CAFFEINE FANS: DECAFFEINATED COFFEE AS AN ALTERNATIVE
ABSTRACT
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Why do you want to do this project?
What problem are you trying to solve?
Why do you think the problem is significant?
How do you go about solving the problem?
INTRODUCTION
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Why is caffeine so popular?
Does it contain any health benefits?
CONTENT
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What is caffeine? The sources? The physical properties?
How caffeine does affects your body?
Why use caffeine?
Decaffeinated as an alternative: the importance and the process/sources
CONCLUSION
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What is your suggestions or recommendations on this problem?
How do you discuss Islamic viewpoints on the problem?
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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This section of the project write-up will be listing of references in APA format.
APPENDICES
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This section will include any pictures/objects that are not in text form for you to refer to in the actual written report
Things like:
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Charts, Graphs, Position Maps, Logos, Advertisements, Story Boards, Surveys, Product Designs, Packaging Specs,
Mathematical Calculations, etc.
CAFFEINE FANS: DECAFFEINATED COFFEE AS AN ALTERNATIVE
ABSTRACT
Caffeine is used daily by millions of people as a stimulant to kick start their day, or to simply keep them awake. However
excessive caffeine intake can lead to a fast heart rate, diuresis (excessive urination), nausea and vomiting, restlessness,
anxiety, depression, tremors, difficulty sleeping and etc. Due to varies effect of caffeine to the human health people starts
looking for ways to reduce caffeine intake, decaffeinated beverages can be a great choice.
INTRODUCTION
Sources
Caffeine (C8H10N4O2) is the common name for trimethylxanthine (systematic name is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine or 3,7-dihydro1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione). The chemical is also known as coffeine, theine, mateine, guaranine, or
methyltheobromine. Caffeine is naturally produced by several plants, including coffee beans, guarana, yerba maté, cacao
beans, and tea. For the plants, caffeine acts as a natural pesticide. It paralyzes and kills insects that attempt to feed on the
plants. The molecule was first isolated by the German chemist Friedrich Ferdinand Runge in 1819. Caffeine is also a common
ingredient of soft drinks such as cola, originally prepared from kola nuts.
Moderate doses of caffeine has been proven to have some health benefits, that may
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help protect human brain cells, which lowers the risk of developing some diseases, such as Parkinson’s
may stimulate the gallbladder and reduce the risk of gallstones
causes blood vessels to constrict, which may help relieve some headache pain
reduces inflammation and may help prevent certain heart related illnesses
Caffeine also has negative health effects:
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There is a significant association between drinking caffeinated coffee and the decrease of bone mineral density, which
leads to osteoporosis.
The daily consumption of caffeinated drinks can increase blood sugar levels and cause problems for people with
diabetes.
Caffeine is a diuretic and can cause dehydration.
Caffeine can prevent some from falling asleep and interferes with deep sleep, which can lead to fatigue during the day
CONTENT
Chemical properties
Caffeine is an antagonist of adenosine.
Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid, methylxanthine and methylxanthines that acts as a stimulant in human. Known to have antiinflammatory properties. This is due to the similarity in molecular structure to the nucleotide adenosine. Methylxanthines or
sometimes known as xanthines have a heterocyclic ring with nitrogen included in the ring structure; they are derived from
amino acids, are basic in nature, and can generally form water soluble salts.
Physical properties
Melting point
1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, trimethylxanthine,
theine, mateine, guaranine,
methyltheobromine
C8H10N4O2
O=C1C2=C(N=CN2C)N(C(=O)N1C)C
194.19 g mol−1
Odorless, white needles or powder
1.2 g/cm³, solid
Slightly soluble
Soluble in ethyl acetate, chloroform, pyrimidine, pyrrole, tetrahydrofuran solution; moderately soluble in
alcohol, acetone; slightly soluble in petroleum ether, ether, benzene
237 °C
Boiling point
178 °C (sublimes)
Other names
Molecular formula
SMILES
Molar mass
Appearance
Density and phase
Solubility in water
Other solvents
Acidity (pKa)
10.4 (40 °C)
How caffeine affect your body?
Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. Caffeine s stimulating effects are due to two ways that it affects the
body. Firstly, and primarily, it blocks adenosine receptors in the brain. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or cAMP, is usually
the chemical received in these receptors, where it then has a calming effect on the body. However, caffeine has a very
similar structure to cAMP, and also has a similar electrostatic potential around it, so it bonds with the receptors in the same
places as cAMP does. The receptor, simply known as the A1 adenosine receptor, is a long chain of proteins that envelops
cAMP to regulate the energy that it gives to the body. When adenosine is bonded to these receptors, the brain and nervous
system receive signals that lead to drowsiness and fatigue.
Caffeine is a drug that in large amounts, especially over an extended period of time, can lead to a condition termed
"caffeinism." Caffeinism usually combines physical addiction with a wide range of unpleasant physical and mental conditions
including nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching (hyperreflexia), insomnia, and heart palpitations.
