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How much caffeine is in decaf coffee?

Mon, 2006-01-16 21:34 — Daniel

In the United States federal regulations require that in order to label coffee as "decaffeinated" that coffee must have had its caffeine level reduced by no less than 97.5 percent.

Example: Panamanian coffee is about 1.36% caffeine by weight normally. This and many other arabica coffees are about 98.64% caffeine free even before anything is done to lower the caffeine content..

When 97% of the caffeine has been removed only .0408 % of the coffee weight is caffeine. About 4/100ths of 1%. At this level it is labeled "decaffeinated. How roasters label their products is another matter. Suppose two roasters roast Panama coffee that originally came from the same lot, and were decaffeinated together in the same vat. One roaster labels his decaf. "97.5% Caffeine Removed." The other says his is "99+% Caffeine Free." Which roaster is not telling the truth?

The answer is: They are both right. They are both essentially saying the same thing.

Decaf should range somewhere in the 2-4 milligrams of caffeine per cup range.

Currently used solvents for decaffeinating coffee include, H2O (water), CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), Meth. Chloride, Ethyl Acetate. Note: A relatively new method called Swiss Water Decaffeinated uses "flavor-charged" water in the decaffeinating process.

Comments

Mon, 2009-11-30 03:08 — Anonymous (not verified)

i have always drank coffee

i have always drank coffee and never smoked, recently though, i have switched to all decaf coffee in order to prepare for pregnacy, (during which no caffeine is allowed) it took four days of excrutiating migrain to quit caffeine for me, despite the fact that i was only at one cup a day, but now that i am free i am quite happy, just wanted to see if decaf was safe for me. But because of the migrain, i must disagree with people who say that caffeine is not addictive, and that there is no withdrawl, maybe not for some people but most i know suffer a headache at least.

Thu, 2010-01-14 21:26 — Brandie (not verified)

Caffeine is a very addictive

Caffeine is a very addictive drug. We're in the same boat right now, I'm trying to get pregnant as well, and I quit drinking coffee 6 days ago. I had horrible headaches for the first 3 days and still don't feel like myself after almost a week. It's all for a good cause, though! Doctors say it is perfectly safe to have 60-65 milligrams of caffeine per day when you are pregnant, but I'm still going to avoid drinking caffeine. I will have a cup of decaf in the morning, though! And at 2-3 milligrams of caffeine per cup, I think it's absolutely justifyable! Good luck getting pregnant!

Thu, 2008-01-10 05:05 — supersmoker (not verified)

So i assume the level of

So i assume the level of caffeine in decaf is low enough not to keep you out of sleep?

Tue, 2007-09-25 05:21 — Alan Jarrett (not verified)

Arabica Caffeine Content

I am very interested in the comment about, "Panamanian coffee is about 1.36% caffeine by weight normally. This and many other arabica coffees are about 98.64% caffeine free "

Perhaps you could go into more detail about an Arabica coffee being almost caffiene free, as this would be news to me? Of all the research and study I've done over the last 5 years, that is the first time I have read anything like that.

I don't know if you are referring specifically to Arabica coffees from Panama, Central America in general, or Arabica coffees in general.

Tue, 2007-09-25 06:48 — Daniel

Re:Arabica Caffeine Content

1.36% caffeine by weight is not almost caffeine free. It's 1.36% by weight. A number of compounds make up coffee. Caffeine is only one. The point tis that 97.5% caffeine removed and 99+% caffeine free are the same thing because caffeint is naturaly only about 1.4% of coffee.

Arabica has less caffeine than robusta by about 50% but that is it. I suppose since US government regulations look at what percentage of caffeine is removed and not how much is left a coffee starting with robusta could have more caffeine left but realistically it's all very small amounts.

Mon, 2007-09-24 17:08 — drug rehab program (not verified)

better with or without coffee ?

I think it's better to just skip coffee if you are planning to live a healthy life because coffee implies cigarettes and so on so what's there to benefit ?

Fri, 2010-02-12 12:25 — Anonymous (not verified)

i LOVE the taste of coffee

i LOVE the taste of coffee and have never smoked. The two don't have to go together. I'm 5 months pregnant and stopped drinking caffeine and find decaff to be just as yummy!

Tue, 2009-07-28 13:23 — Anonymous (not verified)

I quit smoking two yrs ago

I quit smoking two yrs ago after smoking for 10yrs. Coffee in no way has encouraged or tempted me to smoke again. Alcohol would be the thing that could encourage smoking more.

Fri, 2008-04-04 02:44 — Drug rehab (not verified)

Skipping coffee

I think you're absolutely right. It is healthier to skip coffee entirely.

But I still have a cup every morning!

I don't know why.... I do enjoy the taste but I think its more about the kickstart to the day.

Other than my morning coffee I do a healthy amount of exercise and eat a sensible diet so I have energy through the day.

Tue, 2007-09-25 05:33 — Alan Jarrett (not verified)

Cigaretts and coffee

As a smoker of some 13 years, now free for almost 40 years, coffee has not been a factor in tempting me to go back to smoking. The smell of cigarette smoke can nearly make me sick.

I have de-toxed caffiene from my system on 4 occasions, the most recent this past week. I am always amazed at the fact I have no problem going days without coffee. Because it is a habit, going without it certainly changes my daily routine and I find myself thinking about it.

None the less, there is no addicitve craving that leaves me eating like crazy, the way it did when I went "cold turkey" from smoking, or trying to replace the coffee with some other substance to fill the void.

I don't think my experience is odd, but there is little to compare it with.

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