Coffee has long been part of our morning ritual, providing us with energy and keeping us alert throughout the day. But when health experts caution us about caffeine due to heart conditions, anxiety disorders or insomnia medication side-effects or certain medication – decaf coffee provides a healthy solution that still tastes great and allows you to enjoy a regular cup.

Caffeine consumption should not cause sleep disruptions or higher blood pressure in adults; however, too much caffeine may result in side effects like disrupted sleeping patterns, raised blood pressure or jitters for certain individuals. Because of this risk factor, 26 million Americans regularly drink decaf coffee instead. While caffeine does not serve as a health nutrient itself, decaf has several important health advantages including lower risks of Type 2 diabetes and neurological conditions like dementia.

One method of decaffeination has recently come under scrutiny: Methylene chloride has long been employed as a decaffeination solution, though recently its use has come under close examination. Not only has this colorless liquid been employed in coffee bean decaffeination processes but it is also widely employed in pharmaceutical manufacturing, paint strippers and stripping agents, metal cleaning degreasing services and metal degreasing processes. When inhaled or consumed it can damage livers and kidneys while also causing eye and skin irritation and in severe cases even cancerous transformations – as methylene chloride poisoning can also have far reaching consequences.

As such, some activists are now pushing the FDA to ban European Method decaffeination; however, the National Coffee Association maintains that this would unjustly deny consumers access to a safe product associated with multiple health benefits.

Methylene chloride doesn’t remain present in a finished cup of decaffeinated coffee due to the way its chemical solvent evaporates during decaffeination, while FDA standards dictate how much can remain on coffee beans after decaffeination has taken place. On top of that, other methods for decaffeinating coffee don’t involve chemical solvents at all such as CO2 or water methods for decaf.

Most recent research indicates that both caffeinated and decaf coffee may help lower the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Studies involving over 10 million adults from around the world indicate this may reduce NAFLD risks. Consuming coffee — both caffeinated and decaffeinated — was associated with less severe NAFLD among overweight, diabetic, or high blood pressure individuals, and also linked with reduced cardiovascular disease risk and death risks – promising signs for further research in this regard. NAFLD can lead to serious liver issues; research continues, yet initial results seem encouraging.