Posted on: AUG 20, 2014
Posted by: STOKES-COFFEE
Did you know that after water, coffee is the most popular drink worldwide with over 400 billion cups being consumed each year? Decaf coffee is great if you fancy a brew but you don’t want to be up all night -but how exactly does the decaffeination process work? And is it good or bad? Stokes Coffee is going to break it down and explain everything that you need to know about decaf coffee.
Caffeine effects
Caffeine is found in the leaves, seeds and fruit of more than 60 different plant species, it is a mild stimulant which acts on the central nervous system and other organs of the body. Caffeine is readily absorbed into the bloodstream but doesn’t accumulate in the body.
The stimulant effects from an average sized mug of coffee typically takes effect after 15 to 45 minutes and can last for around four hours. It can depend on a lot of factors though, including age, bodyweight, time of day and the person’s sensitivity to it.
It has been proven, through scientific research, that a moderate consumption of 4-5 cups of coffee per day is in fact safe for the general population. It has also been shown that caffeine can improve concentration, alertness, intellectual effort and vigilance.
Is decaf coffee a stimulant?
Regular coffee is a stimulant due to the level of caffeine it has in it. However, it is important to remember that decaf coffee is not completely caffeine free, so there is still a chance that you are going to get a lower level of that “buzz” feeling.
How is caffeine removed?
There are different ways to remove caffeine from coffee beans, but there are three main ways that are most commonly used.
The traditional way is to soak the coffee in water with a chemical mixture, this dissolves the caffeine contained in the beans.
Another way is the Swiss Water process which is where the coffee is flushed out with pure mountain water.
The final way you can remove caffeine from coffee beans is with Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The coffee is placed into a chamber of CO2 which absorbs and removes the caffeine.
It is important to know that depending on which method is used, the taste and smell of the coffee might become a little milder and the colour may change.
At Stokes, we use the Swiss Water system for our decaffeination process. The caffeine is removed from the coffee beans in their green state, before the oils and flavours have been developed through roasting. As caffeine is both tasteless and odourless, this particular method will not affect the flavour of the coffee.
Health benefits
The main antioxidants in decaf coffee are hydroxycinnamic acids and polyphenols which can help prevent diseases like heart disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. A common side effect of drinking coffee is heartburn or acid reflux. Decaf coffee has been shown to relieve this and causes significantly less acid reflux than regular coffee. If you are sensitive to caffeine you should definitely consider drinking decaf coffee instead. Also, individuals that take certain medications should also think about drinking decaf coffee over regular.
Decaffeinate coffee beans
Our decaffeinated coffee beans originate from Brazil. We recommend using the Swiss Water method because you can get all the delicious coffee tastes but not the side effects that caffeine can bring. These coffee beans are roasted slightly darker than the medium roast, giving you a rich cocoa element. If you are going to purchase our decaf swiss water coffee beans then we recommend using an Espresso, Aeropress, Filter or Pour over brewing machine.
Buy our decaf coffee here.