Coffee drinkers who adore the taste of coffee but don’t want the effects of caffeine turn to decaf coffee as the perfect alternative. With trends showing a rise in decaf coffee products, consumers must remain conscious of the quality of the decaf coffee they consume. National nonprofit Clean Label Project has recently elevated its efforts to spread awareness of the lurking chemicals within many decaf coffees. Clean Label Project urges decaf coffee drinkers to learn about the Swiss Water decaf coffee method, an alternative, water-based process for decaffeinating coffee without using chemicals.
We gathered expert insight from Jackie Bowen, Executive Director of Clean Label Project, to learn more about what makes the Swiss Water decaf coffee method a superior decaffeination method over traditional chemical-based methods.
About the Swiss Water method
Victor Freitas / Pexels
Traditional coffee decaffeination methods utilize a “direct solvent,” such as methylene chloride, to remove around 97% of the caffeine from coffee. This process involves placing coffee beans in a heated solvent and separating the solvent to remove caffeine. It’s possible your favorite decaf coffee brand uses this method, but they’re not required to list it on the label.
Recommended Videos
Alternatively, the Swiss Water decaf method effectively removes caffeine from your coffee without using chemicals. This process uses time and temperature to remove caffeine, starting by placing coffee beans in heated water. From here, caffeine is removed from coffee beans and separated out from the water, with the process continuing until the desired amount of caffeine is removed from the beans.
Before diving into the ins and outs of the swiss water decaf method, Jackie first touched on understanding how the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates decaffeinated coffee for coffee manufacturers. “The FDA sets clear limits on the amount of caffeine allowed and maximum levels of residual chemical solvents that can remain in the product.” Through the Clean Label Project’s rigorous testing, most brands have been found to comply with these regulatory thresholds. However, Jacyln warns that these “regulations haven’t been revised or updated in nearly 40 years — a troubling gap given advancements in science and health awareness”.
“Just last year, a coalition including the Environmental Defense Fund, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, Center for Environmental Health, Environmental Working Group (EWG), and environmental health consultant Lisa Lefferts petitioned the FDA to ban four carcinogenic chemicals currently approved for use in food. Among these chemicals is methylene chloride, a solvent also used as the active ingredient in paint stripper, which the Environmental Protection Agency recently banned for consumer use. Despite this, methylene chloride is still permitted in the decaffeination process for coffee—a shocking contradiction that underscores the urgent need for regulatory reform.”
Earlier this year, Dr. Maria Doa, senior director of chemical policy for the Environmental Defense Fund, said in a CNN article: In addition to being carcinogenic, methylene chloride can cause other health harms, such as liver toxicity and at higher exposure neurological effects, and in some cases death.” Despite this rising awareness, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits decaf coffee to contain up to 10 parts per million (ppm) of methylene chloride.
The overwhelming variety of decaf options on store shelves can confuse some consumers about how to pick the healthiest decaf coffee. With taste and price top-of-mind for most consumers, critical components such as “sustainability, certified organic status, and chemical-free decaffeination processes” are ignored. Jackie recommends that shoppers committed to a clean-eating lifestyle avoid decaf coffees that use chemical solvents in decaffeination. She also highlighted that making choices like this “empowers consumers to align their coffee habits with their values, without compromising on quality.”
Jackie and the rest of the Clean Label Project team strive to “empower consumers to make informed decisions whenever they shop. Take decaf coffee, for example—an everyday staple that often conceals an overlooked truth: the decaffeination process is rarely disclosed. Many methods involve harsh chemical solvents, which can leave behind residues. By exposing these hidden realities of modern food production and highlighting safer, more transparent alternatives, we aim to drive awareness and inspire positive change in how food and beverages are produced and consumed.”
“Without transparency around the decaffeination process, these consumers may unknowingly be exposed to unintended chemicals—albeit within compliant levels. This lack of clarity can make it difficult for them to make informed choices that align with their health goals.” Since the FDA does not currently require brands to disclose their decaffeinated process on the label, shopping for decaf coffee today is harder than it should be.
How to use Clean Label Project data
Though shopping for decaf coffee can be tricky, the data collected by the Clean Label Project is available for all health-conscious shoppers to check out. Luckily, theClean Label Project has tested several of the most popular decaf coffee brands to see whether methylene chloride is present in the brew. “Consumers visiting our Clean Label Project online can educate themselves and make an informed decision about their favorite decaf brands,” she adds. Before shopping for coffee, check the Clean Label Project’s data to help you choose a high-quality decaf coffee brand.
