Common Myths About Decaf Coffee You Probably Believe
Vast stimulating effects have made it clear as to why coffee has occupied the top-shelf all these years. While it keeps many well-oiled and gets them through their daily routine, it is also helpful to someone who prefers to burn the midnight oil.
What many have wondered, though, is the effect it has on the brain. Research has found that some people may taste the chemicals that produce a bitter flavor more intensely than others. People whose receptors are less active than others may have a better chance of accepting the taste of this beverage.
So, if you enjoy coffee, it generally means that you are working against the laws of nature. However, this is the exact thing that makes me want to have it more!
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Caffeine not only gives you that jolt of energy but is also linked with improving the overall cognitive brain function. This is the reason the positive feeling after drinking coffee generally outweighs the rejection of bitterness.
No, consuming something just because it is bitter has no known link to pharmacological benefits. I learned this the hard way. Although, the caffeine in coffee does help one wake up and stay awake for more extended periods. Caffeine has widely been known as an energy booster. There is a reason coffee continues to be the world’s largest consumed drink.
Sure, a good hot cup of Joe with a little sugar on the top can boost that brainpower. This is because the combination of glucose and caffeine activates specific sectors of your brain. And all those sectors need is a mild hit of a stimulant, which is where caffeine comes in, directly aiding your Central Nervous System.
This activity ultimately triggers the release of adrenaline, which affects your body in several ways. Your heartbeat increases, blood pressure rises, breathing tubes open up, and the sugar is released into the bloodstream for just that extra boost of energy you need. Besides, coffee has proven to boost brainpower amongst those suffering from jetlag or shift-work sleep disorders.
What is decaffeinated coffee (decaf coffee)?
To understand decaf coffee, we need first to understand what caffeine is and what it means. In simpler words, caffeine is a crystalline compound found in tea and coffee plants that acts as a stimulant to the Central Nervous System.
It is an abundant source of nutrients and chemicals that can aid your immune system. According to scientists from several countries, coffee drastically reduces the risk of premature death. That is because coffee alters our immune system by making it stronger and healthier, as coffee contains many antioxidants and phenolic components that play a crucial role in cancer prevention.
Though there are a few side effects of caffeine, you do not have to turn your back entirely on your favorite beverage. You can try switching to decaf instead! Caffeine is why we feel a sudden jolt of energy and mental stimulation whenever we drink beverages laced with it.
Caffeine has no known aroma or smell and is slightly bitter, and is, in fact, a natural pesticide. Though people love to enjoy a hot cup of coffee now and then, millions across the globe enjoy the coffee without the stimulant (caffeine). Such coffee is called decaffeinated coffee.
Though it may sound like a completely different term altogether, decaf is just regular coffee. Except, the decaffeination process removes almost 97% of the caffeine present in a coffee bean, thus separating it from regular coffee.
The average 12 ounce (335ml) cup of decaf coffee usually contains between 3 and 18 milligrams of caffeine. The average of this amount in regular coffee tends to vary significantly and usually ranges between 140 and 300 mg.
Besides, the nutritional value of both decaf and regular coffee is almost the same, minus the caffeine content. This means that decaf will not aid your Central Nervous System as much as regular coffee. However, individuals suffering from anxiety or have trouble sleeping are advised to switch over to decaf.
Why do people prefer decaf coffee over regular coffee?
As we mentioned above, the process of decaffeination removes around 97% of the caffeine present in a coffee bean. Therefore, drinking decaf will not leave you with caffeine's usual side effects, such as headaches, light-headedness, hand tremors, palpitations, and jitteriness.
Like regular coffee, a decaf coffee is also rich in antioxidants and contains useful nutrients such as manganese, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins. It does not matter when you consume decaf coffee. Even if it is in the morning or late in the evening, consuming decaf won't leave you wide awake throughout the night.
In numerous studies across the globe, it was found that decaf has no diuretic effects and is an excellent method of hydrating oneself during the day. Similarly, caffeine is often linked to miscarriages in pregnant women. However, decaf does not increase the risk of these miscarriages associated with caffeine consumption.
While coffee has multiple health benefits (whether decaffeinated or not), science is yet to decipher which (decaf or regular) is better for the human body. Decaf provides an excellent alternative to regular coffee for those sensitive to caffeine. Additionally, pregnant as well as lactating women are advised to choose decaf over regular coffee.
Is decaf coffee healthy?
Consuming coffee has its benefits, but what about decaffeinated coffee? Potent chemicals are used to remove caffeine from coffee - and this has many people wondering if it is harmful to your health. In the past few years, people have slowly started shifting towards traditional coffee instead of specialty ones.
In the past, there have been several studies conducted claiming that some of the methods used to remove the caffeine involve substances that may be harmful to the body. Most of these methods use water to rid the bean of caffeine. Using a chemical solvent the caffeine is gradually removed from the water. Once the solvent is removed, the remaining water is left to dry off.
