The Beauty of the Decaffeinated "Decaf" Coffee
What happens when for health reasons you are told to cut down on the coffee, specifically your caffeine intake? Consuming too much caffeine can overwhelm the central nervous system which may cause unpleasant side effects such as restlessness, digestive problems, headaches, anxiety, heart arrhythmia or trouble sleeping.
According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), an 8 oz cup of regular coffee typically contains 80–100 mg of caffeine. The FDA recommends that adults should limit their caffeine consumption to no more than 400 mg per day, or around four or five cups of regular coffee.
As a coffee connoisseur, the idea of drinking decaf leaves you cold, but when it is a choice between your health and your coffee you probably don’t have much of a choice.
Source: Medical News Today
What exactly is decaffeinated “decaf” coffee?
Decaffeinated coffee is coffee from coffee beans that have had at least 97% of its caffeine removed. Even though decaf coffee is not completely 100% caffeine-free, it still contains less than the amount found in regular coffee. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a typical 8 ounce (oz) cup of decaf coffee contains just 2 milligrams (mg) of caffeine.
Source: Medical News Today
Caffeine removal process
There are various processes used to remove caffeine from coffee beans and the most economical uses chemicals to accomplish this. Although the chemicals are washed away, small traces can remain that impact the taste of the resulting brew. Some of the good coffee flavors can also be washed away with the caffeine.
Some more expensive decaf beans go through the Swiss method, where the beans are heated with water and then passed through activated charcoal, which binds with the caffeine, leaving the beans with reduced caffeine but the majority of their original taste.
Another, more recent addition to these processes is known as Hevla. Coffee beans are steamed at high pressure and the caffeine is removed, without any real impact on the flavor. The use of this process is becoming more widespread but is unlikely to be used on the standard decaf for sale in your local supermarket.
Health benefits of decaf coffee
There are so many health benefits to drinking decaf coffee, but here are in my opinion, some the most beneficial:
Drinking coffee, both regular and decaf have been linked with the reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Each daily cup may reduce the risk of up to 7%.
Reduction of acid reflux.
Small but significant reduction in the risk of premature deaths, stroke, and heart disease.
In cases of age-related mental decline, studies show that decaf coffee may protect neurons in the brain that could prevent the development of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Source: Healthline
So don’t despair when your doctor gives you the bad news that you have to drink to decaf, it isn’t all that bad. Of course, you will miss that caffeine high that we sometimes crave when drinking coffee, but this doesn’t mean that you have to give up your coffee altogether. So drink up and enjoy the decaf coffee. Your body will thank you!
