Decaf coffee - it's better than you think

Many people can’t function without caffeine. You’ll find them inhaling strong brews of dark coffee immediately after their alarm. Their days kickstarted upon first sip. But is this routine missing the point?

Enter: decaf. Often ridiculed by die-hard coffee drinkers, decaf’s popularity is brewing hot – with 1 in 5 drinking decaf coffee in the UK for the taste, minus the jitters. For the caffeine conscious or coffee-curious, here’s why decaf is better than you think.

What is decaf coffee? An unlikely story

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Decaf coffee is coffee without caffeine. But how did we get here?

Legend goes that German coffee enthusiast, Ludwig Roselius, was looking to strip caffeine from coffee as he was convinced his father’s premature death was due to his constant caffeine intake. Meanwhile, a flood of seawater soaked his coffee bean shipment during search – making him soon realise it had washed off the caffeine content from the beans. Roselius then worked out an industrial method to repeat it, steaming the beans with different acids before using a solvent to remove the caffeine. The birth of decaf had begun.

How is decaf coffee made?

Removing caffeine from coffee beans is a delicate art. Methods can involve water, organic solvents and carbon dioxide. The most popular is the Swiss Water Method.

Raw, green coffee beans are heated water solution for 8 to 10 hours. As they swell in size, they become porous, and their caffeine content oozes into the water. These beans are then thrown away and the resulting ‘green coffee extract’ goes through a carbon filter to captures any remaining larger caffeine particles. The next step of coffee beans is then washed and filtered with this caffeine-free liquid, which ease out their caffeine content. Resulting in a decaf coffee bean. (Note: no chemicals are used in this process).

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Does decaf coffee have caffeine?

Decaf coffee is not completely caffeine free. Yes: I also dropped cup when I found this out. About 97% of the caffeine is removed during production. Meaning your cup of decaf contains between 2-15mg of caffeine, compared to between 80-100mg found in regular coffees.

Benefits of decaf coffee

Caffeine doesn’t sit well with everyone. It can exacerbate anxiety, lead to poor night’s sleep and hectic restlessness. Those eager to avoid these symptoms – while still savouring delicious coffee blends – will lick their lips at decaf. While most caffeine drinkers enjoy their last coffee between 12 and 2pm to ensure a decent night’s sleep – decaf switches the narrative – saying you should enjoy delicious tastes at all hours. ‘Evening cuppa, anyone?’

In addition: decaf coffee contains the same antioxidants as regular coffee. And can help reduce acid reflux and IBS symptoms.

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Best decaf coffee beans for your office

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Inclusive workplaces feature inclusive coffee stations. We recommend pairing Morning Rise (decaf coffee beans) with your bean-to-cup coffee machines. Meaning that every employee is excited for their first (and last) coffee of the day. And can drink decaf anytime.

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