DECAFFEINATED COFFEE: PRODUCTION, BENEFITS, NUTRIENTS, EFFECTS - NUTRITION - 2025

The decaf coffee is coffee that has been processed to remove all the caffeine. Its benefits are numerous: it prevents aging and rheumatism, improves blood circulation, helps treat anxiety, reduces the risk of gout, regulates cholesterol, prevents cancer and others that I will explain below.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It is made from the roasted and ground seeds of the coffee plant. The main coffee plantations are found in tropical countries such as Brazil, a nation that concentrates almost a third of world production.

Coffee is characterized as a stimulating drink due to its high doses of caffeine, around 40 grams per 100 grams of infusion. This has many benefits, but also many side effects that can be avoided by drinking decaffeinated coffee.

Production of decaffeinated coffee

In 1820, the famous poet and playwright Johann Goethe, upset by the insomnia caused by coffee, proposed to his chemist friend Friedrich Ferdinand Runge (1795-1867) that he analyze the components of coffee. Runge accepted the proposal and soon after discovered caffeine, the stimulant that caused his friend's sleepless nights.

Later, in the early 20th century, Ludwig Roselius, a German coffee merchant, found a way to remove caffeine from the seed. The mechanism consisted of soaking the coffee beans, treating them with steam and re-moistening them. This final moisture was what removed the caffeine.

It was soon marketed and decaffeination techniques have evolved and perfected, until it hardly affects the aroma and flavor of the coffee. Some of the most common techniques are:

Water treatment

Technique that accounts for approximately 22% of global decaffeination. The coffee beans are moistened with water mixed with extracts of green coffee that has been reduced in caffeine. It can also be washed with water only. The caffeine is concentrated in the solvent and the beans are decaffeinated. Later they are dried with hot air.

Its main advantage is that it is a natural process free of manipulations and risk for the environment. In contrast, solvent extraction is the most expensive and time-consuming process of the decaffeination methods.

Methylene chloride process

It is the most used method, touching 50% of world production. It is a type of technique that uses methylene chloride as a chemical solvent. The green beans are moistened in water so that their surface becomes porous.

They are then soaked in methylene chloride until the caffeine dissolves. Finally, the solvent is removed using an evaporator, the grains are washed to avoid any gap and dried with hot water. Methylene Chloride is reusable.

It stands out for its good performance when it comes to extraction and, despite being a solvent, its environmental impact is practically zero. Despite being ratified by the Montreal Protocol, some are the experts who question the safety of the methylene chloride solvent; They also believe that it is a method that requires technical conditions that need a lot of control to avoid emissions into the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide treatment

We use the carbon dioxide to circulate it between the coffee beans, applying pressure. With this pressure, the C02 acquires a density similar to that of the fluid and the diffusion capacity of a gas, allowing it to penetrate the grain and eliminating caffeine.

Then, through a charcoal filter, the CO2 (excluding caffeine) is absorbed so that it returns to the circuit and the drums of the already decaffeinated beans. Finally, they are left to dry in hot air.

Its main advantage is that it has a great dissolving power and the fluids are inert, do not leave residues, are not flammable and also do not pose a threat to the ozone layer. However, it requires a strong initial investment in machinery and its subsequent maintenance.

Natural decaffeinated coffee

In 2004, researchers at the State University of Campinas (Brazil) discovered naturally decaffeinated coffee. It is an Arabica seed that arises from a mutation, growing wild in Ethiopia.

This variety was named 'AC', in honor of the Brazilian geneticist Alcides Carvalho, a forerunner of techniques to protect and develop pest-resistant coffee plants. Although the idea of ​​the researchers was that it would be on the market from 2008, today it can only be obtained in specialized roasting.

As of today, decaffeinated coffee contains between 0.1% and 0.3% caffeine, while natural coffee contains between 0.8% and 2.8% depending on its origin and variety.

Benefits of drinking decaffeinated coffee

1- Prevents aging

Antioxidants or phytochemicals are nutrients that are found in certain foods like fruits or vegetables, but also in decaffeinated coffee. This compound is characterized by slowing down the aging of the organism by avoiding cell oxidation.

2- Improves blood circulation

Decaffeinated coffee is very rich in potassium, a component that maintains healthy blood pressure and regulates hypertension. It is very effective for cardiovascular problems.

3- Prevents conditions such as arthritis or rheumatism

Potassium, in addition to helping to regulate blood circulation and improve hypertension, normalizes body fluids, preventing problems such as arthritis or rheumatic diseases.

4- Helps treat anxiety problems

A study carried out by the Harvard School of Public Health and published in the journal Circulation, points out an inverse association between the intake of decaffeinated coffee and the risk of suicide, which would have antidepressant effects.

