For me, I’ve never really understood decaf coffee – because even though I do like the taste of a nice brew, the caffeine is kind of the point.

Others, though, don’t for one reason or another.

Experts say, though, that you should avoid decaf coffee if you worry about your health.

That’s because, according to CNN, it can contain a chemical that’s known to cause cancer.

That chemical is methylene chloride, and it’s used to remove the caffeine from the coffee beans.

It’s also used as a commercial solvent, but has been banned in products like paint stripper since 2019.

Short-term exposure to the chemical is shown to harm the central nervous system, and being exposed for longer periods can result in liver and lung cancers.

So, why does the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allow it to be used in the making of decaffeinated coffee?

It is currently allowed as long as amounts do not exceed 10 parts per million (0.001 percent) in roasted coffee and instant coffee.

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Breast Cancer Prevention Partners recently filed a petition with the FDA to ban it in the making of decaf coffee altogether.

EDF senior director says there is no reason to allow it to go on.

“Although the levels of methylene chloride may generally be minimal, it is completely unnecessary because safer processes for decaffeinating coffee are available and being used.”

Those methods include using carbon dioxide as a solvent to take out the caffeine or the Swiss Water Process, which involves soaking the beans in warm water and using organic solvents instead.

If you want to get ahead of the FDA, you can look for decaf coffee that is labeled to have used the Swiss Water Process, or those that are labeled organic.

It seems like it might be worth it.

If you think that’s impressive, check out this story about a “goldmine” of lithium that was found in the U.S. that could completely change the EV battery game.