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.
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.
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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.
Why does coffee make me sleepy? How caffeine can leave you feeling tired
What to do when coffee has the opposite effect
Coffee is the most popular stimulant in the U.S., consumed by nearly 75% of Americans. As a long-time coffee drinker, there's no doubt that it's my favorite stimulant (even if its effects are unnoticeable due to my crazy high caffeine tolerance). Even though I crave coffee's taste, with a slight bitterness and light sweetness, based on taste alone, I sometimes reach for coffee simply for a major boost of energy from its caffeine content.
At times, I feel perkier after a cup of coffee, but there are also times I'm struggling to stay awake. This phenomenon has left me questioning," Why does coffee make me sleepy?" If you've felt that random wave of tiredness hit you after consuming caffeine, you might have asked yourself this question, too. The question of how coffee and tiredness are interrelated can get confusing, especially given coffee's well-known reputation as a drink that keeps you awake. Here are a few reasons you might feel tired after drinking coffee.
Why does coffee make me sleepy?
Brew the perfect cup: 8 best coffees for French press lovers
Brew exceptional french press coffee
The manual French Press coffee brewing method is a tried and true brewing method, delivering exceptional coffee with minimal effort. Through the immersion method which steeps coffee grounds into a hot water, the flavor of beans is fully extracted while allowing coffee to retain it's essential oils for a richer, more complex aroma than coffee made with a filter.
However, the key to brewing exceptional coffee with a French Press extends beyond the brewing technique. The type and quality of coffee beans you use can make the difference between a subpar cup of coffee and an exceptional one. While you can use any type of coffee roast for French Press brewing, medium to dark roasts are typically best for this type of brew. To help guide you, we've compiled a list of the best coffee for French Press brewing.
Can you make great coffee in a single serve? Klatch Coffee’s answer
Is there a better option than K-Cups?
While K-Cups can be appealing to coffee drinkers who value convenience at home or in the office, they're not the right choice for everyone. Although it's a fast and easy way to prepare a single cup of coffee, there are a few downsides to the system — namely that K-cup pods can be difficult to recycle (and while refillable pods exist, that depends on the user choosing that option, which isn't always a given considering quick and convenient are two of the main appeals of the system). We interviewed Klatch Coffee's expert roaster, Heather Perry, to learn more about the specialty roaster's approach to single-serve coffee.
Klatch Coffee's single-serve coffee alternatives
Klatch Coffee's single-serving Bruvi pods make it easy to enjoy high-quality, specialty coffee wherever you are. The brand has partnered with a few select providers who share their vision, one of which is Bruvi.
"Bruvi is an improved pod coffee system with a couple of unique features," Perry said. "First is taste and quality; the proprietary brewing system brews to the same high standards as specialty coffee roasters like Klatch Coffee, including adjusting the brewing parameters to match our brewing recipe. That’s why premium coffee from roasters like Klatch is offered on the Bruvi platform. Second, Bruvi’s B-Pods are enzyme-infused and designed to be tossed in the trash, making them guilt-free. B-Pods degrade faster in the landfill without leaving microplastics behind."
It’s also worth noting that for coffee drinkers who only want a single cup at a time, single-serve brewing can be more efficient on resources like water, coffee, and energy. Pre-portioned coffee doesn’t spill, and machines only heat the water needed for a single cup. There’s no waste from discarding leftover coffee from a large pot.
