Coffee, as you probably know, contains caffeine. It’s that dose of caffeine that gives you that butt kick you need to emerge in the morning (or even the afternoon).
Some people, whether for health reasons or simply out of personal choice. Seek to limit their caffeine intake throughout the day. For them, decaffeinated coffee is a great way to enjoy that cup of coffee without ingesting that extra caffeine.
But what do you really know about decaffeinated coffee and how it is made? This article explains everything you need to know about decaffeinated coffee.
What is Decaffeinated Coffee?
Decaffeinated coffee is regular coffee that has undergone a process to remove almost all of the caffeine from the beans. In most cases, around 97% of the caffeine is eliminated.
The end result is a cup of coffee that won’t give you that energetic high, good or bad, that you get from drinking a caffeinated beverage.
How is Decaffeinated Coffee Made?
There are several different processes, although most of them are very similar.
Basically, the coffee beans are washed in a solvent usually made up of water, organic solvents, or carbon dioxide. This solvent slowly removes the caffeine from the beans, the end result is a coffee bean without caffeine.
This process happens at the very beginning before the beans are roasted and/or crushed. I always recommend buying coffee beans and this recommendation also extends to decaffeinated coffee.
Does Decaffeinated Coffee Have A Special Taste?
This is a big debate. Most people are very picky about their coffee, so if they decide to switch to decaffeinated coffee, they want to make sure that they are getting coffee that tastes very similar to the caffeinated variety.
It can be said that the decaffeination process has an impact on the smell and taste of coffee. In most cases, decaffeinated coffee will taste and smell much milder than regular coffee.
So how do you deal with this problem? In my opinion, if your decaffeinated coffee is too mild in smell and taste, you should choose a stronger bean in order to achieve the potency you are looking for in a cup of coffee.
You may need to experiment several times when switching to decaffeinated coffee for the first time. However, with the right roaster and the right source of beans, you should be able to find decaffeinated coffee that tastes very similar to the cup of coffee you’ve enjoyed for so many years.
Does Decaffeinated Coffee Contain Caffeine?
It’s important that you remember that just because it’s called “decaffeinated coffee” doesn’t mean it is completely caffeine-free. Although the process used to brew the coffee removes most of the caffeine, traces are still lying around.
The amount of caffeine varies from coffee to coffee. However, you can bet that the amount of caffeine in your decaffeinated coffee will be between 0 and 7 mg per cup.
To put this in perspective, an average cup of coffee contains between 70 and 140 mg of caffeine per cup. As you can see, almost all of the caffeine is eliminated.
However, if you are looking to completely eliminate caffeine from your diet, unfortunately, you will have to give up your daily habit.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Decaffeinated Coffee?
Regular coffee has many health benefits, and it turns out that decaffeinated is no slouch.
Like regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee contains a lot of the nutrients your body needs, and it’s packed with antioxidants you need for a healthy life. However, there are differences between regular coffee and decaffeinated.
For example, decaffeinated coffee can contain up to 15% less hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols than regular coffee.
Like regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee can actually lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and both kinds of coffee can improve liver function and even prevent premature death.
Some studies have even linked regular coffee to decaffeinated coffee to reduce the risk of developing a variety of neurodegenerative diseases and may even help reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Additionally, it appears that consuming decaffeinated coffee is beneficial in two other areas.
First of all, the main side effects of drinking coffee are heartburn and acid reflux. When you drink decaf, these side effects are drastically reduced.
Second, studies have shown that if you drink two or more cups of decaffeinated coffee a day, you have up to 48% less risk of developing rectal cancer.
Who Should Drink Decaffeinated Coffee?
So the question is, who should drink decaffeinated coffee? Should we all do it? If you want to drink decaffeinated coffee, go for it! It certainly won’t hurt you, and in some ways, it might even help you.
In addition, people who should probably choose decaffeinated coffee are more sensitive to the side effects of caffeine. This can make them anxious and nervous or even keep them awake late at night.
Others, such as the elderly or those with heart disease, and even pregnant women, should seek to avoid caffeine to reduce the potential side effects associated with their condition.
For these people, decaffeinated coffee is simply a great alternative to quitting permanently.
Final Thought
Although caffeine is considered relatively harmless, there are still a lot of people who want to cut back on their daily intake and there is nothing wrong with that.
Finding the right kind of decaffeinated coffee is the key to reducing your caffeine intake while enjoying a great cup of coffee.
