Coffee

People often wonder how they take the caffeine out of coffee.  Though this is a question most have never pondered, recent reports have emerged showing decaffeinated coffee can be bad for your health.  Here are the facts you need to know in order to make an informed decision when you purchase decaf coffee:

Two Different Kinds of Beans

There are two kinds of coffee that are grown:  Arabica and Robusta. Arabica has about twice the amount of caffeine in it as Robusta, and therefore this type of coffee is usually used to make normal, caffeinated coffee, espresso, and most other coffee drinks.  Robusta is usually used to make decaffeinated coffee, since it starts out with a much lower caffeine level to begin with.  The caffeine is then removed from the beans using one of the following methods.

Decaffeination Methods

There are a few different ways that you can separate the caffeine from the coffee beans.  These days, most decaf coffee is produced using a process that removes the caffeine from the coffee beans using a solvent.  The two types of solvents that are used are methylene chloride and ethyl acetate.  The first of these solvents, methylene chloride is on the National Cancer Institute’s list as a possible human carcinogen.  Though the solvents are rinsed from the coffee beans, residues often remain as it is quite difficult to remove all of the substance.  Although the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t declared the use of these solvents unsafe for human consumption, many people are choosing to drink decaf coffee produced using an alternative method.  

A second method that is used to produce decaffeinated coffee is called the Swiss Water Process.  Currently, only twenty percent of the world’s decaf coffee is produced this way.  This process does not use any harsh chemical substances, and relies only on the use of hot water to separate the coffee from the beans.  This process takes longer to complete than with other methods, but there is no residue on the beans afterward.  Health experts generally agree that this is the healthiest way to produce decaf coffee.

Although most decaffeinated coffee for sale today uses solvents, decaf produced using the Swiss Water Process is readily available as well.  Since the Swiss Water Process does not involve the use of solvents, it is considered to be of better quality and taste.  Most organic decaf is produced this way, and it is nearly always clearly marked on the label.  Any specialty coffee shop should know which process was used on their decaf beans, and it also readily available for purchase on the internet.

Decaffeinated coffee is best when used in an electric drip coffee maker.
Chad Damon is the author of the guide to the best cheap coffee makers.

Author: Chad Damon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Lovers of coffee everywhere have all heard the controversial question asked, “What is the point in drinking decaf?” The majority of coffee drinkers enjoy the sense- pleasing benefits that coffee offers as well as the physical reaction that is attributed to the caffeine in coffee. The opposite groups of coffee drinkers also enjoy the aroma and flavor of coffee, but are more cautious of the physical reaction that caffeinated coffee produces. Due to health reasons, or simply favor of sleep, a rising majority of coffee drinkers are choosing decaffeinated coffee. Decaffeinated coffee not only provides an individual with the sense-pleasing benefits, but it also offers the health benefits, such as antioxidants, found in coffee.

Once a coffee lover has established that they will benefit from drinking decaffeinated coffee, the questioned that must then be asked is, “Which decaf method is most beneficial?” A few common decaf methods are the direct method, indirect method, triglyceride method, and Swiss water process. The controversies between the methods are whether or not chemicals are used, which chemicals are used, and whether or not the taste and aroma of the coffee is jeopardized. Most arguably the Swiss Water Process is the most beneficial method. Through the Swiss Water Process the coffee is decaffeinated 100% free of chemicals.

The Swiss Water Process was developed by the Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company. To decaffeinate the coffee bean by the Swiss Water method, a batch of green (unroasted) beans is soaked in hot water, releasing caffeine. When all the caffeine and coffee solids are released into the water, the beans are discarded. The water then passes through a carbon filter that traps caffeine but lets the coffee solids pass through. The resulting solution, called “flavor-charged” water by the company, is then put in a similar filtration device, and new coffee beans are added. Since the flavor-charged water cannot remove any of the coffee solids from the new beans, only the caffeine is released. The process repeats, filtering out all the caffeine until the beans are 99.9% caffeine free. These beans are removed and dried, and thus retain most if not all of their flavour and smell.

Other decaffeinated processes use claims such as “water process” or “natural process”, when in actuality chemicals are used. Methylene chloride or ethyl acetate is used in processes like the Direct Method or the Indirect Method. Sometimes coffees which are decaffeinated using ethyl acetate are referred to as a natural process because ethyl acetate can be derived from various fruits or vegetables, but because of the impracticality of gathering natural ethyl acetate, the chemical used for decaffeination is synthetic.

Many companies affiliated with coffee have recognized that the Swiss Water method is the most beneficial and recognizable decaffeination process. The Coffee Beanery, a Michigan based company, provides Swiss Water Process decaffeinated coffee. The Coffee Beanery has many stores located nationally as well as internationally. Among many caffeinated coffee bean choices, the company also offers straight SWP coffees as well as several flavored SWP coffees. With SWP flavors such as Café Carmel, French Vanilla, Toasted Almond, and Michigan Cherry, any decaf coffee drinker will have their coffee needs met.

Visit any location near you or order from the website at http://www.coffeebeanery.com.

Erin Christensen

-Coffee Beanery

Author: Erin Christensen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There are plenty of coffee lovers out there who do not only appreciate coffee in the morning, but all day and into the evening. Coffee can be a great after dinner drink. However, drinking coffee later in the day can prove to be difficult to some people. The caffeine can disrupt people’s sleep patterns. It all depends on the specifics about how coffee affects the system. This is where the decaffeinated coffee comes in. Decaffeinated coffee is a great way to enjoy the taste of coffee without the consequences of the caffeine. Coffee should be enjoyed whenever possible by the people who love it without any negative consequences. Sleep can definitely be a very important aspect of people’s lives and no one wants to choose between sleep and their love of coffee. Anyone who is sensitive to caffeine should definitely try decaf coffee to see if it works for them.

Sometimes when people run out of decaffeinated coffee in the evening, they have a favorite place to get their fix from. A common place is Dunkin Donuts. Their decaffeinated coffee tastes like caffeinated coffee. There is no difference detected. In fact, decaffeinated iced coffee is also popular during the hot nights of the summer time. It is an excellent treat to cool down, get your coffee fix, and not lose any sleep.

Caffeine can be described as a natural molecule found in the coffee bean. Removing the caffeine from the coffee can be done in two different ways. There is a chemical process and there is a water process. The water process is a natural way of removing the caffeine from the coffee. It is a process that happens to the full bean not to the ground. Decaf coffee can be sold in both bean and grind form and therefore removing the caffeine from the coffee is not done in the liquid process. No matter how the caffeine is removed, it is still an excellent solution for the coffee lovers of the world who do not wish to have sleepless nights. Decaffeinated coffee can come in the same tastes and flavors as the caffeinated coffee because the process does not alter the taste of the bean in any way.

Coffee shops are usually very careful about making sure that their decaf coffee is brewed in different machines and served in different carafes to ensure that caffeine is not accidentally added to the coffee. To ensure that the coffee remains decaf, the best way is to always keep decaf coffee in the house or kitchen. This way, the coffee is made by you and you are aware of whether caffeinated coffee got mixed with it in the coffee maker. The other worry is that when someone wants caffeinated coffee that they will accidentally get decaf and therefore not get the kick they need from it. Regardless of caf or decaf, coffee is loved by many and should be available any time of the day or night.

Peter Wilson writes at large for http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com , a web publication about quality coffee makers , coffee makers and other subjects. You might find out more about his articles on coffee makers and coffee maker over at http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com .

Author: Peter I. Wilson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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