Switch to Decaf Coffee!

Coffee is well known as a popular beverage that contains high level of caffeine and stimulants. Caffeine is the where the bitter taste of coffee comes from and it is also used as drugs in the medical field. There are people who are addicted to coffee and they consume more than 2 cups of coffee per day. The over dosage of caffeine might lead to insomnia, heart palpitations, caffeine intoxication and sleep disorders. That is why they came up with decaf coffee, or also known as decaffeinated coffee.

Decaf coffee is produced when more than 95% of the caffeine content is removed from the coffee beans. This alternative is made especially for those who cannot resist taking coffee. Years ago, coffee is decaffeinated by steaming the coffee beans for 30 minutes and then followed by treating them with methylene chloride solvents to leach out caffeine. The beans are washed repeatedly with methylene chloride and steamed for another 10 hours to remove the residue of chemicals. But due to the fear of chemical residues in the coffee beans, people started to oppose usage of the processing method. The chemicals used to flush out caffeine might cause cancer and risk consumer's health.

A safer way of decaffeinating the coffee beans is by using the Swiss Water process. Unroasted beans are soaked in hot water to get rid of the caffeine. The beans will be drained after releasing caffeine into the hot water. Throughout this repeated process, these are soaked and filtered until they are 99.9% caffeine free. Next, the beans are dried and roasted, but they lack in flavor and aroma.

After decaffeinating, the coffee produced is devoid of the original taste and it is said to be less fragrant compared to normal coffee. It is the caffeine that gives its unique taste and by decaffeinating the beans, decaf coffee naturally loses the penetrating original flavor. It is hard to switch from coffee to decaf coffee at once as it tastes milder. The alternative is to switch slowly by using 1:1 ratio for decaffeinated coffee and original coffee, then the ratio is slowly increased to replace original coffee.

There are a lot of benefits from drinking coffee at a moderate amount of 1 to 2 cups per day. Antioxidants help prevent aging and it is also present in decaf coffee. So why not enjoy a milder version with the natural benefits without having the need of experiencing the stimulation of caffeine?

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Tips for Keeping Your Coffee Beans Fresh

Most of the people tend to purchase coffee beans and get confused about the following questions:

o How should I store it?

o Where can I protect it?

o What is the longing period for my coffee?

o How storing coffee is different from storing beans?

According to an article reviewed by National Coffee Association U.S.A (NCAUSA), the most excellent way to keep your coffee beans fresh is to keep it "sealed (airtight) and cool". Preserving the freshness of coffee beans could be a complex task, because freshness gets worn out very quickly in unwarranted air, moisture, light or other wise heat. So keep your coffee beans in sealed glass or ceramic jug and then put it in a chilly as well as in the dark place. If you obtain your coffee beans in a bag or a container, which is not airtight you would have to put them in a sealed container and use them as quickly as possible.

Quantity to be purchased

You could purchase any quantity of coffee you want, providing you are going to use it within three or four weeks after you open it. The mainly momentous thing you should to keep in mind is about purchasing large amount is this: Once the coffee bag is unsealed it needs to be used within three or four weeks. Store it in a sealed jug during that time. Airtight bags or cans are fine; you just require keeping them in a cool and dark place.

Freezing of coffee beans

You may come across many special articles and effective opinions on freezing your coffee beans. Here are few things you require to remember: Beans are very durable by their own nature. When you are freezing coffee beans you are in fact locking it in humidity and stopping the chemical process. Once you take away those beans from freezer, you are letting them thaw out completely: this would take for about 4 hours. Further do take care to keep away from moisture buildup on the exterior on your coffee beans, this is known as abridgment and occurs when warm moist air comes in contact with a freezing surface. So, in a short - avoid freezing, but if you do, follow our dos and don'ts and you would preserve your freshness of coffee beans.

Adam Akelis is a professional copywriter who has a sound knowledge on coffee, his all time favorite drink. To know more on coffee, its types (roasted coffee, gourmet coffee, Cains Coffee etc...) and its benefits please visit http://www.bluehillcoffee.com/ and to contact Adam Akelis mail to adamakelis@gmail.com.