Decaffeinated gourmet coffee is a drink that is free of caffeine. This is made possible through chemical processes like the European process or the Swiss water process. According to the FDA guidelines decaffeinated coffee must have 97% of the caffeine removed from the beans. The caffeine is usually saved and sold to soda companies and other beverage companies for the purpose of caffeinating their synthetic novelty beverages.

The European process of decaffeination involves soaking the beans in water and washing them with methylene chloride. The chemical effectively absorbs the caffeine from the beans. The treated beans are then dried and roasted. The European process leaves hardly any caffeine in the beans after roasting. Although coffee processed by this method has more flavor, some people dont feel comfortable drinking something that has been treated with chemicals.

The Swiss water process doesnt involve any chemical treatment. Beans soaked in water are treated with activated charcoal. This effectively filters the caffeine from the beans that are then dipped into a decaffeinated solution to reabsorb all the substances except caffeine. Drying and roasting follows, giving you a chemical free decaffeinated coffee. Unfortunately some essential oils are also removed with this process leaving you with a less of a flavor taste.

You may be surprised to hear that a cup of decaffeinated coffee is high in acidity and may cause stomach problems. It also is known to decrease bone density and increases the risk of heart attacks. So take it easy on the decaf; just because it's caffeine-free, that doesn't mean it's good for you.