CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT THE 'KICK' ?? (Nescafe Gold Blend Decaff)

Member Name: PRINCESSPUSSYCAT

Product:	Nescafe Gold Blend Decaff
Date:	10/12/07 (276 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good taste and strength without the Caffeine .

Disadvantages: Doesn't contain the 'kick' that Caffeinated coffee does .

<<>>NESCAFE GOLD BLEND DECAFF COFFEE<<>>



Nescafe is the world's favourite coffee, as a nation we drink a staggering 15000 cups of Nescafe every minute.



<>DECAFFEINATED COFFEE IS IT FOR YOU?<>

The word decaffeinated conjures up thoughts to me, of a coffee which has had the the main strength taken out. Surely it's the ingredient caffeine, which gives coffee it's rich, distinctive flavour. It also gives it 'The Kick', which we associate with coffee when drinking it. Coffee is for most people one of the simple pleasures of the day. Drunk In moderate amounts it can be a treat for the taste buds. Many people start their working day with an espresso. This small concentrated, strong, coffee gives them an immediate 'kick' of energy; a 'Rush', to prepare them for their busy day ahead. Coffee houses are rife nowadays selling many different forms of coffee. It is very much a part of our culture. However coffee taken in large quantities throughout the day can lead to your body reacting in a strange way. The key to coffee drinking is therefore is to limit the quantity which you consume. If you exceed more than three or four coffees per day this can result in the 'coffee jitters', and these are caused by an over consumption of caffeine. Caffeine is associated with addiction.

How many times have we caught ourselves saying "I NEED a cup of coffee!" It is a definite boost to the energy levels, it works on the central nervous system, by stimulating the stress handling hormone, Adrenalin, and increases our cortisol out-put, which brings with it a heightened awareness, increase in energy levels, and alertness. It also increases intellectual activity. Coffee brings with it some health risks, and over an extended time caffeine taken in large amounts during pregnancy has been linked to a high increase in stillbirths, miscarriages, birth defects, and low birth weight. So coffee is definitely not to be consumed whilst pregnant, or if nursing. - There are also many people who are allergic to the caffeine in coffee, or they may have a medical condition from which they are suffering which may be aggravated by the consumption of caffeine. Also over consumption of caffeine can result in adrenal exhaustion.- So after looking at the facts, I think safety wise that decaff is by far the wiser option, though I am yet to find out if it is the tastier option. Coffee is a great kick-start to the day, and to eliminate it from our diets completely would not be the answer. So would removing caffeine from our coffee be the sensible solution I wonder.~


<>NESCAFE GOLD BLEND DECAFF COFFEE<>

I have the 100g bottle which cost £3.27 - There is also a 200g jar which costs £4.35 Both prices quoted from the Co-op. Now this is a little dearer than normal coffee, but considering there is going to less health risks attached , I don't feel this is too high a price to pay. Prices may vary, and you may want to shop around for this product, and possibly find a better deal elsewhere. Check on the Internet for best available pricing on Nescafe Gold Blend Decaff, as you never know, some sites may offer a special deal. But considering how many cups you will actually get from the 100g jar of Nescafe coffee, I feel it is still good value for the price I paid. ~


<>The Jar<>

The Nescafe Gold Blend Decaff coffee is housed in an attractive, shaped glass jar tapered at the waist for easy handling. It has a bright blue lid with Nescafe embossed upon it. There is a blue/brown/ & silver foil label to the front with a large coffee bean upon it, and stamped upon the bean, in the format of Gold Hallmarking, is a cup, some steam, and a smaller coffee bean. The word Decaff is placed to the bottom of the jar, and running up the side of the jar is the word Nescafe written in White lettering, and Gold Blend, Rich Aroma to the top. There is also a bean tied with a ribbon, which is promoting the gifts that the bean tokens provide. To the reverse we have the expiry date, which is one year, various other information, and a free coffee bean token, with a website address, and freephone number, where you can check what rewards can be gained from collecting the tokens. ~


<>The Coffee<>

The decaff coffee is freeze dried soluble coffee. The granules are light brown in colour, and quite large. As I crumble the freeze dried coffee between my fingers, it crumbles to a fine powder and releases a welcoming deeper smell of coffee . The benefits to the coffee by freeze drying are that of preservation of aroma, flavor, and chemistry. The Freeze drying method is regarded to be the "gold standard" of drying methods, and very few instant coffees offer this, as it is a costly process. So locked-in flavour is all important to Nescafe, so they can deliver first class freshness, and full taste to the consumer.