This process leaves the nutritional value of decaf similar to that of regular coffee, apart from the caffeine content. Regular coffee is the most significant source of antioxidants, and it is proven that the human body receives more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables combined.
These antioxidants effectively prevent and protect numerous lifestyle diseases such as Type-2 diabetes, chronic inflammation, and heart diseases.
Decaf Coffee Health Benefits:
- Lowers the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
- Lowers the risk of developing rectal cancer
- Helps Digestion.
- Prevents Gallstones.
- Prevents Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Does decaf coffee reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes?
Yes, consuming decaffeinated coffee might reduce your risk of developing type-2 diabetes, a condition in which the pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin or your cells do not respond to the hormone.
Type 2 diabetes can increase the risk for other health problems, including kidney dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and heart disease. However, recent studies have found people with a higher intake of decaffeinated coffee are at a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes
6 Myths About Decaf Coffee You Probably Believe:
Whether you switch to decaf in the afternoon or opt for it all the time, you may be surprised to learn these things about decaffeinated coffee. People love decaf. Some are even addicted to it. Some people believe some weird stuff about coffee and how it affects us.
Similarly, people believe in a few myths about decaf coffee in particular. So, if you are a decaf person, we are here to burst your bubble when it comes to myths and lies. Therefore, here are six lies about decaf you probably believe:
1. There’s no caffeine in decaf coffee
You may be thinking that the name decaf immediately means that the coffee you drink does not have caffeine in it. However, that isn’t entirely accurate. As per FDA regulations, coffee has to be decaffeinated up to 97% to be deemed decaf. This means that even though its decaf, your coffee still has around 3% caffeine in it.
If you are having 4-5 cups every day, the caffeine content in your body could be equivalent to a regular cup of coffee. Therefore, make sure you keep that in mind if you're cutting caffeine for health reasons. There is no such process that exists to eliminate all the caffeine present in a coffee bean completely.
2. Decaf coffee has harmful chemicals in it
Several people who opt for regular coffee instead of decaf because they think that it might pose a problem to their health. Though decaf includes chemicals such as Ethyl Acetate or Methylene Chloride, it will not kill you and certainly will not affect your health in any way whatsoever.
Chemicals like Ethyl Acetate and Methylene Chloride are present in several things we consume daily, such as fruits, wine, perfume, and so on. Therefore, next time someone advises you against drinking decaf, you know exactly what to say!
3. Decaf doesn’t have any side effects
Drinking decaf coffee will not leave you with caffeine's usual side effects, such as headaches, light-headedness, hand tremors, palpitations, and jitteriness. At the same time, it will not improve your reaction time, mental understanding, awareness, and mood or ward of drowsiness like regular coffee does.
This is because all these benefits are linked to caffeine. Despite having only 3% caffeine, decaf tends to cause some not caffeine-related side effects. Decaf is just as acidic as regular coffee, so you may still experience heartburn after drinking it.
Similarly, decaffeinated coffee is useless in helping you lose those unwanted pounds. That is because it is caffeine that helps the body speed up the metabolism rate and decaf doesn’t contain enough caffeine in it.
4. Decaf coffee stunts your growth
This is one of the most commonly believed myths about decaffeinated coffee. What causes your growth to slow down is to drink coffee too late in the day. Caffeine content is what separates regular coffee from decaf. However, it takes around seven to ten hours for caffeine to disappear from your system.
But since there is only 3% caffeine present in decaf, you should be fine.
Similarly, coffee (regular or decaf) poses no risks to your body whatsoever if you consume it in the early morning.
While studies have indicated that coffee consumption has some relation with lower calcium, it is mainly because of the people drinking lower-calcium beverages. So far, no conclusive evidence has been found that suggests that coffee is linked to stunted growth.
5. Decaffeinated coffee helps you lose weight
This one of the most commonly believed myths about both regular and decaf coffee. However, this is a complete issue, and the consumption of decaf has no relation to losing weight whatsoever. While coffee is known for boosting stamina and giving you an extra push of energy, your weight loss is linked directly with how much you work out. As well as the food you consume during the day.
6. Decaf coffee keeps you awake at night
People around the world majorly drink coffee to get that extra push while working or when they are about to pull an all-nighter studying or to work. Coffee tends to stimulate the Central Nervous System and immediately gives you a jolt of energy and mental clarity once you consume it.
However, all of this is brought about by the caffeine present in regular coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant that directly aids the Central Nervous System. Decaf coffee contains just 3% of caffeine, which is insufficient to bring about all these changes. So, it won't keep your eyes wide awake throughout the night, even when you drink it in the evening.
Final Thoughts:
There are many reasons and benefits for you to choose decaf over regular coffee. However, there are also reasons why it may not be the right choice for you. We made sure to go over both the pros and cons. As well as the biggest myths about decaffeinated coffee that you probably believe. This way you will have all of the information you need to decide if decaf coffee is right for you.
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