FitSugar

The Pros and Cons of Decaf

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:30:00 PDT

I would still drink coffee daily, regardless of its new status as a health drink; I love the taste. Full of antioxidants and performance enhancing caffeine, the reasons to drink a cup of joe go far beyond merely enjoying the flavor of this distinct brew. If caffeinated coffee gives you the jitters you can still reap the health benefits of java. Decaf coffee contains the same amount of antioxidants of regular coffee. As an extra bonus to drinking decaf, it does not increase the risk of miscarriage that is associated with caffeine. Drinking decaf, however, will not improve your improve reaction time, mental acuity, alertness, and mood or ward off drowsiness the way regular coffee does because those benefits are caffeine related.

In the recent past, there have been health concerns about the methods of removing the caffeine from coffee beans. These concerns were based on the solvents used in the decaffeinating process, but the carcinogenic chemicals are no longer used. If you want to go chemical free look for decaf that has been water processed or Swiss processed – both methods are considered natural.

Go ahead and have a cup of decaf!

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Just How Much Caffeine Is in Decaf?

Leta Shy — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:05:13 PST

Ever since my week of clean eating, I've tried to limit the amount of caffeine I ingest. So instead of my normal morning cup of coffee, I've been substituting with green tea or, if I can't resist, a trip to the cafe for a decaf soy au lait.

Some days I go without, but I know that my regular cup of tea or decaf still has relatively small levels of caffeine in it. But since too much caffeine can lead to problems such as insomnia, nervousness, irritability, or irregular heartbeat, I'd thought I'd learn more about just how much caffeine is in those decaffeinated drinks.

Regular drip coffee usually contains about 85 mg of caffeine per eight-ounce cup, while the average cup of black tea contains about 50 mg and green tea 40-50 mg per serving. Want to know how decaf options compare? Read on after the break.

Drinking Coffee, Decaf or Not, Has Health Benefits

Leta Shy — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:51:01 PDT

The benefits and risks of coffee are often debated, but a new study has found that coffee drinkers may be better off sticking to that cup of joe: in fact, having two cups of coffee a day may just help you live longer - even if it's decaf.

The latest coffee study followed 400,000 healthy older men and women and is the largest study to ever look at the benefits and risks of coffee. Of the study group, 42,000 did not drink any coffee, about 15,000 drank more than six cups a day, and the remaining study participants averaged two to three cups. After following the group for almost two decades, researchers found that those who drank coffee lived longer than those who didn't; men who drank two to three cups of coffee were 10 percent less likely to die at any age, and women who drank the same amount were 13 percent less likely to die at any age. The biggest risk reduction was seen in women who drank four to five cups a day.

The findings aren't a reason to force yourself to drink coffee; after all, the benefits are small, and too much caffeine can make you feel wired, anxious, or irritable, and may increase your risk of heart conditions. But the good news is that the study didn't find any differences between drinking decaf and regular coffee, so if you're a coffee fan but hate that wired feeling you get when you drink too much, have a cup of decaf in the afternoon - it just may help you live longer. (And if you don't like coffee, there's always green tea!)

Coffee For Kids: Kid-Friendly or Are You Kidding?

LilSugar — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:33:43 PST

Caffeine fiends are well-versed in the language of cappuccinos, Frappuccinos, mochaccinos . . . but babyccinos?! According to The Brooklyn Paper, our coffee-obsessed culture is cultivating new followers who haven't even graduated from sippy cups. The pint-size beverages consist of either decaf cappuccino or frothy steamed milk and foam.

The trend started in Australia about a decade ago, but has only become popular in Brooklyn within the past few months. While many baristas dread concocting the drinks, arguing that they interrupt the flow of production, waste milk, and can be dangerously hot for tiny tongues, doctors say that a small amount of caffeine on an occasional basis won't do any damage (a decaf shot of espresso contains less caffeine than a soda). We want to hear what you think - have you heard of this trend?

Fresh Start Resolution: Quit Your Caffeine Addiction

Emily Co — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:00:00 PST

It's a new year and a new you! We're kicking off a short series detailing 12 helpful tips to start off the year right, whether it be to advance your career or increase your financial cushion. We've already given you advice on kicking your daily deal habit, so here's another way to start afresh in 2012.

Caffeine addiction is so commonplace that nobody will bat an eye if you say you need your daily dose of coffee. In fact, many of us would readily admit to an addiction. Though people claim that coffee benefits them, the efficacy of the brown liquid is often misconceived. For starters, studies have shown that although caffeine may give you more speed, you'll be more prone to making mistakes. This means even if you have a larger output, it'll be of lower quality. More negatives include feeling jittery when you drink too much coffee and withdrawal symptoms like headaches if you choose to stop drinking. Convinced? Here are some tips to kicking your caffeine habit to the curb for good this year:

Figure out your quitting style. Everyone has their own way of kicking bad habits and you can either choose to go cold turkey or ease off of it slowly. Remember, if you go cold turkey and suffer withdrawal symptoms, don't take any pain medication for your headaches since those have caffeine in it as well!
Find a replacement. When you find yourself craving coffee, try to replace it with caffeine-free tea. Chamomile and mint tea are always good options.
Try decaf. When you just miss the comfort of the taste of coffee, opt for decaf. Keep in mind that there's actually a small amount of caffeine in a decaffeinated cup of joe, so drink a small cup.

