Decaffeinated coffee is typically considered as a better option that the regular one. But, this is a totally wrong assumption. The process of extracting the caffeine involves toxic chemicals that can cause certain dangers to our health.
Direct extraction is the most popular chemical process when it comes to decaffeination of coffee. Green coffee beans are directly soaked in a solution of the chemical solvent ethyl acetate or methylene chloride, and water. Once the chemical does its work, the coffee beans are washed with water.
Coffee beans are treated with ethyl acetate or methylene chloride during the chemical process.
Dichloromethane, or methylene chloride, is described as a colorless, volatile liquid with odor similar to that of chloroform. It is a chemical that’s included in wide range of industries like pharmaceutical manufacturing, paint stripping, metal cleaning and degreasing, paint remover manufacturing, polyurethane foam production, adhesives manufacturing and use, solvent distribution and formulation, polycarbonate resin production, and film base manufacturing.
The process needs to be repeated couple of times until enough caffeine is released from the beans. Methelyne chloride is converted into carbon monoxide once it enters our body. Carbon monoxide in turn disrupts the oxygen delivery in the body. This can cause serious health problems like severe lung conditions.
Research conducted on rats has shown that ethyl acetate used in the process of decaffeination is usually a synthetic version, and when in amounts of 5620 mg/kg it becomes toxic. When ingested, it can lead to gastrointestinal irritation which can aggravate existing kidney or liver disorders.
Nevertheless, if you can’t leave decaffeinated coffee, make sure you use organic one made with the Swiss Water Method, like this one available on Amazon.
The Swiss Water Method is a chemical-free and much safer decaffeination process. It involves soaking the coffee beans in very hot water, so its constituents like flavors and caffeine are naturally extracted into solution. Then, the caffeine gets filtered out while the leftover filtrate is re-introduced and dried into the beans.
Via Verywell health | Dr. Mercola | Live Strong