Decaf coffee, a coffee alternative for those of you who want to reduce caffeine

Coffee is one of the favorite drinks to start the day to be more energized. However, due to certain reasons, coffee should be limited due to certain health problems. Yes, the caffeine content in coffee does not only bring benefits but also can cause certain side effects. Decaf coffee or decaf coffee is touted as a healthier alternative. Is that true?

What is decaf coffee?

Decaf coffee is another name for decaf coffee. But actually decaf coffee is not completely free of caffeine, it still contains but not as much as in coffee in general. Decaf coffee is coffee that has about 97 percent of its caffeine removed.

There are many ways to remove caffeine from coffee beans such as using water and organic solvents or carbon dioxide. Compared to regular coffee, this coffee has a lighter taste and less intense color and aroma.

Quoted from Healthline, research found that 1 cup of decaf coffee (180 ml) contains 0 to 7 milligrams of caffeine. Meanwhile, in regular coffee, the caffeine content reaches 70 to 140 mg per serving.

Can decaf coffee be an alternative to reduce caffeine?

If you are sensitive to caffeine or want to reduce it for certain health reasons then decaf coffee can be an option. This is because the caffeine content in it is much lower than regular coffee.

Caffeine does have various benefits such as improving mood, increasing metabolism, and making you more energized. However, consuming too much caffeine can also cause various health problems such as causing anxiety, insomnia, digestive problems, increasing heart rate, and having an adverse effect on fertility.

Therefore, you can make decaf coffee as an alternative to reduce caffeine intake for those who still want to drink coffee.

However, you need to know that both regular and decaf coffee contain almost equal health benefits. The reason is, both decaf and regular coffee contain antioxidants that are useful for warding off free radicals.

Hydrokinamic acid and polyphenols are the main antioxidants that can reduce oxidative damage and help prevent various diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

However, several studies say that decaf coffee actually contains 15 percent lower antioxidants due to the caffeine removal process. However, this coffee contains a number of nutrients consisting of 2.4 percent magnesium, 4.8 percent potassium, and 2.5 percent vitamin B3.

How to make decaf coffee yourself at home

Even though this coffee is widely sold in the market, you can make it yourself at home. However, actually making decaf coffee is not as simple as it seems. Here's a simple way to make decaf coffee yourself at home:

Soak the coffee beans

The first thing you need to do to make decaf coffee is to soak the coffee beans. You can soak it in water or by using a solution of ethyl acetate or methylene chloride. Soaked coffee beans are still green and fresh, not roasted beans.

Fill the bowl of coffee beans with hot water or solvent then let it steep for a few minutes. Then, strain and repeat. This repetition process determines how much caffeine is removed.

Roast the coffee beans

The next process that can be done is roasting coffee beans. You can roast them in the oven by placing the soaked coffee beans in a metal pan. Spread the coffee beans inside and make sure there are no beans accumulating.

Roast the coffee beans for about 10 to 15 minutes with a temperature of about 230 degrees Celsius. After that, remove and chill.

Grind coffee beans and brew

Get a coffee grinder and start to grind the roasted coffee beans. After everything is ground perfectly, then brew coffee with hot water. Try to pour boiling water around 90-90.6 degrees Celsius. To make the coffee taste even better, mix 10 grams of coffee in 180 ml of water into your favorite cup.