Of course, it's up to each individual to decide if quitting coffee is right for them. I'd say you should truly consider it if you're drinking excessive amounts (I'm talking more than three or four cups a day) and if you're feeling some of the negative effects of caffeine.

How Many Cups of Coffee Do You Drink a Day?

Leta Shy — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:13:28 PDT

Coffee either gets a bad rap for causing things like sleeplessness, high blood pressure, or diabetes, or is celebrated for its benefits (like reducing risk of disease, improving memory, and easing muscle pain). And now, two new cancer studies have added to the discussion of how much coffee is too much.

One study followed 5,929 Swedish women, half of whom had breast cancer, and found that those who drank more than five cups of coffee a day reduced their risk of developing estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer (a particularly aggressive type of the disease) by 33 to 57 percent compared to those who drank less than a cup.

Another study followed 48,000 Boston men for 12 years and found that those who drank six or more cups a day reduced their risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer by 60 percent and of developing any form of the cancer by 20 percent. The study even found a risk reduction in men who drank about three cups a day.

The authors of the Swedish study caution against changing your daily coffee-drinking habits just based on their research alone, so no one is recommending you start making hourly trips to Starbucks if you don't already do so. They do say, however, that they hope to do more research to find out what exactly is the cause. And it's important to note that the Harvard researchers in the Boston study think that antioxidants found in coffee and not caffeine are responsible for the effect, so you can get any potential anticancer benefits from decaf as well.

Do inconclusive coffee studies keep you from enjoying the beverage, or do you enjoy your java whether or not you hear about the negative or positive effects of your habit?

6 Frugal Tips For Some Great Shuteye

Emily Co — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:15:18 PST

Happy National Sleep Awareness Week! I've been seeing so many sleep articles this week, including this really creative one today by our pals at LearnVest. They mentioned all these sleep aids that I've never thought of trying, such as a free software that monitors exposure to artificial light from your computer. I thought that was such a fantastic frugal sleep aid that I was inspired to come up with a list of my own tips that won't cost a cent:

Watch the Clock. FitSugar recommends getting up and going to bed at a regular time to set your circadian rhythm. This means having a natural alarm clock (no annoying snooze button!) and feeling refreshed when you wake up.

Do-Not-Do List. I've talked about a do-not-do list, in which you write down the tasks that you didn't complete before you head off to snoozeland. This will help you stop thinking about what you have left to tackle on your to-do list and let you blissfully count sheep or have other peaceful presleep thoughts.

For more frugal ways to get some good sleep, read on.

Krispy Kreme's Got a Massive Plan of Attack

Susannah Chen — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:13:36 PDT

Krispy Kreme's late to joining the fast food breakfast wars, but that doesn't mean they aren't going to try. After years of floundering sales, the doughnut chain's launched a new business plan, and things are finally looking up.

Hot off the heels that its fiscal performance is up, Krispy Kreme's announced it's getting into the java business, with three new signature coffees: a house blend, a dark roast, and house decaf. It's also debuted a trendy line of doughnuts for London Fashion Week, a so-called "capsule collection . . . of glossy, stylish, and fruity-flavored doughnuts for fashion lovers everywhere." It's expanding rapidly in Mexico and Japan, and will launch a new marketing campaign this Friday with the tagline "worthy of our doughnuts."

It'll be interesting to see how Krispy Kreme fares in such a competitive breakfast environment, especially since it has a track record of being late to the game with new products. Does Krispy Kreme have what it takes to make a comeback?

Have You Ever Tried to Get Off Caffeine?

Emily Co — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 05:00:03 PDT

Although caffeine can give you a boost of energy, too much dependence on it can make you more prone to mistakes when you're at your job. Fast Company shared a few great tips for kicking the caffeine habit to the curb, which include drinking good quality decaf coffee when you just want to enjoy the taste of a cup of joe and wait out the withdrawals and headaches. It also takes about a week to 12 days to break your dependency off the drug.

I've actually decreased my intake of caffeine and I only drink decaf these days. I find that I'm more refreshed in the mornings and actually have more energy throughout the day. What about you - have you ever tried to get yourself off caffeine?

Secrets to Beating Your Work Exhaustion

Emily Co — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:35:10 PDT

Although it's recommended to take a short walk to unwind from work, what you're surrounded by during your walk actually matters a lot. For example, if you're walking through a busy street filled with flashing lights and loud noises, the stroll won't really be an effective time-out.

University of Michigan researchers found that subjects who strolled through a nature setting saw a 20 percent improvement in attention and focus tests. However, participants who took a brief walk in a busy city did not see any cognitive benefits. Even spending time in a quiet room with a picture depicting nature was more effective than a city stroll. Here are more tips from The Wall Street Journal to rev up your mind during work:

Believe in your willpower. People who have a positive view about their willpower and believe they have an unlimited amount of it are able to work longer without a decrease in performance quality versus those who believe they have a limited amount, Stanford University researchers found. The WSJ says, "Both groups reported feeling tired. But researchers subtly suggested in questionnaires to some participants that they had stamina that could be replenished, and this group appeared to overcome the fatigue."
Don't drink more caffeine than necessary. If you intake more coffee than your usual amount, it might make you more stressed if you're already feeling some tension, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Bristol. Stick to your regular cup of joe, and if you think the taste of coffee will calm you down, try opting for a decaf coffee instead.