<>The Aroma<>

The screw top jar reveals an vacuum-sealed gold foil cover. I love piercing this as I like the 'pop' sound it makes, and once removed, the aroma I am greeted by, is that of a rich bodied coffee. There is no loss of aroma whatsoever, and the smell is produces is that of dried coffee beans. It smells of a medium strength roast, not too strong, yet not too light, nor without loss of substance. It smells very pleasant indeed. The aroma is very similar to the smell of normal caffeined coffee. So no loss of the welcoming fresh smell on opening the jar, when releasing the vacuum seal. Also, the aroma when boiling water is poured on the freeze dried coffee is a very pleasant strength. ~


<>The Flavour<>

From the steam rising from the cup of coffee, I am greeted by the aroma of the decaff coffee, and it is very inviting. On first tasting, the flavour is rich, and smooth. The strength is of a medium roast I would say. It's just right for my taste buds, as I don't like my coffee too strong. The blend is very palatable, with no harsh aftertaste, or bitterness. There are no floating lumps of coffee in my cup, as the freeze dried coffee dissolved very easily when boiling water was added. I always add the boiling water first as this dissolves the granules completely, then I add the cream. I don't like the flavour of milk in coffee. This method should ensure a nice, smooth coffee with no floaters. If you add the milk first this wont give the granules a chance to dissolve properly. I have always avoided drinking coffee before bedtime, but with decaff there is less chance of sleeplessness. So I shall try one, and see.~


<>The Advantages Of Decaff<>

Firstly I'll start by saying that although decaff coffee is significantly lower in caffeine, it is not altogether free from it. After chemically extracting the caffeine, a low trace is still present within the coffee, and more importantly, the levels present are still high enough to cause caffeine dependency to the over indulger. By over Indulger I mean eight cups per day +. The advantages that I can see of decaff over caffeinated coffee, is that a lower level of this drug will mean less dependency, and side effects, without losing too much of the flavour, and the strength of the coffee. ~


<>COFFEE<>

Coffee is made from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, Coffea arabica, known for it's delicate aroma, and in a lesser degree, from the plant Canephore. The Robusta coffee from the Canephore coffee plant tends to be very bitter, and stronger than the arabica, so it is used less often. The process is: the cleaning of the seeds first, they are then dried, roasted and ground, ready for packaging. Nescafe use both blends of Arabica and Robusta beans from around the world. Nescafe claim that coffee has more antioxidants than Green Tea, or fruit juice, and counts as part of your daily fluid intake. Nescafe began production nearly 100 years ago, when the Brazilian government set the company Nestlé, a challenge to invent an instant soluble coffee powder that would retain it's natural coffee flavour. They succeeded and the instant coffee was created by means of a new spray drying process. Nesle called the new product Nescafe. With the arrival of the coffee bar culture, coffee became very much a part of the British society. It has grown from strength to strength, and today the coffee shops are abundant, offering many varieties of coffee, and the 'Coffee culture' is now very much a part of our everyday lives. ~


<>CAFFEINE<>

Caffeine is derived primarily from the seed of coffee bean. It is also to be found in the Tea, cocoa plants, and guarana. Large doses of caffeine can cause rapid heartbeat, jitters, headaches, and can even induce delirium and convulsions. A recorded fatal dose to an adult, was forty cups drunk in a very short space of time. Caffeine taken before going to bed can cause sleeplessness, and depth of sleep will be lighter when finally dropping off. Caffeine is considered to be similar to nicotine in tobacco, for it's dependency qualities, and is highly addictive. So I think safety in small doses is the watchword here. Caffeine is also more toxic to some animals, such as horses, dogs and parrots, as they have a hard time metabolising this compound. Similar to theobromine in chocolate, which can have devastating effects when fed to a dog, for the very same reasons. They cannot break down the compound contained within the chocolate, and it becomes extremely toxic to them.


