[Matjalal X File] "Up to 4 Times Stronger Than Starbucks"... The 'Betrayal' of Decaffeinated Coffee

Caffeine Content Varies by Coffee Bean Extraction Method and Volume
Domestic Decaffeination Standards Looser Than International Standards
If Sensitive to Caffeine, Do Not Exceed Three Decaf Cups a Day

Editor's Note[Matjalal X-Files] uncovers misunderstandings and truths about food.

These days, 30-year-old office worker Jeong Hye-jin, who has been having trouble sleeping through the night, is on her third day of "quitting caffeine." The reason she can endure giving up her habit of drinking coffee twice a day is thanks to "decaffeinated coffee." Unlike before, nowadays most coffees, whether high-end or low-cost, offer a decaffeinated option, making it much easier to quit caffeine.

On a chilly evening with a large temperature difference between day and night, Jeong visited Starbucks to have a warm latte. Since Starbucks decaf latte contains only one shot of espresso, she added an extra shot to make it stronger. The moment she took a sip of the latte, she thought, "If a decaf espresso has two shots, wouldn't the caffeine content be similar to regular coffee?"

On behalf of Jeong, who is practicing quitting caffeine, Matjalal investigated the caffeine content of decaffeinated coffee by brand. Some of you might be wondering, "Decaffeinated coffee with caffeine content? What does that mean?"

Decaffeinated coffee is a beverage made from coffee beans that have had at least 90% of their caffeine removed (according to Korean standards) using hot water or carbon dioxide. Therefore, it is not completely caffeine-free. Moreover, Korea's decaffeination standards are more lenient compared to international standards (97% or more) and the European Union (99% or more). This means there is a higher possibility that the caffeine content in decaf coffee varies among domestic coffee brands. It can also differ depending on each brand's caffeine removal method, total volume, number of espresso shots, and so on.

Of course, even if the caffeine content in decaf coffee varies by brand, it is only about one-tenth that of regular coffee, so for most people it does not cause side effects such as insomnia or rapid heartbeat due to caffeine intake.

However, there are people around us who are particularly sensitive to caffeine. Even those who are not that sensitive might want to reduce their caffeine intake as much as possible for health reasons. For these consumers, we asked five places?Starbucks, Twosome Place, Ediya Coffee, Mega Coffee, and The Venti?about the caffeine content in their basic size decaf Americano and latte.

The results showed that the caffeine content per cup of decaf coffee ranged from as low as 5mg to as high as 26mg. That's a bigger difference than expected.

Among the five brands, The Venti had the highest caffeine content. Their decaf Americano and latte each contained 26mg of caffeine. This is largely due to The Venti's basic size, Venti, being 591ml, which is larger than Starbucks Tall (355ml), Twosome Place Regular (355ml), and Ediya Coffee Large (532ml). The Venti also had more caffeine compared to Mega Coffee, which has the same volume. An industry insider explained, "Even if all brands use two shots of espresso, the caffeine content can vary depending on whether the espresso is extracted in small amounts multiple times or all at once."

There were also brands where the caffeine content differed between decaf Americano and decaf latte. For example, Starbucks uses two shots of espresso in their Americano but only one shot in their latte, resulting in a difference. For reference, Starbucks decaf latte contains only 5mg of caffeine, the lowest among the brands compared.

Mega Coffee showed a different pattern. Contrary to Starbucks, their decaf latte contained 17mg of caffeine, which is more than their Americano (11.4mg). Both drinks contain two shots of espresso, so why the difference? A Mega Coffee representative explained, "Although both have two shots, there are slight differences in the coffee beans themselves, as well as dosing amount, grind size, and pressure during espresso extraction, so the results are not exactly the same." This means there is a slight caffeine variation each time decaf coffee is made.

In conclusion, even decaf coffee shows considerable differences in caffeine content depending on the brand and menu item. If you are extremely sensitive to caffeine or are cautious about caffeine intake, keep this in mind. Being informed makes you a smarter consumer.

Decaf coffee is gaining popularity recently because it minimizes coffee's side effects while retaining its benefits. Starbucks recently announced that the cumulative sales of decaf coffee exceeded 100 million cups in 6 years and 9 months. Decaf coffee is rich in antioxidants that are good for gut health and allows consumption of phenolic compounds without caffeine-induced gastrointestinal issues. Some studies also suggest it does not stimulate stomach acid secretion and may improve liver function.

However, since decaf coffee still contains caffeine, experts advise that caffeine-sensitive individuals should avoid consuming more than three cups per day.