Is decaf coffee bad for you? What to know about calls to ban a chemical found in decaf.
Health advocacy groups are petitioning the Food and Drug Administration to ban a chemical sometimes used in the process of decaffeinating coffee. Lawmakers in California also recently reportedly proposed a bill to ban the use of the compound in coffee statewide. Does that mean you need to stop drinking it?
The Clean Label Project, a nonprofit that fights for food labeling transparency, found that several popular coffee brands including Kirkland Signature, Kroger, Maxwell House and Peet's Coffee included traces of methylene chloride, a liquid sometimes used for paint stripping that in large doses can cause a slew of health issues. Other major brands, including Starbucks, Dunkin', Tim Horton's and Folgers, did not.
Amid calls to ban methylene chloride from decaf coffee, here's what nutrition experts want you to know about health benefits and potential risks in coffee.
More: A chemical paint stripper killed their kids. Inside their heroic fight to have it banned.
Is decaf coffee bad for you?
The uproar over methylene chloride in coffee isn't quite the controversy it's made out to be, some nutrition experts argue.
"Dose matters," registered dietitian Miranda Galati tells USA TODAY.
While methylene chloride has raised concerns about possible carcinogenic effects in rodents in larger doses, the amount that remains in your cup of coffee contains "considerably less," Galati notes. Most of the compound is removed during the decaffeination process, and the remaining amount – the FDA established less than 0.001% as OK – is small enough that it won't have any real impact.
If you're nevertheless concerned, Galati suggests looking for "solvent-free or Swiss Water processed varieties" of decaf coffee, or opting for tea instead.
"Ultimately, it’s up to you what you’re comfortable with," she adds.
How much caffeine is too much? Here's what to know before having that next cup.
What coffee is the healthiest?
Most dietitians will tell you that the word "healthiest" is subjective – those with different health goals or concerns may have very different definitions of what's best for them.
“The healthiest food in any category will depend on you, your budget, your culture, your health goals and so much more,” Galati previously told USA TODAY. “It’s amazing to make more nutrient-dense choices when possible, but choosing the more processed or convenient option isn’t always a bad thing either. As a registered dietitian who wants you to build a healthy lifestyle that lasts, I’d recommend ditching the idea that there’s a healthiest version of anything.”
Both caffeinated and decaf coffee offer similar health benefits, including links to healthy liver enzyme levels and decreased odds of developing colorectal cancer, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Caffeinated coffee can provide "unique benefits like improved mood, alertness, and athletic performance," Galati says.
"But if it makes you jittery, anxious or interferes with your sleep, decaf is your best bet," she adds. "Decaf coffee offers a lot of the same benefits as regular, without the potential downsides of caffeine."
Decaf, Galati notes, also offers "health-supporting antioxidants and other phytochemicals that may protect against type 2 diabetes, mental decline and some cancers."
More: Can drinking both coffee and tea save your life? And more research you need to know about.
For those who experience physical or mental side effects from caffeine, Galati suggests turning to decaf coffee, or herbal teas.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is decaf coffee bad for you? Why some want to ban methylene chloride