# Do decaf and regular coffee taste the same?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-decaf-and-regular-coffee-taste-the-same/778733>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** coffee\
**Created:** [February 1, 2017, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-decaf-and-regular-coffee-taste-the-same/778733 "2017-02-01T06:08:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![sms339](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@sms339](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sms339)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2017, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-decaf-and-regular-coffee-taste-the-same/778733/21 "2017-02-03T11:10:48Z")

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Tried my first-ever cup of decaf yesterday after reading this thread.  
It was as horrible as advertised.

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**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2017, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-decaf-and-regular-coffee-taste-the-same/778733/22 "2017-02-03T11:41:24Z")

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By a curious coincidence, there was a piece about this (but more from a health point of view than taste) on BBC TV the other evening:  
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5pl7tvwPmfpdHSngXnzggRT/are-the-methods-used-to-decaffeinate-coffee-bad-for-me](http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5pl7tvwPmfpdHSngXnzggRT/are-the-methods-used-to-decaffeinate-coffee-bad-for-me)

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**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-decaf-and-regular-coffee-taste-the-same/778733/23 "2017-02-03T18:19:25Z")

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Sometimes I’ll throw a dash of cinnamon in the brew basket when I’m making coffee. If I’m making full caff, I can leave it out and it’s no problem. If it’s decaf, the cinnamon is a must.

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-decaf-and-regular-coffee-taste-the-same/778733/24 "2017-02-04T15:00:03Z")

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> [@Ambivalid](#):
>
> Decaf?! Blech. Weak, muted, nonexistent flavor. _And_ without a caffeine “buzz”?? On the question of decaf vs regular, I’m definitely on the ‘regular’ side. _My_ only question is, why in the world would anyone subject themselves to such misery-in-a-cup known as ‘decaf’?? ☹

I drink decaf. I like the taste of coffee with creamer, and I can’t drink 4 cups a day of caffeinated coffee without getting jittery. Plus I like to drink coffee in the afternoon, and I don’t want to drink 400mg of caffeine at 4pm.

Also there are some health benefits of coffee that I want to get.

> **[Food & Recipes](https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/default.htm)**
>
> Healthy recipes for healthy meals, find thousands of delicious recipes.

> **[Coffee health benefits: Diabetes, heart health, liver cancer, and more](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270202)**
>
> Drinking coffee can do much more than provide an energy boost. It may also reduce the risk of several health issues. Learn more about coffee here.

However whether decaf has the same health benefits of regular is still up for debate. I’ve seen studies claiming decaf has more health benefits, the same health benefits, and fewer health benefits compared to regular.

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