(Under a rigid definition of addiction, meaning a process of escalating use, "caffeine dependency" would be a more
descriptive term. However, under the widely accepted definition "chronic pattern of behavior that is perceived to be difficult
to quit," caffeine may be said to be addictive.) Furthermore, because caffeine increases the production of stomach acid, high
usage over time can lead to peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
There are four caffeine-induced psychiatric disorders recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
Fourth Edition: caffeine intoxication, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder, caffeine-induced sleep disorder, and caffeine-related
disorder not otherwise specified (NOS).
Mechanism of Action
Caffeine's principal mode of action is as an antagonist of adenosine receptors in the brain.
Caffeine acts through multiple mechanisms involving both action on receptors and channels at the cell membrane, as well as
intracellular action on Calcium and cAMP pathways. By virtue of its purine structure it can act on some of the same targets
as adenosine related nucleosides and nucleotides, like the cell surface P1 GPCRs for adenosine, as well as the intracellular
Ryanodine receptor which is the physiological target of cADPR (cyclic ADP ribose), and cAMP-phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE).
Although the action is agonistic in some cases, it is antagonistic in others. Physiologically, however, caffeine action is unlikely
due to increased RyR opening, as it requires plasma concentration above lethal dosage. The action is most likely through
adenosine receptors.
The principal mode of action of caffeine is as an antagonist of adenosine receptors in the brain.[27] The caffeine molecule is
structurally similar to adenosine, and binds to adenosine receptors on the surface of cells without activating them (an
"antagonist" mechanism of action). Therefore, caffeine acts as a competitive inhibitor. The reduction in adenosine activity
results in increased activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine, largely accounting for the stimulatory effects of caffeine.
Caffeine can also increase levels of epinephrine/adrenaline, possibly via a different mechanism. Acute usage of caffeine also
increases levels of serotonin, causing positive changes in mood.
The inhibition of adenosine may be relevant in its diuretic properties. Because adenosine is known to constrict preferentially
the afferent arterioles of the glomerulus, its inhibition may cause vasodilation, with an increase in renal blood flow (RBF) and
glomerular filtration rate (GFR). This effect, called competitive inhibition, interrupts a pathway that normally serves to
regulate nerve conduction by suppressing post-synaptic potentials. The result is an increase in the levels of epinephrine and
norepinephrine/noradrenaline released via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.] Epinephrine, the natural endocrine
response to a perceived threat, stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, leading to an increased heart rate, blood
pressure and blood flow to muscles, a decreased blood flow to the skin and inner organs and a release of glucose by the
liver.
Caffeine is also a known competitive inhibitor of the enzyme cAMP-phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE), which converts cyclic AMP
(cAMP) in cells to its noncyclic form, allowing cAMP to build up in cells. Cyclic AMP participates in the messaging cascade
produced by cells in response to stimulation by epinephrine, so by blocking its removal caffeine intensifies and prolongs the
effects of epinephrine and epinephrine-like drugs such as amphetamine, methamphetamine, or methylphenidate. Increased
concentrations of cAMP in parietal cells causes an increased activation of protein kinase A (PKA) which in turn increases
activation of H+/K+ ATPase, resulting finally in increased gastric acid secretion by the cell.
Caffeine (and theophylline) can freely diffuse into cells and causes intracellular calcium release (independent of extracellular
calcium) from the calcium stores in the Endoplasmic Reticulum(ER). This release is only partially blocked by Ryanodine
receptor blockade with ryanodine, dantrolene, ruthenium red, and procaine (thus may involve ryanodine receptor and
probably some additional calcium channels), but completely abolished after calcium depletion of ER by SERCA inhibitors like
Thapsigargin (TG) or cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). The action of caffeine on the ryanodine receptor may depend on both cytosolic
and the luminal ER concentrations of Ca2+. At low millimolar concentration of caffeine, the RyR channel open probability (Po)
is significantly increased mostly due to a shortening of the lifetime of the closed state. At concentrations >5 mM, caffeine
opens RyRs even at picomolar cytosolic Ca2+ and dramatically increases the open time of the channel so that the calcium
release is stronger than even an action potential can generate. This mode of action of caffeine is probably due to mimicking
the action of the physiologic metabolite of NAD called cADPR (cyclic ADP ribose) which has a similar potentiating action on
Ryanodine receptors.
Caffeine may also directly inhibit delayed rectifier and A-type K+ currents and activate plasmalemmal Ca2+ influx in certain
vertebrate and invertebrate neurons.
The metabolites of caffeine contribute to caffeine's effects. Theobromine is a vasodilator that increases the amount of oxygen
and nutrient flow to the brain and muscles. Theophylline, the second of the three primary metabolites, acts as a smooth
muscle relaxant that chiefly affects bronchioles and acts as a chronotrope and inotrope that increases heart rate and
efficiency. The third metabolic derivative, paraxanthine, is responsible for an increase in the lipolysis process, which releases
glycerol and fatty acids into the blood to be used as a source of fuel by the muscles.
