You’ve made the shift. Choosing the health benefits of free-range and organic, eating in-season, and paying closer attention to what goes in your body. And, what doesn’t. So it makes sense that reducing caffeine is a part of your healthy lifestyle. But many people are surprised to learn that to decaffeinate coffee, most processes use chemical solvents to remove the caffeine.

The Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company is the only company in the world that uses water from the coast mountains of British Columbia and the proprietary Swiss Water^® Process to decaffeinate coffee. 0% methylene chloride. 0% ethyl acetate and 99.9% caffeine free. Be sure you know what you’re drinking. Ask for decaf coffee brands that use the Swiss Water^® Process at your favorite coffee house, café, restaurant, or grocery store.

It’s important for pregnant women and nursing moms to not overdo it. Babies have different tolerances and while some may show no adverse reaction to caffeine, others can be bothered by even minute amounts. Your baby’s body can’t easily break down and eliminate caffeine like an adult, so over time it may accumulate in their system.

Keep in mind that caffeine is present in sources other than coffee including tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and chocolate. Caffeine also shows up in herbal products and over-the-counter drugs, including some headache, cold, and allergy remedies. Therefore, limiting caffeine consumption where you can is important. Accept no substitutes.

Source: BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board, New York Times health guide

All women experience life’s natural transition of menopause, however, the symptoms associated with this can differ greatly for each woman. Studies show that many menopausal symptoms are aggravated by the prolonged consumption of caffeine. It has also been found that high caffeine consumption can bring on menopause at an earlier age than average. Caffeine hinders absorption of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron which are vital to a woman’s well being.

A high intake of caffeine is also linked to lower bone density, elevated stress hormones and an increased intensity of hot flashes. Switching to decaf is a consideration. By choosing SWISS WATER® Process, you’re choosing a decaf coffee that guarantees the caffeine is removed without chemicals.

Did you know that the same health benefits from drinking regular coffee also apply to decaf?

A study comparing heavy coffee drinkers (3.5 cups a day) with non-drinkers found that the coffee drinkers were significantly less likely to contract Parkinson’s disease later in life. Likewise, a second study found an inverse relationship between the amount of coffee regularly consumed and the likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Many people drink coffee for its ability to increase short-term recall. Likewise, in tests of simple reaction time, choice reaction time, incidental verbal memory, and visuospatial reasoning, participants who regularly drank coffee were found to perform better on all tests, with a positive relationship between test scores and the amount of coffee regularly consumed.

Coffee intake may reduce one’s risk of diabetes mellitus type 2 by up to half.

Coffee has been shown to reduce the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver and has been linked to a reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, a primary liver cancer that usually arises in patients with pre-existing cirrhosis.

Studies have shown that moderate coffee consumption reduces the chances of dying from heart disease.

Coffee contains the anticancer compound methylpyridinium, which is not present in significant amounts in other food materials. Methylpyridinium is present in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, and even in instant coffee.

In a large study of over 45,000 men over a 12-year period, the risk for developing gout in men over 40 was inversely proportional with the amount of coffee consumed.

Analysis of light and moderate coffee drinkers revealed a significantly less chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life and moderate coffee drinkers were found to have a reduced risk of developing Dementia in addition to Alzheimer’s.

Consumption of coffee has been found to reduce the risk of developing several Cancers that include oral, esophageal, and pharyngeal cancer. Modest reductions in breast cancer have also been discovered in postmenopausal women. Coffee has also been found to reduce the chances of developing aggressive prostate cancer.

Tannins in coffee have been found to have the ability to reduce the cariogenic risk of some foods.

Source: The Harvard Medical School, healthmad.com