Overall, "the amount of caffeine in decaf coffee is dietetically insignificant," says Keith-Thomas Ayoob, EdD, RD, FAND. So then how much caffeine is in decaf coffee? Since most roasting processes remove about 97 percent of the caffeine, you may see a cup containing 2 to 3mg of caffeine, instead of the usual 65 to 115 mg (depending on type of coffee and brew method). None of these methods can extract all of the caffeine, which is why decaf coffee still contains a small amount of caffeine. Beans are steamed open and “rinsed” with a solution of water and Ethyl Acetate for a period of hours until the caffeine is mostly extracted. It’s popular in areas that grow and process sugar cane because it uses a byproduct from the sugars to produce a solvent that extracts caffeine from the coffee. Sugar Cane Method (or Ethyl Acetate)Įthyl Acetate (EA), also known as the Sugar Cane Method, is another specialty process for decaffeinating coffee. The beans are then reintroduced to the filtered water, and all of the non-caffeine compounds are absorbed back into the beans. The water is then passed through a filter that traps the caffeine molecules, but allows the other flavor compounds and oils to pass through. They involve soaking the beans in a water solution, which dissolves the caffeine (and other flavor components) into the water. Swiss Water and Mountain Water are very similar to one another. The three most common decaf methods in specialty coffee are Swiss Water, Mountain Water, and Sugar Cane Process. These methods mainly soak or steam the unroasted coffee beans until they become porous, and then use a natural solvent to extract the caffeine. These days, most specialty coffees are decaffeinated with non-toxic, eco-friendly methods that retain flavor far better than the methods of the past. Luckily, this technique is no longer used, and the FDA has strict standards around any chemical components used in the decaffeination process. This is why many consumers associate decaf coffee with unhealthy, or toxic, chemicals. Historically, decaffeination required subjecting beans to a bath in Benzene -a chemical that’s now recognized as a known carcinogen. The first commercial decaf was invented in 1900, by a German named Ludwig Roselius his company would later become known as Sanka. How Is Decaf Coffee Made?Īccording to legend, decaffeinated coffee was “discovered” when a batch of green (unroasted) coffee was submerged in salt water during an overseas journey. However, there are a variety of modern and eco-friendly decaffeination methods that are designed to preserve the flavors of high-quality, specialty beans. This is why it’s important to buy quality, specialty decaf coffee: if the coffee isn't good quality to begin with, it definitely won’t taste very good after being decaffeinated. Unfortunately, the caffeine-removal process can also remove compounds that give a coffee its sweetness, body and flavor. Why is this, and exactly how much caffeine is in decaf coffee? Can decaf coffee keep you awake? And what about decaf tea? Using our own coffee expertise, along with some insight from medical professionals, we've answered the most common questions around decaf coffee.ĭecaf coffee is regular coffee that’s gone through a process to remove as much of its caffeine as possible these processes typically extract 95 to 97% of caffeine. And just like us, bees receive a small “buzz” of caffeine through the pollen, exhibiting better memory and greater productivity for a short time following!Ĭaffeine is an essential component of coffee plants, which is why even decaffeinated coffee is never 100 percent caffeine-free. Did you know caffeine is a natural means of pest control for coffee plants? It’s also been found to increase the efficacy of pollinators-honeybees! Coffee plants are self-pollinating, but bees are drawn to their fragrant white flowers.
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