Lets Talk Coffee!

[GFreeMO]

Which brand of coffee do you prefer and do you drink regular or decaf? I have been reading about all of the chemicals used to process decaf. I was reading an article that talked about how decaf was worse than regular b/c of the chemicals used to process it and when you have an autoimmune disease such as celiac, you should avoid those chemicals. Is the caffeine better?

Any thoughts?

[crimsonviolet]

I drink too much coffee. :/ There's a school of thought that says too much caffeine puts stress on adrenals, which may already be weakened by an autoimmune disease such as Celiac. This can cause a whole host of issues. If you do drink decaf, there are certain brands that are non-chemically decaffeinated, but I can't think of which ones right now.

I prefer caffeinated but I learned quickly to stay away from flavored coffees. Starbucks flavored something or other glutened me badly. I usually stick to whatever plain ol' French/bold/breakfast roast is on sale. Current favorite is Maxwell House French Roast. I also like HEB's store brand.

[RyanP]

Which brand of coffee do you prefer and do you drink regular or decaf? I have been reading about all of the chemicals used to process decaf. I was reading an article that talked about how decaf was worse than regular b/c of the chemicals used to process it and when you have an autoimmune disease such as celiac, you should avoid those chemicals. Is the caffeine better?

Any thoughts?

Hi!

So, here's some info I've amassed over the years about coffee:

-'Decaffeinated' coffee can be decaffeinated any number of different ways. Some methods utilize ethyl acetate to remove the caffeine. That sounds scary, but its a substance that can be derived from fruits, and either way, the end product beans contain essentially no ethyl acetate (we're talking a few parts per billion. Much much higher concentrations are found naturally in red wine.). The other major method is the "Swiss Water Process", which uses only water and a special charcoal filter. (This is different than the water process, which uses some chemicals.) Another method using carbon dioxide is also gaining in popularity. (This uses only CO2, no other chemicals)

-A cup of decaffeinated coffee typically contains 5-10mg of caffeine, vs the 80-100mg in a cup of regular.

So, the answer to whether or not the caffeine is "better", is not very clear. It really depends on what you're looking for. Provided you don't have super high blood pressure or a hypersensitivity to caffeine, it seems unlikely either one would hurt you. (Some studies have suggested a net health benefit from either regular or decaf). If you are concerned about the possible chemical residues in decaf, then find a decaf made using the swiss water process. (These include both Caribou Coffee and the Coffee Beanery).

As far as regular coffee goes, I usually buy from a small coffee roaster here in town. I've spoken with the owners, and know for certain their beans are gluten-free. I haven't ever found a brand that claimed to use gluten in un-flavored coffee, but it is possible. (Roasted barley is used to make a caffeine-free coffee-like beverage in some parts of the world).

All that being said, coffee is not famous for being gentle on ones digestive system. It took me a year or two after being diagnosed to really be able to tolerate coffee. I'm now a big fan of regular coffee.

[eatmeat4good]

I drink regular coffee with caffeine.

I hope I never have to stop. Folgers medium roast for regular days.

Gevalia when I want something good.

I keep both, but only drink plain, not flavored coffees.

[cahill]

I was a regular, 4 or 5 cup a day coffee drinker. In December I cut coffee completely out of my diet I have started drinking black unsweetened tea again ,,, but I am thinking coffee is off my food list for good

[lovegrov]

I don't think either one is either better or worse than the other simply because you have celiac. In addition, while I don't care for flavored coffees, they are pretty much safe as far as gluten.

richard