5- Great support for liver health

Based on a study developed by the National Cancer Institute of Bethesda (USA), the liver also benefits from both decaffeinated coffee and regular coffee due to the decrease in liver enzyme levels.

6- Reduces the risk of suffering from gout

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by the accumulation of uric acid in the joints. Predominant in men, Harvard Medical University conducted research with men who drank four or more cups of decaf coffee with the result that they had a much lower risk of gout than those who did not drink decaf coffee.

7- Prevents mental illnesses such as Alzheimer's

Decaffeinated coffee is made up of polyphenols, antioxidant substances that help increase the brain's cognitive abilities and improve memory. This helps fight diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other similar pathologies.

8- Keeps the heart healthy

Caffeine is one of the main causes of cardiovascular health problems such as irregular palpitations, strokes or heart attacks.

Decaffeinated coffee, as it has low levels of caffeine, reduces mortality levels from cardiovascular disease, as evidenced by research carried out by Brigham University or Harvard Medical School.

9- Prevents cancer

Having the risk of colon, breast or prostate cancer is reduced by up to 50% thanks again to antioxidants, as reflected in several recently developed scientific articles.

10- Effective against bad breath

In 2009, scientists from Tel Aviv University (TAU) in Israel, demonstrated the inhibitory efficacy of coffee in the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath in our mouth.

11- Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes

Consuming decaffeinated coffee reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes according to a study developed by scientists at the University of Sydney (Australia).

The reason for this benefit would be found in the high levels of antioxidants that decaffeinated coffee is made of and the production of chlorogenic acid, which minimizes the production of glucose in the liver, which regulates blood sugar levels.

In turn, keeping type 2 diabetes at bay means reducing the risks of kidney dysfunction or chronic inflammation.

12- Does it regulate cholesterol?

Point of greatest disagreement among researchers. There are numerous studies that affirm that decaffeinated coffee helps to maintain cholesterol at very healthy levels, while many others affirm that its contribution is very negative, even posing a risk of developing heart problems.

Main Nutrients of Decaffeinated Coffee

Decaffeinated coffee has many healthy nutrients for our body. We can stand out:

- Vitamin B2 (or riboflavin). Used for vertical cancer, headaches or migraines. It is also effective against acne, muscle cramps or burning feet.

- Vitamin B3 (or niacin). Eliminates toxic substances from our body helping the proper functioning of the skin, digestive system and nerves. Used to control low levels of good cholesterol and high levels of bad cholesterol.

- Potassium. Mineral responsible for maintaining normal body growth or controlling arterial activity.

- Iron. Essential mineral for the proper functioning of the blood system. Its main function is to renew blood cells.

- Magnesium. Mineral responsible for preventing disorders such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

- Calcium. Fundamental for the development of bones and teeth, it has functions of improvement in hypertension or muscle contraction and relaxation.

- Phosphorus. Second most abundant mineral in the human body, it has benefits for our memory, although its main function is the formation of bones and teeth.

Side effects

Knowing the benefits of decaffeinated coffee, it is always necessary to spend a moment on the side effects, to alert people that improper use can cause problems for our health and therefore achieve totally different results from those desired.

Although there are studies that show that drinking up to 5 cups of coffee a day should not negatively influence our body, specialists suggest that it is ideal to take a cup, or up to two in the case of decaffeinated coffee, in order to benefit from its properties.

- Contains less antioxidants than normal coffee due to the decaffeination process

- Both regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee can cause heartburn and heartburn.

- Although the levels of caffeine in this type of drink are very low, abusing it can cause increases in blood pressure and a stimulation of the nervous system.

- It should not be forgotten that it is chemically manipulated and therefore will never be ecological.

Bibliography

1. Huxley R (2009). Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
2. "Association of Coffee Drinking with Total and Cause-Specific Mortality." New England Journal of Medicine 366 (20): 1891–1904. doi:

   10.1056 / NEJMoa1112010. PMC: 3439152. PMID 22591295.

3. Shino Oba, Chisato Nagata, Kozue Nakamura, Kaori Fujii, Toshiaki Kawachi, Naoyoshi Takatsuka, Hiroyuki Shimizu. Consumption of coffee, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, chocolate snacks and the caffeine content in relation to risk of diabetes in Japanese men and women. Br J Nutr. 2010 Feb; 103 (3): 453-9. Epub 2009 Oct 12. PMID: 19818197
4. Jonkman N, (2015) Coronary Collateral Growth Induced by Physical Exercise: Results of the Impact of Intensive Exercise Training on Coronary Collateral Circulation in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease. Published by Circulation