According to new research conducted by researchers at the University of Florida, almost all decaffeinated coffee contains some amount of caffeine, the only difference is in the dosage.
This is not very good news for the people who drink decaffeinated coffee to reduce their input of caffeine due to medical reasons such as kidney diseases or anxiety disorders. Even the coffee addicts who are looking to escape caffeine's clutches by switching to decaf may be getting much more caffeine than they have bargained for.
In the first phase of the research undertaken by the researchers, they analyzed samples of 10-16 ounce decaffeinated drip-brewed coffee from nine U.S national chains as well as local coffee houses for caffeine content. The results were shocking. The researchers found that all the decaffeinated coffee servings except the one of Folgers Coffee Crystals contained 8.6 milligrams to 13.9 milligrams of caffeine as compared to about 85 milligrams of caffeine in an eight ounce cup of drip brewed coffee.
In the second phase of the research, the researchers of University of Florida analyzed 12 samples of Starbucks brewed decaffeinated espresso coffee taken from a single store. They found that the espresso coffee had caffeine concentrations ranging from three milligrams and 15.8 milligrams per shot whereas the brewed coffees had caffeine concentrations ranging from 12 milligrams to 13.4 milligrams per 16-ounce serving.
This means that if a person drinks five to 10 cups of decaffeinated coffee, the level of caffeine could easily reach the dose of caffeine present in a cup or two of caffeinated coffee. Even popular espresso drinks such as lattes which contain two shots of espresso can deliver about 31 milligrams of caffeine which is as much caffeine as in a can of Coca- Cola.
Researchers say even though the caffeine content found in the decaffeinated coffees was low, people could still develop a dependence on coffee.
The researchers say that despite the fact that caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world, there are very few guidelines about how much caffeine is healthy and how much caffeine can cause adverse affects on some people.
Thus people who are trying to eliminate caffeine from their diet should be aware of these findings which prove that decaffeinated coffee is not the same as caffeine-free coffee and should be a concern for people who are trying to reduce their caffeine intake.
