What Is Decaf Coffee – Understanding The Difference

 Decaf coffee is coffee which has had a certain amount of caffeine removed or ‘decaffeinated’ – the very same caffeine which has been the source of numerous health problems in the pass including elevated levels of Blood Pressure, Pregnancy Risks, Insomnia, Strokes and more! Decaffeination is the process through which caffeine content is removed from coffee beans.   Decaf coffee has an estimated of 97 percent less caffeine than normal coffee.
It is for this reason that the health conscious opt for Decaf coffee. However, is the switch any good? We will talk about the effects that both have on our health. There are healthy benefits and health risk that are associated with coffee, but does Decaf coffee have those same risks and benefits? That’s the real question! Let’s evaluate all the major differences between the two to make a more well-informed decision

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – In Terms of Blood Pressure!

It has always been believed that high amounts of caffeine in coffee was the triggering factor behind high blood pressure and increased heart rate. It was alleged that the decaffeination process would eliminate these risks; however, recent research has revealed that people who consume decaf coffee are still vulnerable to these problems. This is most likely to be explained by the fact that caffeine is still present in decaf coffee too. This is one thing that needs to be determined; it may be possible that cardiac diseases may be caused by other components found in coffee that are not eliminated during the decaffeination process. Hence, it’s a tough call in this respect.

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – Cancer and Organ damage

Coffee has been linked with secretion of gastric acids, in recent studies; it was revealed that decaf coffee contributes to gastric acid more as compared to normal coffee. This is because decaf coffee is made from robusta beans; increased gastric acid can cause diseases such as ulcers. Hence, normal coffee produces lesser gastric acids as compared to decaf coffee.

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – Cancer and Organ Damage

The decaffeination process involves use of chemicals, one of this chemical is methylene chloride. This chemical is toxic for the lungs, nervous system, live and central nervous system. Any individual who is exposed to this chemical for a prolonged time can suffer from organ damage and cancer. Since normal coffee does not have any chemicals, it is a much safer option as compared to decaf coffee.

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – Glaucoma

Caffeine can be harmful for any individual suffering from glaucoma, since it increases the pressure on the eyeballs. Even though decaf coffee has lesser amount of caffeine it can still lead to increased pressure in the eyes, hence, any individual who has Glaucoma should avoid both normal coffee and decaf coffee.

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – Rheumatoid Arthritis

A new study established that individuals who consume more than three cups of Decaf Coffee are more likely to develop Rheumatoid Arthritis as compare to normal coffee drinkers. Hence, normal coffee is a better option if you want to avoid developing this disease.

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – Osteoporosis

It has been revealed in a study that drinking both normal and decaf coffee can lead to loss of calcium from the body, this leads to metabolic acidity causing demineralization of bones. Hence, if you want to avoid developing osteoporosis, you should avoid drinking both types of coffee and include calcium rich foods in your diet.

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – Taste

One of the drawbacks of Decaf coffee is that the taste is not exactly similar to coffee; so for those of you who love the distinct taste of regular coffee, decaf will most probably not be your cup of tea! The decaffeination process makes the taste of the coffee to change. Some coffee addicts can’t stand this change while other simply adapt. Coffee that is decaffeinated using chemical process may taste better, but there may be residues of chemicals which may be damaging to your health! Coffee wins this round!

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – Cholesterol Levels

Decaffeinated coffee is made using Robusta beans; these beans are high on fats and can increase the level of fatty acids which means that there can be an increase in bad LDL cholesterol. Again, this is bad news for your heart either way! Caffeine and therefore regular coffee has not shown to increase cholesterol levels as such.

Coffee Vs Decaf Coffee – Bones

Too much consumption of Coffee can cause metabolic acidity this leads to demineralization of the bones, but this effect is not limited to normal coffee. It has been found that decaf coffee can also cause demineralization of the bones. However, this only happens if an individual consumes more than 3 cups of coffee per day.

Conclusion – The Final Verdict!

The concept behind Decaf coffee is to eliminate the risks of high caffeine quantity; however, the medical risks that are caused by regular coffee also occur with decaf coffee. If you have health issues triggered by coffee – it would probably be wise to avoid drinking both altogether! However, it cannot be ignored that both decaf and normal coffee also have benefits, like the antioxidants present helps to fight off free radicals in our body. You should limit the consumption of both coffee types to 1 or 2 cups a day.