[hpeinar]

A very interesting article, I have personal experience with:

> Coffee also affects the gastrointestinal tract. It increases stomach acidity and stimulates the release of hormones that aid digestion. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee promote the contractility of ileal and colonic smooth muscle, helping prevent constipation

As the two times in my adult life I've tried to make an intended break from coffee, it has ended up with almost unbearable stomach pain caused by constipation.

It's good to know that this is not linked to caffeine as I thought, so I will try un-caffinated coffee instead now because I tend to think that my general "tiredness" comes from actual caffeine.

[trillic]

I've found hot water has the same laxative effect as coffee in the form of herbal tea.

Same ritual each morning without the unknown dosing of a stimulant drug.

[irthomasthomas]

Can you actually get caffeine free coffee? I thought most decaf brands where only about 50% less.

[hrldcpr]

You're right that the caffeine isn't entirely removed, but it's supposedly more than 90% removed.

(I'm even seeing the number 97% mentioned a lot online.)

[jeffbee]

That fraction is going to depend a lot on the definition and the reference. I believe the 97% is the US standard for how much of the natural caffeine in green beans must be removed. You will note how this can be manipulated by using a more caffeine-abundant variety. EU standards are more sensible, stated in terms of caffeine content in the final product.

Either way, commercial decaf processes and normal brewing methods will yield something like 5-10mg of caffeine in a "decaf" dose of coffee, which is an order of magnitude less than usual.

[winrid]

The bean is already only like 2% caffeine lol so cheap decaf can definitely really be "half caf" even if they say that.