Decaffeination

Decaf coffee

It is a common misconception that decaffeinated coffee is inferior and incomparable to normal coffee.

The truth is that after being decaffeinated, second-rate coffee is still second-rate, in just the same way that good coffee retains its "good" quality.

Obviously certain coffee types are more suited to processing than others and today the coffee industry is aiming for quality in its final product to present a new image to the consumer.

Decaffeinated coffee, if carefully prepared, can be excellent in its own right and in no way inferior to normal coffee. Even experts find it very difficult to tell whether the coffee they are drinking is decaffeinated or not, unless tests are carried out on the coffee before and after. For the consumer, it is practically impossible to distinguish between the two. An interesting experiment would be to get some friends to taste a good quality decaffeinated coffee telling them it is normal coffee. In all probability nobody will be able to tell the difference.

Also, with the decaffeinating process using methilene chloride, most waxes are eliminated making this kind of coffee lighter and more easily digestible.
Decaffeinated coffe was accused of rising blood cholesterol levels. Several studies have proved that the problem of cholesterol arises when water is boiled too long, both in regular and decaffeinated coffee.

People with certain health problems, such as high blood pressure or heart desease, are strongly advised to avoid taking excessive amounts of caffeine, while people who drink many cups of coffee a day would benefit from alternating their normal coffee with decaffeinated coffee. These facts will no doubt contribute to the future reappraisal of decaffeinated coffee, as it has already appened in the USA.