What is decaf coffee? Is decaf coffee healthy to consume? When it comes to looking into the possible answers regarding whether decaf coffee is healthy or not numerous arguments describe its benefits.
Decaf coffee is found to be beneficial for lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, anxiety, lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and many others. In the coming paragraphs, you may find all the primary benefits of the consumption of decaf coffee.
Coffee is the second highly consumed drink after tea in the world. However, if you wish to avoid caffeine-rich coffee then decaf coffee is the closest alternative. Moreover, decaffeinated coffee plays a fundamental role in weight loss as well as minimizes the risk of onset diabetes according to numerous studies.
Table of Content
What in the world is Decaf Coffee?
Decaf coffee is the coffee prepared through the process of decaffeination. Decaffeination is the process of extracting caffeine from the coffee beans using different techniques for a caffeine-free coffee product.
Coffee can be decaffeinated by the following three processes:
- Water Processing
- Direct Solvent Method
- Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Decaffeination Method
People who are pure coffee lovers have a negative reputation for decaf coffee. These people speak about the bad taste of decaf coffee over regular coffee. It is so because decaf coffee is chemically processed so it is not a favored drink.
Decaf coffee has huge benefits over pure coffee in the longer run. However, most people dislike decaf coffee due to its weird taste.
Is Decaf Coffee Healthy?
To date, research depicts that decaf coffee is beneficial for extending life by lowering the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, and others. The latest research from Annals of Internal Medicine demonstrates the facts from the stats of 700,000 people belonging to diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural belongings to depict that decaf coffee is beneficial in increasing life expectancy.
Another American study demonstrates the fact that in comparison to 16% of the people who consume no coffee, the people who consumed two to three cups of coffee were 18% less likely to die. In contrast, people who consume one to six coffee cups in a week are 12% less likely to die.
The black decaf coffee is far more beneficial for health than any other plain or ingredient-rich coffee. The extra ingredients such as lattes, milk, syrups, and sugars reduce the original benefits of decaf coffee.
Decaf coffee not only has a positive impact on the mood but it increases the daily performance far more. Both decaf and regular coffee have a positive impact on the liver as they increase the liver enzyme levels. The intake of decaf coffee has a positive effect on the human mood and productivity the same as regular coffee.
Not only these but both decaf and caffeinated coffee are found to be effective for the enzyme level of the liver and act for its protection. The decaffeination process rids up to 97% of the caffeine element from the coffee beans.
More of the benefits of decaf coffee are as below:
Decaf Coffee lowers the risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Coffee is beneficial for treating numerous health conditions but the caffeine inside may be responsible for numerous health issues. Both normal and decaf coffee are found to lower the risk of Type 2 Diabetes in people. Decaf coffee is equally beneficial as regular coffee without consuming caffeine daily.
Lower Amount of Caffeine Improves Sleep and Lowers Anxiety
Coffee is a highly suggested beverage for a fresh start of the day after a restless night. Caffeine inside the coffee is a powerful stimulant that can affect sleep and cause insomnia. When someone switches to decaf coffee it aids in reducing insomnia. Skipping caffeine from the beverages aids in lowering anxiety in the people who suffer from it.
Decaf Coffee Contains the Same Antioxidants as in the Regular Coffee
All of those people who consume coffee merely for the intake of antioxidants should switch to decaf coffee. The decaf coffee contains the same antioxidants as the regular coffee inside except for a minor difference due to the caffeine extraction process.
Decaf Coffee is Lower in Acidity
The coffee itself is acidic and when it is mixed up with dairy the acidic effects become lower. This coffee may lead to heartburn and other discomforting side effects. Decaf coffee has a low acidity content due to the decaffeinate process. People who suffer from chronic heartburn and GERD should switch to decaf coffee to lower acidic foods to reduce flare-ups of acid reflux and other side effects.
Decaf Coffee Reduces the Risk of Fatal Cardiovascular Diseases
Regular coffee is beneficial for lowering the risk of multiple diseases and other health conditions. Decaf coffee is effective for reducing the risks of heart-related problems. Caffeine is responsible for worsening heart issues due to stimulant effects. Replace the caffeinated coffee with the decaf one if you have a family history of cardio problems.
Blood Pressure
People who experience blood pressure problems should treat themselves with decaf coffee. This type of coffee is a matchless choice for starting the ideal morning without experiencing any negative side effects.
Caffeine Sensitivity
People with caffeine sensitivity may experience negative effects whenever they consume a cup of coffee. It’s better to try decaf coffee in these scenarios to rid the feeling of anxiousness and jitter. Many people experience issues of palpitation, high blood pressure, anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia from the caffeine in the coffee.
Pregnancy
Ladies who are experiencing the phase of pregnancy are suggested to have an intake of less than 200 mg of caffeine in a day. This amount is present in an equivalent amount inside two cups of regular coffee. In this situation, decaf coffee is a preferable option for being a safer alternative.
It is better for pregnant women to avoid caffeine-rich products because it has a harmful effect on pregnant women and the babies inside. The caffeine penetrates the placenta and leaves a bad effect on the baby. It may lead to pregnancy loss or low weight of the baby at the time of birth.
The Negative Effects of Decaf Coffee
If you are sensitive to caffeinated/regular coffee try decaf coffee for a better. Following are the negative effects of consuming decaf coffee:
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Faster Heart Beat
FAQs
Is coffee any good for my health?
A reasonable amount of coffee intake is proven for a lower chance of Diabetes type 2, heart problems, liver cancer, depression, and other such diseases. People who consume coffee have a lower risk of earlier death.
What are the major procedures used in the decaffeinate of coffee?
Generically, the decaffeination of coffee is carried out using the following methods:
- Steaming the coffee beans and extracting the caffeine of the coffee beans with an organic solvent
- Decaffeinating the coffee with the usage of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2)
- Removing caffeine from the coffee using activated charcoal
- Simply washing the coffee beans with clean and pure water
Why should I choose decaf coffee over regular coffee?
Healthy adults should avoid more than 400 mg of caffeine on a regular day. High consumption of caffeine may lead to blood pressure and lack of sleep increases the risk of heart problems and strokes. However, it is better to switch to decaf coffee.
Final Thoughts
Many of us wonder – is decaf coffee healthy? Well, decaf coffee is proven to be far healthier and better for us people than regular coffee. The caffeine-free coffee lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases and keeps the blood pressure in control along with other major benefits.
