We all need that jolt of caffeine that you get from a good cup of coffee in the morning. But many times, during the day, the urge for a nice cup of tasty coffee hits, and of course we frequently like a relaxing cup after dinner. Some people can't drink coffee at night because the caffeine keeps them awake, and for others it is worth having, even if they are going to be tossing and turning and staring at the clock. I am sensitive to caffeine, so even a can of soda after a certain time of night will have me counting sheep. The only solution for me and others like me is to make sure we have decaffeinated coffee in the kitchen. The coffee urge can be satisfied by putting decaf in that old coffee maker, without paying the price of a sleepless night.



If I find I am out of decaf coffee, there is always the local Dunkin Donuts. A quick stop at the local Dunkin Donuts yields a cup of coffee that is every bit as good as caffeinated, but doesn't have the same effect on the body's system. A nice change of pace on a hot summer evening is iced coffee, but if, like me, you will be bothered by the caffeine, you can get decaffeinated iced coffee.

Where does the caffeine come from. Caffeine occurs naturally in the coffee bean, and it takes a special water extracting system to remove the caffeine from the molecule. It is an exacting science, with each coffee manufacturer claiming to have their unique, and best system for creating decaffeinated coffee. I don't really care how it comes about, as long as I can enjoy my delicious cup of Java without the sleepless side effects of regular coffee.

There is little to no difference between the taste of regular and decaffeinated coffee. As a matter of fact, since I can't tell the difference, I am always concerned that I will get a cup of regular even though I have ordered decaf; since I can't taste the difference, I won't know until it is too late. That's one reason I prefer to keep my own decaffeinated coffee at home and not have to worry about somebody making such a mistake. I can't risk my much needed sleep. The opposite can also happen, that I order (and need) a strong cup of caffeinated coffee and end up with decaf because the counter girl was just as sleepy as I was. There's a real bummer, pay $4-$5 for a cup of coffee and not even get the jolt I need to start the day! Well, caffeinated or decaf, I need my coffee.