Whether you switch to decaf in the afternoon or opt for it all the time, you may be surprised to learn these things about decaf coffee:
Decaf Doesn’t Mean Caffeine-Free.
According to FDA regulations, coffee must have 97 percent of the original caffeine removed in order to be labeled as decaffeinated. Drink five to ten cups of decaf and you'll likely be consuming the equivalent of a cup or two of regular coffee in terms of caffeine content — so keep that in mind if you’re cutting caffeine for health reasons.
The Amount of Caffeine in Decaf Coffee Varies (A Lot).
Since some coffee beans have more coffee than others, a decaf cup with 97 percent of the caffeine removed might still have more than you prefer to drink. So while a cup of regular coffee usually contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine, a 2007 Consumer Reports test of 36 popular brands found some decaf cups that still packed in over 20 milligrams — a decaf from Dunkin Donuts had 32 milligrams.
