderation, too much can cause restlessness, insomnia, and irregular heartbeats. Germany consumes the most coffee per person in Europe, followed by Spain, France, and the UK. Coffee grounds have various unusual non-drinking uses including repelling ants and deterring cats from using gardens as litter boxes.

1. why do we love caffeine? caffeine?

2. Coffee is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. Coffee contains nonvolatiles such as caffeine, trigonelline, chlorogenic acid, phenolic acids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and minerals. Important volatiles are organic acids, aldehydes, ketones, esters, amines, and mercaptans .

3. Caffeine content in some beverages Beverage Caffeine (in mg.) Espresso 60-120 Naples coffee 60-130 Istant coffee 40-110 Decaffeinated coffee 2-5 American coffee 95-125 Coffee powder (100 gr.) 1000-2000 Tea (one cup) 15-20 Tea cans 20-35 Coke 30-40 Hot chocolate 10

4. The principal physiological effects of coffee are due to caffeine, an alkaloid that acts as a mild stimulant Caffeine acts as a mild stimulant to the nervous system, blocking the neurotransmitter adenosine and resulting in a feeling of well-being and alertness. It increases the heart rate, blood pressure, and urination and stimulates secretion of stomach acids; excessive intake can result in restlessness, insomnia, and heart irregularities. The effects of caffeine vary from person to person, as people excrete it at different rates. It is harmless when taken in small amount but when taken in excess it can cause nervousness, loss of sleep, headaches and digestive trouble.

7. 10 unusual uses for coffee 1. To get rid of ants put used coffee grounds onto the ant hills, this will have to be done for each hill as the pesky things will move to another home. 2. Kitchen drains tend to get smelly, simply get a cup of coffee grounds and tip down the plughole making sure you tip a kettle of boiling water down slowly & leave to work on the odours 3. For a quick fix on fabrics soak garment in strong black unsugared coffee, this is an inexpensive way to dye clothes brown in an emergency but remember it will not be colour fast. 4. Coffee grounds can be used to clean any stain resistant surface, it has a mild & gentle abrasive element & smells fresh too, particularly good for smelly ashtrays and greasy surfaces. 5. To help plants to flourish add coffee to your soil, this is best done in small amounts of soil so you can add 1 cup of lime to balance acidity if need be, another way is to empty it straight onto your compost pile with other kitchen waste. By Ross Wharton

8. 6. Fishermen, when transporting maggots & worms put them in a container with moist coffee grounds & they will be easier to pick up when you need them & they also like coffee as much as we do so it will make them live longer too. 7. Coffee can be used as an odour neutraliser if there is a powercut & the food in the freezer defrosts & goes off, simply fill a bowl or two with new or used coffee & leave in the freezer over night. 8. When it comes to cleaning/sweeping out open fires sprinkle some used coffee grounds over the hearth or wherever you have to clean & it will sweep up easier & stop the coal dust from rising up in your room so better for environment. 9. Gardeners if you grow carrots add some coffee to your seeds before sowing, not only does this make the seeds easier to sow, the smell also repels root maggots & other pests allowing for thicker juicy carrots. 10. Many people take exception to neighbours cats using their garden as a toilet, a mixture of used coffee grounds and & orange peel put round plants and in beds you want left alone will provide a pungent smell that cats do not like and so will find someone else's garden to use. 10 unusual uses for coffee By Ross Wharton

9. After all of this, I guess we can all enjoy a nice cup of coffee! Thanks for watching and... cheers!