Most of us can’t function without our cup of coffee in the morning. The warmth and aroma of coffee is refreshing, but the caffeine in it may not be very good for you. Caffeine may boost your mood or prevent you from falling asleep during work, but it also has some unwanted consequences like:
- nervousness
- insomnia
- headaches
- elevated heart rate
- anxiety
- depression
But that doesn’t mean that you can’t drink coffee at all. Decaf coffee has all the benefits of coffee minus the negative consequences of caffeine. You’ll want to consider making the switch to decaf once you’re aware of these 6 benefits.
1. Reduces Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
Both regular and decaf coffee contain chlorogenic acid, which may help control glucose levels. It has been observed that people who drink at least 6 cups of coffee per day have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes than people who don’t drink coffee at all.1 This holds good for decaf coffee as well.2
2. Decreases Risk Of Heart Problems
Caffeine can increase your heart rate, cause palpitations, and in severe cases can also cause heart attacks. By cutting out caffeine from your daily dose of coffee, you may be at a lower risk of having heart problems. Decaf coffee beans are known to have antioxidant effects that can help in providing proper oxygen supply and in maintaining the easy flow of blood through the body.
3. Slows Aging Process
Decaf coffee is said to contain antioxidants. These antioxidants help fight the free radicals that cause cell damage, leading to the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of aging. So, a decaf a day may keep you looking younger.
4. Cuts Risk Of Prostate Cancer
The non-caffeine components of coffee have been shown to have an impact on the association between coffee consumption and prostate cancer. This means that decaf coffee still packs the punch that helps prevent prostate cancer. Studies have shown that men who consume 6 or more cups of coffee in a day are at a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.3
5. Reduces Risk Of Liver Problems
Decaf helps keep your liver in good shape.4 Studies have shown that people who consume more coffee – both regular and decaf – have lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes and may, therefore, be at a lower risk of developing liver diseases.
6. Safe To Consume While Breastfeeding
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, decaffeinated coffee may be the best choice if you can’t give up caffeinated drinks completely. However, you must consult your doctor about how much coffee you can consume during this phase.
Although decaf coffee is portrayed to be 100% caffeine-free, it does contain around 3–5% of caffeine. Keep this in mind while purchasing coffee. Choose brands that offer correct nutritional value and have minimal caffeine content. Make a switch to decaf coffee today, and take a step towards a healthier and better life.
References
| ↑1 | Van Dam, Rob M., and Frank B. Hu. “Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review.” Jama 294, no. 1 (2005): 97-104. |
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| ↑2 | Huxley, Rachel, Crystal Man Ying Lee, Federica Barzi, Leif Timmermeister, Sebastien Czernichow, Vlado Perkovic, Diederick E. Grobbee, David Batty, and Mark Woodward. “Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea consumption in relation to incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review with meta-analysis.” Archives of internal medicine 169, no. 22 (2009): 2053-2063. |
| ↑3 | Wilson, Kathryn M., Julie L. Kasperzyk, Jennifer R. Rider, Stacey Kenfield, Rob M. van Dam, Meir J. Stampfer, Edward Giovannucci, and Lorelei A. Mucci. “Coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk and progression in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 103, no. 11 (2011): 876-884. |
| ↑4 | Xiao, Qian, Rashmi Sinha, Barry I. Graubard, and Neal D. Freedman. “Inverse associations of total and decaffeinated coffee with liver enzyme levels in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999‐2010.” Hepatology 60, no. 6 (2014): 2091-2098. |