Jordan’s Skinny Mixes joins protein coffee trend with new product launch
Enjoy a Frappuccino without the added sugar
Jordan’s Skinny Mixes, a brand known for helping coffee lovers craft delicious drinks without sugar, has launched a pre-sale of its newest invention: a Skinnyccino. With consumer interest rising in products that combine protein with coffee, the brand proudly announces its new "Skinnyccino" product line. Jordan Engelhardt first launched the brand in 2009 to "elevate life’s daily rituals" without sacrificing fun or flavor. Today, the brand has expanded beyond cocktail mixers and offers a vast selection of sugar-free products available on SkinnyMixes.com, Amazon, and in-stores at many major retailers throughout the U.S.
This announcement marks the brand's first-ever ready-to-drink beverage, offering a convenient, on-the-go coffee containing half the calories in a typical Starbucks Frappuccino. Available in Caramel or Vanilla flavors, the Skinnyccino is the perfect drink for those who want to down on sugar and increase protein intake. Each ready-to-dink Skinnyccino contains zero added sugar and has 110 calories, 8 grams of protein, and 100 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce serving.
Crafted from a cold brew with meal milk and naturally flavored, Jordan's Skinny Mixes describes the new product launch as a way to "indulge in the sweet life" without the added guilt. Each drink offers convenience, enough caffeine, and the familiar taste many coffee lovers crave.
Skinnyccinos are now available directly from Jordan's Skinny Mixes website on a pre-sale launch starting today, March 4th, until March 10th, with an official launch date of March 11th, 2025. Skinnyccinos join the brand's other sugar-free and low-sugar flavor products, including coffee syrups, cocktail mixers, water-enhancing syrups, and on-the-go flavor bursts.
Ground coffee vs. instant coffee: A battle of taste, convenience, and caffeine
Can you substitute ground coffee for instant coffee?
To a non-coffee drinker, ground coffee and instant coffee might look the same to the naked eye. Both appear as ground, brown powders. but only from a distance. But for everyday coffee drinkers like me, there's a big difference between ground coffee vs. instant coffee -- both in appearance, use, and, most importantly, taste. To me, instant coffee has a "coffee dust" or crystalized appearance, whereas ground coffee almost appears more like "dirt."
I like to consider myself an "open-minded" coffee drinker, as I firmly believe there is a time and a place for every type of coffee in my life. This means I'll gladly use both ground coffee or instant coffee, depending on the scenario. For me, ground coffee is perfect for everyday coffee brewing at home, but instant coffee is the ideal coffee product to take on the go. But what is the reason for the differences between ground coffee vs. instant coffee? Let's compare.
Ground coffee vs. instant coffee
Moccamaster unveils popular pour over coffee maker in new “color of the year”
A color that represents tranquility and stability
Moccamaster USA, a brand known for its premium pour-over coffee brewers made of high-quality and sustainable materials, has unveiled an exciting new color. This year's "color of the year" is Ocean, representing tranquility and stability. This peaceful and cheerful blue color reflects the latest trends in kitchen aesthetics. With this color in your kitchen, you can blend form and function seamlessly with a bold color to incorporate into your kitchen design.
The Moccamaster KBGV Select in color Ocean is now available directly from the Moccamaster website and through an exclusive partnership with Williams-Sonoma. Known for brewing excellence, Moccamaster brewers are certified by the European Coffee Brewing Centre and produce high-quality coffee to the SCA-approved Golden Cup standard every brew cycle. The Moccamaster KBGV Select is handmade in the Netherlands from high-quality, sustainable materials and backed by the industry’s best 5-year warranty.
Part of what makes the Moccamaster KBGV Select different from other pour-over brewers available on the market is the glass design, which blends elegance and sophistication in a long-lasting coffee maker. The maker is also available in many other stunning colors, such as Turquoise and Terracotta. No matter what type of kitchen vibe you're going for, Moccamaster has a color suited for every coffee lover.
Each pour-over-style coffee brewer is designed to extract the maximum flavor from coffee grounds, replicating the more complex process of a manual pour-over you typically drink in a cafe. Moccamaster brewers and grinders are built to last a lifetime. They are the perfect choice for those who love and appreciate an excellent cup of coffee while elevating any kitchen aesthetic.
