For people avoiding caffeine, decaf coffee seems like a harmless option. But some health advocacy groups that argue otherwise are petitioning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban a key chemical involved in the decaffeination process due to cancer concerns.
That chemical is methylene chloride, a colourless liquid that's used in certain industrial processes, "including paint stripping, pharmaceutical manufacturing, paint remover manufacturing, and metal cleaning and degreasing," according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This substance is usually used as a solvent to decaffeinate coffee.
Experts have urged those that are looking to go caffeine-free rather choose coffee-alternatives such as Rooibos tea instead. Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free and offers many health benefits to those who regularly drink it!
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