The title of today’s post is attributed to a question one of my followers asked. She drinks decaffeinated coffee and wanted to know if it had any health benefits. So today I will address that question.
Why drink decaf coffee? For many it’s because of medical conditions that are aggravated by regular coffee. For others, caffeine produces anxiety, or just wanting a healthier lifestyle. Decaf is made from coffee beans that have had about 97% of the caffeine removed. There are multiple ways that caffeine is removed from the bean. Most of them include water, organic solvents, or carbon dioxide.
Coffee beans are washed in the solvent until the caffeine is extracted, then the solvent is removed. Caffeine can also be extracted using carbon dioxide or a charcoal filter. Caffeine is removed from the bean before it is roasted and ground. The taste and smell may be milder depending on the method used.
Decaf is not totally caffeine free. One cup of coffee contains 3 mg of caffeine, although this can vary up to 7 mg. A cup of regular coffee contains 70 70 140 mg of caffeine, in comparison, decaf contains a very small amount of caffeine.
As stated in last week’s post, coffee is the largest source of antioxidants in the Western diet. Decaf contains those same antioxidants except in up to 15% smaller amounts. You may recall antioxidants kill free radicals, responsible for disease in our bodies. The main antioxidants in coffee and decaf coffee are hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols.
Decaf also contains some nutrients, 2.4% of recommended daily intake of magnesium. 4.8% of potassium, and 2.5% of niacin, (B3). Although the amounts are small drinking 2-3 cups of coffee per day will add up.
Drinking regular and decaf coffee have been linked to reduction of risk to develop type 2 diabetes. Each cup drank daily reduced the risk by up to 7%. Decaf was also linked to a reduction of liver enzyme levels. As well it was shown to be beneficial in reducing premature death related to heart disease and strokes.
As with regular coffee decaf has been linked to lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and other diseases related to dementia. Another benefit of decaf is the decrease of heartburn, acid reflux, and up to 48% reduction of rectal cancer, with coffee intake of more than two cups.
Finally, regular coffee and decaf coffee appear to have similar benefits with the exception of smaller amounts in decaffeinated coffee. Switching to decaf is beneficial to those who are sensitive to caffeine, experience nervousness, anxiety, increase in blood pressure or sleep deprivation when drinking regular coffee. These side effects may lead to an increase in potential for heart disease or stroke. People who just want to be healthy may also choose decaf.
In addition, pregnant and lactating mothers are advised to decrease caffeine intake and by all means if you take any medications that caffeine produces side effects, switch now!
Thank you, Brandi, for posing your question, and I hope this helped. I also ran across some information regarding the side effects of decaf, so next week, I will be posting that as well as healthy alternatives. The journey on the coffee trail continues, the “Tea will be spilled”.
Until next time,
Peace, Love, and Blessings💖
