I don't think GP was criticizing you for liking decaf. Just pointing out that the decaf process may have affects on the beneficial compounds that aren't caffeine.

True. I love black coffee, decaf or not. Just thought it was worth pointing out since the thread is about health benefits

My initial charitable reading -- as someone who sometimes dabbles in decaf -- is that decaffeination has the bad side effect of stripping flavors, and likely many of the other biologically active chemicals. I can see from their further posts that they were more interested in unscientific fear mongering instead.

That said, I do think there is some truth that decaf is lacking (including via supercritical CO2) and I wonder how long until we could have a product like genetically engineered coffee plants that produce everything except caffeine. I'd like that, though I can immediately see an issue with growing a plant without its natural pesticide.

> likely many of the other biologically active chemicals.

Do you reckon taking green coffee beans and roasting them til they’re brown right through has any detrimental effect on the biological compounds in the beans?

What do you mean by detrimental?

What do you mean by asking that question?

Isn’t it obvious? I mean within the same context where you wrote:

” is that decaffeination has the bad side effect of stripping flavors, and likely many of the other biologically active chemicals.”

Criticizing someone for their subjective preference in drinks is incredibly weird.

Why? Coffee tastes good. What's wrong with drinking something that you like the taste of, or just a warm drink in general?

There is nothing objectively wrong with drinking something you like the taste of, however, when it is coffee specifically, I believe, the utility of it is the caffeine it contains; that, and the culture around coffee-drinking makes me feel the way I described. Notice the "in my humble opinion" at the end of my message.

If the utility of it was the caffeine, what would the audience for decaf be? It should be plain that the other aspects are also important.

"other aspects" a.k.a. status signalling. Cool kids drink coffee.

> that, and the culture around coffee-drinking makes me feel the way I described.

Then why identify with it at all? You would be happier taking caffiene pills or drinking an Arnold Palmer, it sounds like.

Exactly — I am taking caffeine pills, and when I confessed this to a normie coffee drinker, I was called an addict, even though not only is the dose mere 100 grams, half of that of a Tim Hortons medium black, the pills also have L-Theanine in them, which is supposed to reduce jitteriness or something.

If you don’t like the taste, you shouldn’t drink it, imo. So yes, one enjoys coffee exactly for the flavour.

Drinking coffee for caffeine is pathetic, in my humble opinion.

By "All you haters that give me grief for drinking my daily cup of decaf can shut up now", you are implying that decaf has the same health benefits of real coffee. That's not proven. And if you weren't meaning to imply that, there was no point to that reply.

I didn't even know there were 4 methods - supposedly Swiss Water Process is the best in terms of not affecting the flavor or exposing you to exotic solvents, is one of the four superior to SWP?