It’s important to remember that people who like decaf coffee AREN’T psychopaths . . . they just want to enjoy coffee, without the side-effects of caffeine. But maybe it’s NOT healthier?
There’s a report that lawmakers in California want to BAN decaf. (And no, this isn’t part of a WOKE agenda to force people to be literally AWOKE.) (???)
The issue is that many manufacturers use methylene chloride to remove the caffeine from the coffee beans.
That’s a chemical that’s also used in paint stripper, which has been labeled a “probable carcinogen” after being linked to several cancers, including blood and breast cancer.
Coffee manufacturers argue that the chemical is completely washed out of the beans after treatment. Plus, any remnants would be burned off when the beans are heated to 400 degrees during roasting.
But in a 2020 study by a consumer group, 10 out of the 25 decaf coffee brands they tested contained the chemical, with brands like Amazon Fresh and Kroger’s being the worst offenders.
Even then, the levels were low . . . and didn’t exceed the FDA’s max level for safety.
The bill in California has several hurdles to clear before becoming a law. If it does, the state will ban all decaf coffees using this chemical by 2027.
For what it’s worth, the National Coffee Association says, “The overwhelming weight of independent scientific evidence shows that drinking [this] decaf is safe.”
There are other ways to decaffeinate coffee, including processes using carbon dioxide and water . . . but they are more time consuming and expensive.
Like it or not, California has been tough on potential carcinogens. Last year, California became the first state to ban four candy chemicals linked to cancers and other health problems.
(Here’s a site where you can check your brand. Starbucks, Dunkin’, and McCafe use methylene chloride. Tim Horton’s, Nespresso, Peet’s, Illy, and Stumptown don’t.)
