Is Decaf Coffee Bad For You?
Also Known As: decaffeinated coffee
Short answer
Decaffeinated coffee is not bad for you. It contains many of the positive benefits of naturally caffeinated coffee without the potentially harmful effects of too much caffeine.
Recommended Alternative
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Coffee is one of the world’s most popular drinks, and studies show that coffee drinkers have fewer incidents of diabetes, cancer, heart problems and strokes. While this drink is consumed by many, some avoid coffee because of its caffeine content. For those who want the great taste of the beverage, without the negative health effects of caffeine, Decaf coffee is considered to be a great alternative.
“Decaf” or Decaffeinated coffee, tastes the same and is prepared the same as traditional coffee, with the exception that the coffee beans have approximately 97% of the natural caffeine removed. The decaffeination process consists of washing the beans in a solvent until most of the caffeine has been eliminated.
There are a few different ways the decaffeination process can work. One of the most popular methods is utilizing Ethyl Acetate, a solvent that naturally occurs in fruits and vegetables, to soak the coffee beans. Once washed in Ethyl Acetate, the beans are then rinsed in water. This method is popular because the solvent removes the caffeine, but leaves behind other important components like flavor. This process is completely safe but does remove some of the natural antioxidants in the coffee beans.
Antioxidants are wonderful additions to our diets because they help prevent conditions like heart disease, cancer, and Type 2 Diabetes. Although the decaffeination process washes away some of the antioxidants, a normal cup of Decaf coffee only loses about 15% of its natural antioxidant levels.
Recently, coffee has been found to be incredibly beneficial to the liver. Studies through the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland have compared both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee options and have found that participants of both groups experienced positive impacts in liver enzyme counts. Dr. Xiao, who conducted the study, also found that participants, who drank three cups of coffee a day or more, had the most positive results. This was true for both caffeinated coffee drinkers and decaffeinated coffee drinkers. However, caffeinated coffee drinkers must weigh out the benefits, as high levels of caffeine can be harmful to the body.
Possible short-term side effects
Benefits
- better cardiovascular health
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lower risks of diabetes and cancer
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contributes to healthy liver
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caffeine-free
Healthier alternatives
- naturally caffeine free tea
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warm water with lemon
Our Wellness Pick
(what is this?)
Four Sigmatic Decaf Coffee
- Swiss Water Decaf Process
- Organic ground coffee
- Immune supporting mushrooms
- Stress relief properties
- No chemical decaffeination
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Written by DeeAnne Oldham
Published on: 05-16-2016
Last updated: 12-01-2023
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by DeeAnne Oldham
Published on: 05-16-2016
Last updated: 12-01-2023
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