can decaf coffee have a placebo effect?

If you’re not a fan of the taste or aroma of regular coffee, you might want to try decaf instead. Decaffeinated coffee works by extracting the coffee oils that give regular coffee its unique flavor.

The process differs from country to country, but most decaf filters use something called the natural caffeine-decaffeination process. In this process, the plant’s caffeine is blocked during processing so that almost all of the plant’s natural caffeine gets removed.

Because there are still trace amounts of caffeine left in the final product, they are added back into it to make it taste similar to how it did before processing. Essentially, this makes decaffeinated coffee taste like regular coffee but without any of the stimulant effects of regular coffee.

So is decaf really just a placebo? Or is there more to it than that? Here we look at whether drinking decaf can actually have a positive effect on your mental well-being.

How is decaf coffee made?

Since decaf coffee is essentially regular coffee without caffeine, it’s created by extracting the caffeine from the beans. In other words, what you’re drinking is essentially non-caffeinated coffee beans.

The process starts by soaking the decaffeinated beans in hot water for about 10 hours. During this time, a chemical called charcoal binds to and removes the caffeine from the beans.

After that, the beans are ground into a powder and brewed at a lower temperature than regular coffee, which prevents any harsh chemicals like caffeine from being released.

The final step of creating decaf coffee is adding back in some of the natural caffeine just as a reminder to make it taste similar to traditional coffee.

Decaffeination process

The natural caffeine-decaffeination process is what decaffeinated coffee undergoes. In this process, the plant’s caffeine is blocked during processing so that almost all of the plant’s natural caffeine gets removed.

Because there are still trace amounts of caffeine left in the final product, they are added back into it to make it taste similar to how it did before processing.

Essentially, this makes decaffeinated coffee taste like regular coffee but without any of the stimulant effects of regular coffee.

Decaf Coffee is made from beans that have been decaffeinated with a machine called a Swiss Water Process or steam process so that only about 97 percent of the caffeine is removed by using hydrogen-peroxide treatment (a preservative).

It has a light yellow color and presents fewer health risks than regular coffee because there are less carcinogens present in decaf than in regular coffee.

Additionally, it has a milder flavor than regular coffee which also reduces its health risks because people typically consume more when they like something more flavorful or spicy.

Side effects of drinking decaf coffee

Just because decaf coffee is a placebo doesn’t mean you should give up on it completely. While the caffeine-decaffeination process doesn’t have any negative side effects on health, there are also no scientifically proven benefits of drinking decaf coffee.

One of the most common possible side effects of drinking decaf coffee is stomach upset (like having a stomachache) in some people.

If you do experience tummy troubles after drinking decaf, try switching to fresh-brewed coffee or regular coffee with cream and sugar; this will help settle your stomachs and ease the pain.

The positive effects that decaf coffee can have are more psychological than physical. According to science, when you drink decaffeinated coffee, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin at roughly the same rate as when you drink regular coffee.

This chemical change in your brain causes feelings of joy and contentment throughout your body–but it also causes drowsiness for about 30 minutes after drinking a cup of decaf (so if you’re driving, don’t overdo it).

Not only does this make drinking decaffeinated coffee more pleasant but also more efficient by making it easier to sleep without feeling groggy in the morning.

This combination of mental and physical perks makes drinking decaf one of the best things you can do for yourself; plus, since caffeine levels remain low after processing, it’s still a good option for those who prefer not to be jittery.

Is drinking decaf coffee a placebo effect?

It’s impossible to say for sure whether decaf coffee is a placebo effect. Decaf drinkers often report feeling more relaxed and less jittery than the drinkers of regular coffee.

Some people have even reported that they feel a difference in their cognitive functions. However, it could be possible that these effects are due to other factors, such as the overall health of the drinker and their mental state before drinking.

Regardless, many people who drink decaf still prefer regular coffee because there are some tastes that cannot be achieved with decaf. So if you really enjoy the taste of regular coffee but don’t like its effect on your body, try out decaffeinated coffee instead!

Conclusion

Drinking decaf coffee can have a placebo effect, but only if you drink it for the same reason as caffeinated coffee.

If you enjoy the taste of coffee, but don’t like the caffeine, drinking decaf may be a good alternative.

FAQs

What is the natural caffeine-decaffeination process?

The caffeine-decaffeination process involves several steps: Extraction, desalination, and cleaning.

The first step is to extract the caffeine from the coffee beans. The decaffeination process is done at a lower temperature than for regular coffee. This means that more caffeine oil is available for extraction.

This also means that the caffeine extraction process is more efficient, and yields a decaffeinated coffee that is more concentrated than regular coffee.

Most decaffeinated coffees are between 75 to 90 percent caffeine free. The next step in the decaffeination process is to desalinate the extract so that it can be cleaned and filtered. The desalination process removes any tannins or other impurities that are left behind after the caffeine has been extracted.

Filtering can remove any small particulates that may remain in the desalinated extract. Finally, the last step in the decaffeination process is to clean and sanitize the filter to make sure that no dangerous organisms or toxins have entered the final product.