Is Decaf Coffee Healthy For You?

There are numerous benefits associated with the regular coffee drinks and one wonder if there should be a reason to consider decaf coffee. Many people will consider decaf coffee because they think it’s completely free of caffeine that many find hard to tolerate. This piece discusses decaf coffee, its components and how it can be a better alternative to regular coffee.

What is Decaf Coffee and How is it Made?

Simply put, decaffeinated coffee is one that has been treated to remove most, if not all its caffeine before roasting. The roasting is normally done with a Carbon Di Oxide solution or by soaking he coffee beans in water. The water-soaking method, also referred to as the Swiss method and it is mostly preferred ahead of other options because it preserves most of the coffee flavor.

Methylene-chloride is another chemical used in decaffeination but it has been banned in many plants due to its potential toxicity even when left as small residue from the decaffeinated process.

The decaffeinated process doesn’t strip coffee beans of its caffeine completely, it normally leaves between 2 and 3% of the substance behind. While a normal cup of coffee contains roughly 100mg of caffeine, a decaf, and filtered cup of coffee should contain roughly 2mg of the same.

What Are the Potential Benefits of Decaf Coffee?

Normal coffee offers numerous benefits and most of these are preserved eve after decaffeination. A cup of brewed decaf for instance contains an average of 2.4% of recommended daily dose of magnesium and 4.8% of recommended daily dose of potassium. Decaf coffee also contains essential ingredients like Niacin and B-vitamins. The following are potential health benefits found that may be derived from decaf coffee;

Improve gut microbiome

Lowered inflammation risks

Lowered blood sugar and diabetes risks

Improved cardiovascular health

Improved brain health

Improved sleep, and

Lowered anxiety risks.

Coffee’s health benefits have been attributed to the hundreds of plant chemicals linked to diverse health benefits in the body. Melanoidins and chlorogenic acid for instance are polyphenols in coffee that have been linked to lowered diabetes risks and improved cardiovascular health.

According to a 217 research report published by Imperial College, London, individuals who consume up to 3 cups of coffee daily live longer than non-coffee drinkers. This study examined the habits of roughly half a million people in 10 different European countries and observed that regular coffee drinkers had less cardiovascular and digestive disorders compared to the non-drinkers. The study also concluded that moderate consumption of regular or decaffeinated coffee offers similar benefits.

How Does Decaffeinated Coffee Differ From Regular Coffee?

Aside caffeine, the chemical composition of decaffeinated coffee is similar to that of a regular coffee. One downside of the decaf coffee is that, unlike the regular coffee, it wouldn’t provide a temporary boost of mental alertness and focus. However, minus the mental boost in concentration and energy, decaf coffee provides all other benefits found in the regular coffee.

A single shot of Starbucks caffeinated espresso coffee contains up to 33mg of coffee while its decaffeinated option contains only 1.8 mg. Similarly, A Costa medium Americano contains 330mg of caffeine while its decaffeinated version contains 2mg.