How to Detox Your Decaf and WHY This is Important!

Caffeine has always had a bit of a reputation, but did you know that decaffeinated coffee can be dangerous? Read on to learn how to detox your decaf and why this is important to take action on now!

Disclosure: I am partnering with Clean Label Project.

Caffeine Has Never Really Been My Thing

I grew up in a literal roller skating rink. My house was attached to our family business, so I could walk 20 steps and be out in an empty (or full depending on the day) roller skating rink with access to all the soda and snacks you could want. However, caffeinated drinks were never something that I was really into. If I did have a soda, it was always caffeine free and that pretty much stands to this very day.

When I share that with people, they often ask me about coffee. Truth is, only in the last year have I begun to drink coffee regularly and because I have limited my caffeine intake, it can really make me jittery. I tried to switch to just a decaf option to see if it would help my jitters, but after personally experiencing some lightheadedness and nausea only when I drank a cup of decaf, I switched back to regular ol’ coffee.

What is Going on With Decaf?

Decaffeinated coffee seems like a great option for those wishing to decrease their caffeine intake. The problem is that the process of removing caffeine from coffee generally involves a water based OR a chemical based approach. Many brands use the chemical based approach and are using methylene chloride to do this. The bigger issue is that coffee brands are not required to disclose which decaffeination process they are using on their labels.

Methylene chloride is a chemical that is found in paint strippers and was banned last year by the EPA for sales to the public. Exposure to methylene chloride can cause lightheadedness, nausea, confusion and more and long term exposure can even cause heart issues (all of this is according to OSHA). Personally, experiencing a couple of those symptoms myself after a switch to decaf, I can pretty confidently say, that decaf and I do not need to coexist.

Clean Label Project

Enter the Clean Label Project. This organization has a mission to raise awareness of the potentially dangerous environmental contaminants and toxins in consumer products. They are working to have serious conversations with brands and regulatory bodies about these contaminants and are pushing for brands to be transparent about their processes and labeling for the safety of consumers.

The Clean Label Project has already filed lawsuits against 4 national brands for false and misleading advertising and labeling. The brands in question have been claiming that their coffee products are “pure and natural”. The problem is that the study conducted by Clean Label Project shows that methylene chloride was detected in their products and they are clearly advertising differently, thereby tricking the consumer into a false sense of safety.