The Difference between Decaf and Caffeinated Coffee
Coffee remains the most popular beverage in the world with more than two billion cups consumed per day (Britishcoffeeassociation.org, 2015). While most coffee drinkers enjoy the jolt that a strong cup of coffee gives them, others prefer to enjoy the taste of coffee without the caffeine. Many people choose to avoid caffeine because of
perceived health risks or they have a specific health condition that forces them to avoid caffeine.
This article will examine how coffee is decaffeinated and what kinds of people are opting to drink this kind of coffee.
How is Coffee Decaffeinated?
Arik Waiss founder of
coffee wholesalers Doppio Coffee comments that ‘there are various methods for decaffeinating coffee, but all are done to the coffee bean while it is green (before being roasted). The goal of decaffeination is to remove the caffeine while leaving the other components of the coffee bean intact’.
It is a difficult process to perform because there are approximately 1000 chemicals in a coffee bean that contribute to its flavour and aroma (Coffee Confidential, 2015). If the processed used removes too many of those chemicals, it can reduce the quality of the bean.
Methods for decaffeination of coffee beans include:
•
Roselius process
Developed by Ludwig Roselius in 1903. The idea for this method was discovered when a shipment of coffee beans was soaked in salt water and had its caffeine content drastically lowered. The beans are steamed with various acids, then benzene is used to extract the caffeine. This method is no longer used commercially.
•
Swiss Water process
Chemicals are extracted from green coffee beans with hot water, then the caffeine is filtered from the hot water. That leaves flavourless beans and flavoured water. The first batch of green beans is discarded, then the flavour-rich water is re-used on the next batch, which retains the flavour but discards the caffeine.
•
Organic solvent processes
These process use much safer organic solvents like dichloromethane and ethyl acetate to remove the caffeine from the coffee.
•
CO2 process
This method uses very high pressure on water-soaked coffee beans to extract the caffeine
•
Triglyceride process
Green beans are soaked in hot water to draw the caffeine to the surface, then soaked in coffee oils obtained from spent coffee grounds, at high temperatures. Over a few hours, the caffeine is removed by the triglycerides in the coffee oils.
Who Drinks Decaffeinated Coffee?
Figures from 2009 indicate that decaffeinated coffee is fairly popular in the US compared to the rest of the world. 16% of all coffee consumed in the US is decaffeinated, compared to 8% in Germany, 7% in France, 7% in Italy and 1% in Greece (Thecoffeeguide.org, 2015).
Consumers tend to associate decaffeinated coffee consumption with being healthier. That is why demand for decaffeinated coffee is highest in January, after people have made their New Years resolutions (Realcoffee.co.uk, 2015).
A 2003 study published in the Annals of Epidemiology looked at the kinds of people who drank decaffeinated coffee. The study used a sample group of 12,467 people, of which 36% drank caffeinated only, 13% drank decaffeinated only, 27% drank both types and 24% drank no coffee (Shlonsky, 2003).
It found the following traits were associated with decaffeinated coffee drinkers:
• Compared to regular coffee drinkers, decaf drinkers were less like to be heavy coffee drinkers
• Decaf drinkers were also less likely to be smokers, heavy drinkers, users of caffeinated soft drinks and medication
• Decaf drinkers tended to be healthier than coffee drinkers and people who never drank coffee.
• The use of decaffeinated coffee was more prevalent in older people, women and African Americans
• People with specific health complaints were also more likely to drink decaffeinated coffee, including people with cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, or neuropsychiatric issues.
The paper concluded that decaf use was prominent in people who either had a particular health condition that necessitated it, or people who lived a healthy lifestyle.
An older study from 1995 with a sample group of 2,677 adults discovered the following correlations:
• Women who drank decaf coffee were more likely to consume vitamin tablets and cruciferous vegetables. They were also more likely to use seat belts and exercise regularly.
• Men who drank decaf coffee tended to have a low body mass index and consumed a low fat diet with cruciferous vegetables.
Not only are decaf drinkers more health conscious, coffee drinkers tended to be less health conscious! A research paper found that people who consumed caffeinated beverages were more likely to consume alcohol and smoke cigarettes compared to decaffeinated drinkers and people who did not drink coffee at all ('Tea, coffee and associated lifestyle factors: British Food Journal: Vol 114, No 3', 2015).
As more people become health conscious, the consumption of decaffeinated coffee is set to increase.
Thanks for reading.
Writter by Arik Waiss founder of London based
Doppio Coffee.
Sources
Britishcoffeeassociation.org,. (2015). British Coffee Association - Find the coffee facts. Retrieved 30 September 2015, from http://www.britishcoffeeassociation.org/about_coffee/coffee_facts/#
Coffee Confidential,. (2015). Decaffeination 101: Four Ways to Decaffeinate Coffee. Retrieved 30 September 2015, from http://www.coffeeconfidential.org/health/decaffeination/
Realcoffee.co.uk,. (2015). Consumption Facts | Mail Order Coffee, Espresso Coffee, Fairtrade Coffee, Organic Coffee | Realcoffee.co.uk from the Roast and Post Coffee Co.. Retrieved 30 September 2015, from https://www.realcoffee.co.uk/coffee-encyclopedia/trivia/consumption-facts/
Shlonsky, A. (2003). Traits of Persons Who Drink Decaffeinated Coffee. Annals Of Epidemiology, 13(4), 273-279. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1047-2797(02)00414-3
Thecoffeeguide.org,. (2015). 2.1.6-The markets for coffee-Demand - Decaffeinated coffee. Retrieved 30 September 2015, from http://www.thecoffeeguide.org/coffee-guide/the-markets-for-coffee/demand---Decaffeinated-coffee/
Tea, coffee and associated lifestyle factors: British Food Journal: Vol 114, No 3. (2015). British Food Journal. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/00070701211213500
by Arik Waiss Posted on: 2015-10-08 11:26 AM Founder of London based Doppio Coffee.