Caffeine intoxication
An acute overdose of caffeine, usually in excess of 250 milligrams (more than 2-3 cups of brewed coffee), can result in a
state of central nervous system overstimulation called caffeine intoxication. The symptoms of caffeine intoxication may
include restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal
disturbance, muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irregular or rapid heartbeat, and psychomotor
agitation. In cases of extreme overdose, death can result.
Anxiety and sleep disorders
Long-term overuse of caffeine can elicit a number of psychiatric disturbances. Two such disorders recognized by the APA are
caffeine-induced sleep disorder and caffeine-induced anxiety disorder. In the case of caffeine-induced sleep disorder, an
individual regularly ingests high doses of caffeine sufficient to induce a significant disturbance in his or her sleep, sufficiently
severe to warrant clinical attention.
In some individuals, the large amounts of caffeine can induce anxiety severe enough to necessitate clinical attention. This
caffeine-induced anxiety disorder can take many forms, from generalized anxiety, to panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive
symptoms, or even phobic symptoms. Because this condition can mimic organic mental disorders, such as panic disorder,
generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or even schizophrenia.
Decaffeinated Coffee
Decaffeinated coffee is quite interesting and is becoming more and more popular. The challenge is to produce decaffeinated
or decaf coffee that is just as good as the regular coffee. The process that the beans go through, to extract the caffeine from
the coffee beans, means in most cases that certain flavours get lost. There are quite a few different methods at the moment
to extract the caffeine from the coffee beans.
Most coffee shops do not have a separate grinder to grind decaffeinated coffee beans fresh on site. Instead they use
grounded decaffeinated coffee which is not as fresh as the normal coffee. This often brings down the quality of decaffeinated
coffee.
Decaffeinated coffee is popular amongst people that can’t or prefer not to have the caffeine but still enjoy a nice cup of
coffee. It is important that everybody should be able to enjoy the best coffee, decaf or not. The best way would be to have
fresh decaffeinated coffee that is processed in a most natural way.
The caffeine in coffee beans is almost always extracted before roasting. This means that the green beans (beans before
roasting) are going through a decaffeinating process to extract the caffeine. Usually this is done with some sort of solvent
but there are other ways such as the Swiss Water process and the Decaf Stick.
Scientists have discovered a naturally caffeine-free coffee plant. The caffeine-free bean comes from an Ethiopian Coffea
Arabica plant. This could be the future for caffeine free coffee. Arabica coffee contains about half the amount of caffeine than
Robusta coffee.
Swiss Water process
The Swiss water process uses only water to remove caffeine. The Swiss Water decaffeination process is guaranteed to deliver
99.9% caffeine free coffee beans.
The Swiss Water process uses coffee flavored water and a carbon filter to extract the caffeine. It is a relatively simple
process and its greatest advantage is that it is 100% chemical free.
Direct Process
In the Direct Process for decaffeinating coffee beans the beans are soaked in a caffeine absorbing solvent like methylene
chloride or ethyl acetate. This solvent that now contains caffeine is then separated from the beans and the caffeine is
removed from the solvent. These steps are repeated until sufficient caffeine is removed from the beans.
Indirect Process
The Indirect Process is similar but the beans are removed and either methylene chloride or ethyl acetate is used to extract
the caffeine from the water.
There are certain terms that describe decaffeinating processes such as the “water process”, “natural process” and the
“European process”. All these processes refer to decaffeinating processes that use chemicals.
Decaf Stick
The Decaf Stick is totally different than any other decaffeinating process. The Decaf Stick is used after the coffee has been
brewed. This means that the beans are not affected in any way. The Decaf Stick is simply inserted and stirred in the cup of
coffee. The caffeine is then absorbed by the Decaf Stick without affecting any flavours of the coffee.
The best way for decaffeinating coffee would be to find caffeine free coffee plants that produce the same quality coffee
beans. There is a good chance that coffee plants will be genetically modified in the future to produce caffeine free coffee
beans.
CONCLUSION
Clearly, we have many options to reduce their intake while still enjoying a tasty cup of coffee by choosing coffee types that
have less caffeine, such as espresso, instant, or naturally low caffeine beans. You can reduce possible reactions to acid, burnt
sugars and oils by choosing coffee roasted at lower temperatures. By making good choices during the day, you may be able
to experience coffee again, without any distress. InsyaAllah.
Islamic perspective:
A muslim is responsible to take care of their mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. Eating and drinking habits that
harms the body is prohibited.
“Eat of the good things We have provided for your sustenance, but commit no excess therein, lest My Wrath should justly
descend on you: and those on whom descends My Wrath do perish indeed!”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/25/caffeine-facts_n_3814825.html
http://www.dorchesterhealth.org/caffeine.htm
http://www.scienceofcooking.com/caffeine.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/od/moleculescompounds/a/caffeine.htm
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http://www.ineedcoffee.com/07/caffeine/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_caffeine
http://voh.chem.ucla.edu/vohtar/spring00/30H/pdf/Kubit.pdf
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/health_benefits_and_risks_associated_with_caffeine