Are you a coffee lover? You might have your reasons for drinking it, but many people do so to stimulate their central nervous system. The one component that makes coffee one of the most common beverages is caffeine, which can instantly amp up your energy. However, there’s another breed of this particular beverage known as decaf coffee.
Decaf, short for decaffeinated, is a type of coffee with almost no caffeine. ‘Almost’ because it’s not 100% caffeine-free as many people are made to believe. It’s an ideal choice for those who love the aroma but are determined to cut down their caffeine intake. If you read reviews on various platforms, such as koobiescoffee.com, you’ll realize that this beverage has a lot more positive health effects that you can explore.
So, what are the benefits of decaf coffee? Read on to find out more!
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Lowers The Risk Of Diabetes
Whether you prefer decaf or caffeinated coffee, they both have been known to reduce the risk of diabetes. For many years, researchers haven’t been successful in finding out the best reason coffee lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, it’s believed that there are three compounds that seem to block the accumulation of a protein called human islet amyloid polypeptide (HIAPP), the toxicity of which could make one susceptible to this condition.
Type 2 diabetes, as you might already know, comes as a result of the body’s resistance to insulin. It remains quite a mystery as to why this happens, but environmental factors and genetics play a huge role in it. According to research, the HIAPP protein may lead to the death of pancreatic cells, which are responsible for the excretion of insulin.
Three components in coffee, namely chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and caffeine, are said to block the accumulation of HIAPP. Out of the three compounds, caffeine seems to have the least effect as compared to the other two, with caffeic acid being the most effective. From these findings, it’s clear that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee types have the same impact.
The latter, however, could be more beneficial due to the reduced amount of caffeine, but this is subject to more studies. Keep in mind that the amount of coffee used in some of these studies is higher than what you’d consume from a typical cup. As such, the benefits may vary depending on how many cups of coffee you take per day.
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Reduced Acidity
Do you always complain about heartburn after taking coffee? The good news is that you don’t have to give up the aroma and taste that come with your daily cup of this beverage. The cause of these heartburns is mostly due to the acidic nature of caffeinated coffee. However, with decaf coffee, this acidity is significantly reduced.
When you take too much caffeine, the muscle connecting your stomach to the esophagus relaxes. As such, an opening is created, and stomach acid flows to the esophagus, causing acid reflux. The exact amount of caffeine that leads to this issue is estimated at over 600 mg per day, which is just over four cups of coffee. Keep in mind that a pregnant woman is allowed to take in only a third of this amount (200 mg).
With decaf coffee, on the one hand, you can drink as much as you want, and you won’t have to worry about heartburns. As earlier stated, the main culprit when it comes to acidity is caffeine. However, this component is drastically reduced during the decaffeination process. The best part is that the content retains its original taste and aroma.
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May Prevent Degenerative Diseases
By definition, degenerative disease is a condition that comes as a result of reduced functionality and affected structure of certain tissues within the body. As one grows older, they become susceptible to degenerative diseases.
Although both coffee types can reduce the chances of having age-related neural disorders, decaf coffee seems to have an edge over-caffeinated coffee. Why is that so?
The connection between neural disorders and diet is still quite ambiguous, but there are reasons to believe that coffee compounds can help. Apart from Alzheimer’s, which is the most common, Parkinson’s may also be prevented. Like diabetes, these conditions are caused by the accumulation of a certain protein compound. The components in your coffee cut down the risks of degenerative diseases by preventing this accumulation. The exact amount of intake is still quite unclear, but taking a cup or two every day will go a long way in maintaining your health.
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May Reduce The Risk Of Premature Deaths
Another benefit of drinking coffee is the link to reduced premature deaths. More often, users and health experts have floated this idea. But, does it hold any truth? It’s still early to dismiss this suggestion completely, given the fact that there are still a lot of studies on this matter that are currently underway. Health experts believe that those who consume decaf coffee regularly reduce their chances of early death, although by a small margin.
Of course, one of the reasons for this is decaf coffee’s connection to the reduction of some risky conditions, such as diabetes. Another way to look at it is the fact that it may have a positive impact on one’s heart health, not to mention that it may also lower the risk of getting cancer.
Final Thoughts
Caffeinated coffee has a lot of positive impacts on one’s health, but decaf coffee comes out on top in most areas. For instance, when it comes to type 2 diabetes, there are three compounds involved in the prevention of HIAPP accumulation. Among these three components, caffeine seems to have the least effect, which is the main part of caffeinated coffee.
The acidic nature associated with such a compound may lead to heartburns, which is unheard of among decaf coffee users. Also, studies are underway to find out the impact of coffee on premature deaths. One thing that’s almost certain, however, is that it may reduce the risk of degenerative diseases.
