Coffee gives us a kick-start when we are on the verge of our physical strength; this is one of the reasons why it is probably the most popular drink around the world. Despite its deserved reputation to boost alertness, excessive coffee use is also associated with certain health risks. If you are addicted to coffee, read more on the topic.
Scientists are trying to reveal what happens to the brain under the influence of caffeine. It gives an instant energy flow and helps our brain to deal with physical and mental fatigue in less than 5 minutes. This is the time that is needed for caffeine to be processed in the brain. The speed with which this happens is the reason why caffeine is included in many painkillers.
Actually the effect of a cup of coffee is not determined by the quantity, but by the species of the beans. If we compare two of the most famous coffee bean species, we will see that Arabica consists of 1-1,5% caffeine, whereas Robusta contains 2-2.5%. There are species that contain little to no caffeine at all, or at least producers claim so.
To be fair, there is no such thing as decaffeinated coffee growing wild in nature. The process that removes caffeine from coffee is called decaffeination. Unfortunately, after the steaming of the beans many of the 400 chemicals that are essential to its taste and aroma are removed along with caffeine. Yet, there is no technology that preserves the original quality of the beans without leaving some measure of caffeine. On the market you can find species with low caffeine content – less than 0,2-0,5%.
If your sole intent is to reduce your daily share of caffeine, the amount contained in decaf is not a big deal. However, people that are hypersensitive to caffeine or people with kidney disease or anxiety disorders advised to cut their coffee intake, should think twice before ordering another decaf. Every cup of decaffeinated coffee comes with a kick, so drink with moderation.
Most people take in consideration only the caffeine that is contained in coffee neglecting other sources such as supplements, pills, energy drinks and so on. The potential risk of caffeine toxicity comes from that a person fails to estimate the real amount of the energy boosting substance that goes in his/her body. To have a real idea of what is going on in your body, take in account all the factors that might influence the situation.
Ellie SL Dan
