Decaf: Melta, Caro or decaf

It's early evening on a weekday and you're craving coffee. You want to get up early the next morning and you know that if you have it now, you won't get a good night's sleep. Or maybe you're expecting or breastfeeding and don't want to indulge in unnecessary caffeine. What are some decaffeinated coffee alternatives? What do coffee shops offer and what can you buy and prepare at home? This article will answer that question.

The decaffeinated coffee boom

In recent years, there has been more and more talk about healthy lifestyles, good eating and sleep hygiene. In addition to alcohol and smoking, coffee and caffeine are often mentioned in this context. However, we already know from our blog that coffee in a reasonable amount and at the right time of day notonly does not harm health, but on the contrary helps.

Of course, a reasonable level is individual, and it's easy and easy to exceed. Many of us also cannot drink coffee for health reasons. Whether it's high blood pressure, epilepsy or the pregnancy mentioned in the introduction.

That is why there are alternatives, whether in the form of traditional coffee drinks such as melta or classic decaffeinated coffee beans such as espresso or cappuccino.

What is Melta?

Melta was created in the second war years to replace the missing coffee. It is a powder made from roasted chicory root, grain and sugar beet. When poured over hot water, it is close to coffee in both smell and taste. For those who want to sleep well, have high blood pressure or are breastfeeding it has one big advantage - it does not contain caffeine.

Thus, people have always considered molta as a substitute for coffee. But today we know it has something extra. It contains inulin, a polysaccharide that has many health benefits. It has a low calorie value, probiotic effects, strengthens the intestinal microflora and therefore the immune system. Molta can be purchased in powder or in bags.

What is Caro?

Caro is a soluble drink produced by Nestlé. It is very similar to Melta but does not contain beetroot. It is made entirely from roasted cereals and chicory. Some of the barley used for production is germinated, similar to brewingbeer. This gives the resulting drink a pleasant and natural sweetness.

Other alternatives

Other decaffeinated coffee alternatives worth mentioning include the classic chicory (roasted and ground chicory root), which has been around for hundreds of years. There are also spelt coffee, rye coffee and coffee made from roasted dandelion roots, among others, often in various combinations.

Decaf - decaffeinated coffee

Green coffee, i.e. coffee beans before roasting, is currently decaffeinated in three basic ways:

Swiss water method
EA method - using sugar cane solvent
Decaffeination using carbon dioxide

Further processing, i.e. packaging, roasting and sale of the coffee is practically no different from the traditional one. And the same applies to the preparation - decaffeinated coffee can be ground at home and prepared for filter, espresso, espresso or French press.

Caffeine removal process

What alternatives do Czech coffee shops offer?

This brings us to what coffee businesses in our region have to offer if you don't want to dope up on caffeine. We did a little research and approached about a dozen or so directly - primarily those that are riding the third coffee wave with us and for them, choice coffee is the starting line.

Starring chai latte

To my personal surprise, several coffee shops (especially those in smaller towns) mentioned that the demand for decaf was so minimal that it was almost not worth including it in their offerings. The most common substitute for decaffeinated coffee in the responses was chai latte. While it does contain caffeine, it is a negligible amount compared to coffee - about a fifth. Another surprise was the organic spelt coffee with chicory offered in all the same ways as the classic one. It's not real coffee, but I'm sure a spelt flat white can be a great alternative.

Latte art on chai latte | cajovebedynky.cz

A caffeine-free shot for every family

Two Prague cafes mentioned that you can have a decaffeinated shot in any coffee on their menu. Understandably, this is due to the greater purchasing power in the big city. In general, when cafés offer real decaffeinated coffee, people most often have it made with milk - cappuccino or caffè latte. Among other drinks, several cafés interviewed mentioned hot chocolate and cocoa, especially in the winter months.

Coffee at night?

If you can't or don't want to indulge in caffeinated coffee, considerdecaffeinated alternatives on your next visit to a café. A chai latte or decaffeinated filter coffee may surprise you. And you'll have a good night's sleep.

Frequently Asked Questions

What decaffeination process has decaffeinated Spa Coffee undergone?

Our decaffeinated coffee has undergone the EA (ethyl acetate) decaf process. This is also called "sugar cane decaf" and a few other terms.

Isn't the ethyl acetate poisonous?

Ethyl acetate alone is not something you should or want to consume. However, the solvent itself leaves the coffee right along with the caffeine, plus its toxicity isvery low.