Is Decaf Good or Bad for Me?

Is Decaf Good or Bad for Me?

Is decaf good or bad for me? Do they use chemicals to decaffeinate it? These are some of the most common questions we get asked. Especially as people are becoming more aware of their health, and the media continues awareness around chemical consumption that could remain as residuals in the beans.

Next, let's dig into what decaffeinated coffee is and how the decaffeination process works.

Decaffeinated coffee is simply coffee where the caffeine has been removed. It is important to remember that it is impossible to remove the caffeine fully. Typically, a cup of decaf coffee will contain 7-10 milligrams of caffeine. In comparison to standard coffee, this is a minuscule amount of caffeine and should not cause any issues for most consumers.

So, is decaf good or bad for me? Keep reading to learn more!

There are multiple ways to execute the decaffeination process, but they all have a few similarities. The coffee is decaffeinated before roasting, when it is still green coffee. And, all of these processes include the use of water, each in its own way. The differences lie in what else is used and how it is used to remove the caffeine. 

What process does Sally Sue's utilize to achieve decaffeinated coffee?

Sally Sue's only uses Swiss-Water Processed and Mountain-Water Processed decaf coffees.

In Switzerland in 1933, this chemical-free water decaffeination process was pioneered. By 1980, Coffex S.A developed it into a commercially viable method of decaffeination. Finally, in 1988, the Swiss-Water Process was introduced to the market. With its facility based near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Swiss Water Company is decorated with various certifications. 

"I'm still confused. Is decaf good or bad for me?"

This process begins by soaking a batch of beans in scalding water to dissolve the caffeine. The water is then drawn off and passed through an activated charcoal filter. The porosity of this filter is sized to only capture large caffeine molecules, while allowing oil and flavor molecules to pass through. Consequently, this creates beans with no caffeine and no flavor in one tank, and caffeine-free “flavor-charged” water (Green Coffee Extract) in another tank. The decaffeinated beans are then charged with the flavorful beans, allowing the flavors to re-enter the beans without the caffeine. 

Other decaffeination processes include using chemical solvents, such as methyl chloride and ethyl acetate, to remove the caffeine from the beans. 

"At first, it sounded good, but those chemicals sound scary. So, is decaf good or bad for me?

Well, it can depend. Everybody is different, and we always recommend discussing concerns with your health care provider for health advice. When using chemicals on consumable products, there is always a slight risk of unwanted side effects to consumers, although these instances are rare. 

Luckily, with Sally Sue's Decaf options, you don't need to worry! Using only water-based processes ensures a lack of harmful chemicals to our customers. 

History Fun-Fact: Do you know why decaf coffee received such a bad name in the first place?

The first known decaffeination process was the "Roslius Process", which involved steaming coffee beans with a brine solution (i.e., water, saturated with salt). They then would use the organic chemical compound, Benzene, as a solvent to extract the caffeine. As Benzene was later found to be a known human carcinogen, this process was discontinued. 

Last time, is decaf good or bad for me? 

Decaf coffee, typically, does not pose any health risks to consumers. As always, this is not medical advice, and you should speak with your healthcare provider to see if there are any risks posed to you.