Is Decaffeinated Coffee Good?

Let’s begin by understanding what is decaffeinated coffee? It is essentially coffee with the caffeine content being removed from it or perhaps reduced. Now before you reach for that cup of coffee and think well it is decaffeinated what harm can come of it?

Think again! Most people who drink coffee do so because it keeps them fresh and stops them from feeling jittery, however some believe that it is better to have regular coffee than decaf. So the question that is uppermost in your mind is- which is better regular coffee or decaffeinated? Another question that emanates from this discussion is- does drinking decaffeinated coffee pose any health risks?

Now let’s begin by understanding how much caffeine does decaffeinated coffee contain? It actually has almost 97% of the caffeine removed that means just about 5milligrams remains, as compared to the 150 milligrams in about 6 ounces of regular brewed coffee.

Let us also briefly understand how caffeine is extracted so we know whether the process is healthy or not. Three methods are mainly used to extract caffeine; one is by making use of organic solvents like mythlene chloride or ethyl acetate, the second is by using carbon dioxide and the third being the water method. As ethyl acetate is a fruit derivative, coffee that is decaffeinated by making use of this solvent is called natural decaf.

There have often been heated discussions about coffee that is decaffeinated with methylene chloride being used as a solvent because often studies have shown that this chemical caused cancer when it was inhaled by animals in labs, however interestingly the same chemical had no effect when the animal drank it. In fact the compound that is used in decaf has been approved by the FDA.

Another question is does drinking regular coffee cause any health problems? Often coffee is blamed for many ailments particularly related to hypertension, but almost all tests carried on this harmless beverage have declared it not guilty. One study has found that drinking five or more cups of coffee may raise cholesterol levels. Most Canadians and Americans drink filtered coffee.

You may be surprised to read this but caffeine can actually have some benefits like- it boosts alertness and also has mild analgesic effect that is why it is added to some pain killers. Drinking excessive decaffeinated coffee can however cause the risk of ulcers. So just drink in moderation and hey! There is no stopping you from reaching for that warm cup of coffee to begin the day in a refreshing way!