If you are here then chances are that you are fond of coffee. There are probably many who feel that their day can not begin properly until we have got their first good cup of coffee.
Coffee is invigorating, and for most people is associated with coziness.
There are many good reasons to enjoy some cups of coffee. Also, did you know that just thinking about coffee can make you more awake?
Still, it is a common belief that we should generally limit our coffee intake somewhat, especially considering how much caffeine we get in a day.
Hence there may be more people turning to decaffeinated coffee. But is decaf coffee healthier than regular coffee?
There are many health benefits of coffee but there are few who disagree. Some still believe that decaffeinated coffee is the healthiest. Still, it actually has no proven health benefits to switch from regular coffee to decaffeinated coffee, says Bjørn Grydeland, responsible for press and communication in Norwegian Coffee Information.
Response to Caffeine
However, people react differently to caffeine, and most people can consume 4-5 cups daily without experiencing any adverse side effects.
Some can consume large amounts of caffeine without it affecting them significantly. Then we have a small part of the population that may be hypersensitive. For them, decaf coffee can be a healthier alternative in that sense.
If you suffer from poor sleep or body turmoil, you can try drinking decaffeinated coffee to see if it makes a difference.
Caffeine can be Harmful
Erik Arnesen is a health adviser in the National Association for Heart and Lung Disease (LHL). He agrees that decaffeinated coffee is not nutritionally better, but that it is a good alternative for those who like coffee and do not tolerate caffeine.
There are individual differences in how much caffeine one can tolerate: between one-third and one-half of Europeans carry a genetic mutation that makes caffeine in the body less effective and thus stays in the bloodstream longer. They can have negative symptoms of only small amounts of caffeine, including faster heartbeat and higher blood pressure, which can be harmful.
20 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight is a harmful amount for most people, but in those who are sensitive to caffeine, only small doses can cause palpitations and tremors as well as sleep problems. More than 5-6 cups can actually cause symptoms of caffeine poisoning.
Caffeine is Invigorating
Caffeine has a clear rejuvenating effect.
When it comes to the positive health effects of caffeine, it is primarily related to physical activity. 2 cups of coffee within an hour before exercise can positively affect exercise performance, says Arnesen.
It also acutely stimulates energy consumption, in addition to having a short-term pain-relieving effect.
Many large studies show that people who regularly drink coffee have a slightly lower risk of getting cardiovascular disease, and it is also associated with a lower risk of diabetes and liver disease. This applies to both those who drink regular and decaffeinated coffee.
In other words, it is probably other components than caffeine that make coffee good.
Particularly vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children should be careful. High intake of coffee/caffeine among pregnant women is related to congenital disabilities and failed pregnancy. Therefore there are lower recommendations for pregnant women.
You also have to remember that caffeine is addictive, so you can get withdrawal when you don’t get it, says Arnesen.
Furthermore, children and adolescents have a higher sensitivity to caffeine and should be cautious about coffee and energy drinks consumption.
We believe that 1-4 cups of filter or powder coffee may well be part of a healthy diet, and it may be decaffeinated. On the other hand, we advise against drinking coffee and high-pressure coffee. It contains fats that increase the bad LDL cholesterol, which is an important risk factor for myocardial infarction, he warns.
Equally Healthy
The only difference between decaffeinated coffee and regular coffee is that caffeine is absent. For example, the antioxidant content is not affected by caffeine content.
Most people who feel that they cannot tolerate caffeine and coffee have probably tested different caffeine-free variants. The methods for removing caffeine have become much better, and now no decaffeinated coffee needs to taste bad.
He believes that most people regulate coffee intake based on how much they can tolerate, just as you do with alcohol.
Morning coffee is most important for most people. Then it often diminishes throughout the day and many end with a cup of coffee after dinner. Then there are still a few hours left for bed and most people can sleep for the night.
Grydeland
Conclusion
The bottomline is that if you think you would benefit from decaf, then you can give it a shot.
From the research, it’s unlikely that decaf coffee is healthier per se but it may take away from the side effects of caffeine.
If you want to know more, you can read our article on decaffeinated coffee.
