What is Decaf coffee? Decaffeinated coffee in Thailand

What is Decaf coffee

Decaf is short for “Decaffeinated”. Both of these terms refer to coffee without caffeine.

To be more precise, it is not possible to completely get rid of caffeine, but it is possible to reduce its content by 94% to 98%. Typically, decaffeinated drinks contain about 1-2% of the original amount of caffeine.

Getting rid of caffeine without spoiling the taste and aroma of coffee is not an easy task. Caffeine is dissolved in liquid carbon dioxide (which is liquefied using high pressure).

For reference: Arabica coffee contains half as much caffeine as Robusta.

Where to buy decaf coffee in Thailand

Decaffeinated coffee in Thailand can be found in large shopping centers. For example, I saw Decaf and Decaffeinated coffee in Big C – that's where the photos for this article were taken.

In Thailand I saw two brands of decaf coffee:

• Nescafe GOLD Decaf
• Maccona Classic Decaffeinated

Decaffeinated coffee in Thailand is on average more expensive than regular caffeinated coffee.

How to consume caffeine without experiencing its harmful effects

I am a big fan of coffee and tea, especially with caffeine. Coffee significantly improves my productivity and driving safety. But at the same time, I do not deny that if used incorrectly, coffee will do more harm than good. After many years of drinking coffee and tea, I have gained experience in how to harness the positive qualities of coffee without suffering from the harmful effects of caffeine.

1. Moderate coffee consumption

If there is no moderation in the consumption of coffee and tea, then the accumulated fatigue will no longer be relieved with the help of caffeine. But this same caffeine will prevent the body from resting and deep, long sleep.

Usually a couple of cups of coffee a day should be enough. Maximum 3-4, but only on days with intense physical and/or mental stress. If you drink coffee and it no longer perks you up, it may be best to stop (or greatly reduce) your coffee intake and just get a good night's sleep.

2. You should only drink coffee in the first half of the day.

Wikipedia says that the effects of coffee wear off after 3-6 hours. But in my opinion, any afternoon coffee negatively affects night sleep. It is better not to drink coffee in the afternoon.

If you need an afternoon pick-me-up, here are some other good ways to achieve it:

1) if you feel sleepy, then a 5-15 minute nap will reboot you and energize you

2) if you can’t take a little nap, then physical activity (anything from exercise at home to intense exercise in the gym) will stir up and invigorate your body and mind

3) another reliable option to cheer up, if you can’t take a nap, is a shower. But it is better to combine physical activity and subsequent shower.

3. You need to lead an active lifestyle

I noticed that when I travel, when I spend half a day driving a motorcycle and another half a day wandering through the mountains or other places, I drink a lot of coffee (to stay focused on the road), but at the same time I sleep well.

I also noticed that on days when I go to the gym, I can indulge in an extra 1-2 cups of coffee, but still sleep well.

That is, if your main problem with caffeine is that you can't sleep, then drink coffee in moderation and be sure to exercise in addition to intense mental work.

What else can cheer you up besides coffee and tea?

If you don't want to consume caffeine, but want a boost of energy, try the following:

1. Rest. If your fatigue is caused by mental or physical stress, then what you need is not caffeine, but rest.

2. Gym and sports. Exercising in the gym in the afternoon gives me a second wind for the day. After heavy loads with dumbbells and machines, as well as running (for a total of 1 hour), I somehow inexplicably feel fresher and more energetic than in the morning after coffee. Use it!

3. Shower. Especially if you finish your shower with cold water.

4. Purpose, motivation, strong emotions (both positive and negative) bring you out of a sleepy state and give the strongest surge of strength.

5. Avoid overeating. After a heavy meal people always feel sleepy.

6. If you are overweight, then start losing it. Just take a dumbbell or a weight plate weighing 10 kg in the gym and twirl it in your hands. Heavy? Now imagine that if you are 10 kg overweight, then you carry such a dumbbell with you all the time. Always: when you move around the apartment, when you sit on the toilet, when you walk around the store, when you make love, etc. – this extra weight is always attached to you. And if you are overweight 20 or even 30 kg?.. For reference, 20 kg is two full buckets of water. Just imagine that you take every step with this weight.

It's no wonder you get tired quickly.

I noticed this on myself – after losing excess weight, I don’t get tired so quickly, my strength and energy return.