what decaffeinates tea?

Question

is decaffienated tea toxic?

Answer 1

Decaf tea is not toxic and decaffeinated tea is not caffeine free. It still contains up to .4% by dry weight caffeine content.

Several methods are used to remove caffeine from its natural sources:

Methylene chloride processing
Ethyl acetate processing
Carbon dioxide processing
Water processing

Methylene chloride is a chemical used as a solvent to extract caffeine from many raw materials. Molecules of caffeine bond to molecules of methylene chloride. The materials are softened in a water bath or in steam. The next step is to process the materials with methylene chloride by either of two methods:

Using the "direct" method, caffeine is removed by directly soaking the materials in methylene chloride.

Using the "indirect" method, caffeine, which is water soluble, is extracted by soaking the materials in water. Many of the flavors and oils are also extracted during this process, so the solution is treated with methylene chloride and then returned to the material for reabsorption of the flavorings.

Ethyl acetate processed products are referred to as "naturally decaffeinated" because ethyl acetate is a chemical found naturally in many fruits. Caffeine is extracted in the same way as with methylene chloride processing, but ethyl acetate is the solvent.

To decaffeinate using carbon dioxide (CO2), water-softened materials are "pressure cooked" with the gas. At high pressures and high temperatures, carbon dioxide is in a supercritical state, acting as both a gas and a liquid. It becomes a solvent with its small, nonpolar molecules attracting the small caffeine molecules. Since flavor molecules are larger, they remain intact, which is why this process retains the flavor of the material better.

Caffeine extraction with water is used primarily for coffee decaffeination. The process is similar to the "indirect" method used in methylene chloride processing, but no chemicals are used. After the caffeine is leached out of the material by soaking in hot water for a period of time, the solution is then passed through a carbon filter for caffeine removal. The water is then returned to the beans for reabsorption of flavors and oils. In the "Swiss Water Process," the same method is used, but instead of soaking in water, the beans are soaked in a coffee-flavored solution. This results in the caffeine being extracted without removing the coffee flavors.

Caffeine is not removed completely using any of these methods, but under federal regulations in the United States, caffeine levels must not be above 2.5 percent of the product in order for a product to be labeled "decaffeinated."

Most of the caffeine removed in processing is manufactured for use in other products, such as medicines and soft drinks. For example, less than 5 percent of the caffeine found in cola drinks is actually from the kola nut, and many of the popular "high caffeine" soft drinks do not contain kola nut extracts at all. The caffeine content of soft drinks is primarily, and sometimes completely, from the addition of caffeine extracted from decaffeination processes.

Answer 2

Great question.

Decaffeinated green tea contains less than 5 milligrams of caffeine a cup, or 0.4% in dry weight. Tempting as it may seem, most commercially available decaf tastes pretty awful.

I agree that decaffeinated tea is less healthy than an original brew.

There are two reasons for it.

The decaffeination process destroys the favor and nutrient of green tea. Studies show that decaf contains less than a third of the catechins found in brewed green tea.

Less catechins, less antioxidants, less health benefits.

It is green tea without caffeine - and catechins.

To add insult to injury, a 1996 study conducted by University of Texas found that decaffeinated tea infusions contain an average of 3.2 ppm of fluoride, twice the level found in naturally caffeinated tea infusions, which contain 1.5 ppm.

The authors suggested this is due to the use of high fluoride mineral water during the decaffeination process.

Today, the best decaffeinated green tea is made from the carbon dioxide method. Avoid the so called "natural decaffeinated", which is made from the ethyl acetate process.

The following link contains a good discussion on which decaffeinated process works best.

The second link contains some tips on how to drink green tea without caffeine.

Hope it helps.

Julian

Answer 3

Dr. Suess built a grand machine named the decaffinator!!
Thing 1 & thing 2 have been model citizens ever since.
Patent is still pending though.
LOL