The coffee it is considered decaffeinated when it contains less than 0,1% caffeine. In general, 8 mg of caffeine, unlike the 110 mg of a normal "tazzuriella", are also present in decaffeinated.
The decaffeination processes
The first successful attempt at decaffeination took place in 1905, when Ludwig Roselius he developed the process of separating the caffeine from the beans.
Quattro are the processes that are used to extract caffeine and are distinguished according to the type of substance used:
- With ethyl acetate. Caffeine is extracted by washing raw coffee with ethyl acetate;
- With methylene chloride. Caffeine is extracted by washing the coffee with dichloromethane, a chemical solvent that naturally evaporates at temperatures above 40 ° C;
- With carbon dioxide. The beans are washed with carbon dioxide which acts as a solvent for the caffeine;
- With water. The beans are treated with an aqueous extract saturated with coffee-soluble substances, other than caffeine. In the "water" decaffeinated coffee, among other things, there are diterpenes (reticulum, gush) and cafestol, with a high antitumor power.
It should be borne in mind that the extraction that takes place with organic solvents it impoverishes the coffee more and makes it potentially toxic.
Find out what the alternatives to tea and coffee are
Absolute ban on coffee
Whether it's decaffeinated or not, avoid the coffee in pregnancy because it is a stimulant that can cross the placental barrier, with the risk of upsetting the mother / fetus balance, largely related to placental blood flows that must not be subjected to artificial alterations.
Being the caffeine able to cross the blood brain barrier, you must also avoid it in the stage nursing in order to avoid risks for the newborn. A group of Swedish researchers has found a cause-and-effect relationship between high consumption of caffeine and the low weight of babies at birth. L'World Health Organization advises pregnant women not to go beyond i 300 mg of coffee per day, which are roughly equivalent to two cups di moka.
Caffeine and the human body
To get an idea of ​​the amount of caffeine we ingest let's take some practical examples. A espresso coffee at the bar (25 ml) contains 110 mg, like a cappuccino (125 ml). A home brewed coffee (45 ml) do ha 95 mg. Una generic energy drink (250 ml) does not contain 70 mg. He soluble coffee (125 ml) 54 mg; a hot tea (200 ml) 36 mg; a cola drink (250 ml) 24 mg.
Caffeine is one metabolic and cardiac stimulant, diuretic, laxative and lipolytic. The threshold not to be exceeded is 400 mg per day, in order to avoid palpitations, insomnia, tremors, anxiety and manifestations of stress. It is also true that sensitivity to caffeine is a factor that can vary greatly from person to person, also depending on weight and age.
