Those who like coffee but can’t drink regular coffee due to their caffeine sensitivity prefer decaf coffee. Decaffeinated coffee is a coffee that removes more than 97% of caffeine in coffee, and it is a useful drink to avoid caffeine intake while maintaining the taste and aroma of coffee. But if you drink decaffeinated coffee every day, what changes will happen to our bodies?
Health Effects of Decaf Coffee
Intestinal Health
Coffee is rich in antioxidants, which can help your intestinal health. Decaffeinated coffee is also rich in these antioxidants, which is helpful for intestinal health. In addition, it is even better because you can consume phenolic compounds without caffeine-induced gastrointestinal disorders. If you are experiencing discomfort such as reflux esophagitis, decaffeination does not stimulate gastric acid secretion much, so it is more recommended for these people.
Improving Liver Function
Animal studies have shown that decaffeinated coffee is effective for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Further research in humans is needed, but the role of coffee’s prebiotics can also have a positive effect on fatty liver.
Heart Health
Some studies argue that decaffeinated coffee, like regular coffee, is also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. According to a study comparing the consumption of ground coffee, instant coffee, and decaffeinated coffee, participants who drank one to three cups of decaffeinated coffee per day had the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Acid Reflux and Digestive Ulcers
Decaffeinated coffee stimulates gastric acid secretion less than regular coffee, which may be better for people with gastric acid reflux. However, some studies have argued that decaffeinated coffee is also bad for ulcers. People who drink coffee on an empty stomach in the morning may suffer from digestive problems due to caffeine. If these people drink decaffeinated coffee, it can help reduce digestive discomfort while stimulating the secretion of gastric acid less and feeling the aroma and taste of coffee as it is.
Decaffeinated Coffee and Sleep
Why Regular Coffee Disrupts Sleep
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system to block adenosine receptors. This interferes with the action of adenosine, a chemical that causes drowsiness. These effects increase arousal and attention, but they also negatively affect the sleep cycle, preventing sleep at night. Caffeine has a long half-life that stays in the body for several hours after ingestion (up to one week), especially when ingested late, disturbing sleep and making it difficult to fall asleep. This can lead to a decrease in total sleep time, obstruction of entry into the deep sleep stage, and a decrease in overall sleep quality.
Decaffeinated Coffee and Sleep
The effect of caffeine on sleep is well known as above. However, decaffeinated coffee has very low caffeine content, which has little effect on sleep. Decaffeinated coffee can be a good option, especially for those who want to drink coffee during the evening or at night, but don’t want it to affect their sleep. Sleep-conscious people can still be affected by small amounts of caffeine, so it’s a good idea to watch your reactions carefully.
Will Drinking Decaffeinated Coffee Help You Lose Weight?
Decaffeinated coffee can also have a positive effect on dieting. Let’s take a look at some specific reasons:
Promoting Metabolism
Antioxidants and phenolic compounds in decaffeinated coffee have the effect of promoting metabolism. This can have a positive effect on diet by helping burn body fat.
Appetite Suppression
Coffee contains appetite-suppressing ingredients. Decaf coffee also retains some of these effects, which can help reduce snacks and reduce calorie intake between meals.
Reduce Calorie Intake
Decaf coffee is good for snacks and drinks while on a diet because it has almost no calories. You can enjoy it without worrying about calories, especially if you don’t add sugar or cream.
Maintaining Body Water
Coffee has the effect of expelling body water by promoting diuretic action, but decaffeinated coffee has a low caffeine content, which reduces this effect. This can help maintain body water during dieting.
Improving Exercise Performance
According to some studies, coffee has the effect of improving exercise performance. Decaffeinated coffee also has some of these effects, so it can be helpful when consumed before exercising.
If you are curious about other methods for diet and weight control, I recommend reading the posts below.
How to Make Decaffeinated Coffee
Decaffeinated coffee is made in three main ways:
- Solvent Method: A method of removing caffeine by immersing a decaffeinated solvent in mixed water before roasting coffee beans.
- Swiss Water Process: A method of removing caffeine with a carbon filter after soaking beans in hot water before roasting without using chemicals.
- Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Method: It is a method of artificially exposing coffee beans to carbon dioxide after soaking them in water, allowing the gas to absorb caffeine in coffee beans and then vaporizing them to remove them.
Precautions
Decaffeinated coffee also contains trace amounts of caffeine, so people who are very sensitive to caffeine can be affected by consuming decaffeinated coffee. In particular, if you have a gastroesophageal reflux disease or are pregnant, it is recommended not to consume more than three cups of decaffeinated coffee a day.
Conclusion
As above, we learned about the changes in our bodies when we drink decaffeinated coffee every day. Decaffeinated coffee will be a good option for caffeine-sensitive people because it can help with intestinal health, cardiovascular disease prevention, and diet while maintaining the taste and aroma of coffee.