Caffeine withdrawal can cause headache and nausea. It can make you tired and very thirsty. It can also make you need to go to the loo excessively. This loss of fluid has to be replaced, and to compensate, it is essential to drink lots of water. Caffeine can cause a drop in Serotonin levels, leaving you depressed and anxious. Irritability and lack of concentration can also arise, leading to a condition known as 'The Crash'. Coffee, including decaf, has high amounts of vitamin K, which affects coagulation of the blood - not good for people at risk of stroke, blood clots, and heart attack. Many of the chemicals in coffee can irritate the stomach lining which can lead to an increase of stomach acid, which can cause digestive disorders. Like tea, coffee also contains tannin. The combined effect of caffeine and tannin can create many neuro-genetic disorders. Coffee is also one of most heavily pesticide sprayed crops. Though the FDA considers caffeine to be "Generally Recognized as Safe." ~


<>COFFEE SAFETY<>

* Do not drink coffee if you are pregnant or nursing.
* Avoid coffee if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, gall stones, or a tendency for blood clots or stroke.

* Do not drink coffee if you have mental illness, insomnia or anxiety.
* Avoid coffee if you have a coffee allergy or sensitivity or drug interaction issue.

* Avoid coffee if you get agitated or feel hyper or quivery inside after drinking.
* Do not drink coffee if you feel you must have a cup to wake up and get going and then need another cup later in the day to keep going. If this is your situation then begin to wean yourself off slowly and switch to tea.

* Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
* Take a good vitamin/mineral supplement to replace lost electrolytes, minerals, and vitamins due to the diuretic effects.



<< >> MY OPINION << >>

I consider Nescafe to be a good coffee. So I was quite happy to try this product. I liked the fact that is freeze dried, it does seem to lock in the flavour nicely, and somehow seem fresher. The granules dissolved easily in the boiling water, and there were no bitter, floating lumps that you can sometimes experience from powdered coffee. The strength of the Nescafe Gold Blend Decaff was very palettable. The flavour was good, it was very acceptable. You don't receive 'the after kick' from this, which you do from caffeinated coffee, but the rich smooth flavour was present nonetheless, and the aromatic smell released from the coffee, when made, was very inviting. I have used decaff before, in the form of Cafe Hag, over quite a long period of time, and after a while, I came to prefer it to caffeinated. So I think this could be the case here. The Gold Blend is actually a very pleasant taste. I drank a caffeinated coffee after trying the decaff, and it compares favourably. It was actually a smoother taste. I don't think there is a drastic difference, it just doesn't have that kick to it.


Nescafe is the Worlds favourite coffee, so we know we are getting a good blend from them. Remember, a cup of coffee is 98% water, so the water we make our coffee with is all important! The coffee will only be as good as the quality of the water added. In conclusion I would say the Nescafe Gold Blend Decaff is a good quality cup of coffee, with rich roast flavour. ~ Nescafe make a full range of delicious coffees, including Fairtrade certified. Visit the Nescafe website to view their products, and other related information.~

http://www.nescafe.co.uk/OurProducts/GoldBlendDec aff.aspx



Nescafe is made by Nestle. The company's social responsibility and ethics have received some bad press in the past, notably for it's marketing of it's baby formula, promoting it as 'better for babies, than mothers milk', and for it's purchasing of cocoa from the Ivory Coast... Recently, however Nestle have been working with the Community Food Network, FareShare. "FareShare, and Nestlé UK were awarded 'Best Partnership' by leading recycling organisation Valpak at the organisation's annual awards. The award recognised Nestlé UK's work with FareShare to develop a one-stop shop for food industry surplus and waste." Nescafe are also working on projects concerning Ethiopia and El Salvador to help develop agricultural practices as part of an ongoing concern.

Nestle. http://www.nestle.co.uk


Address

NESTLÉ UK Ltd,
St George's House,
Croydon, Surrey
CR9 1NR.

Availability

Nescafe Gold Blend Decaff is available from most Supermarkets and convenience storesNationwide. Prices range from £3.27 for the 100g & £4.35 for the 200g (Prices may vary)


Thank you for reading
PRINCESSPUSSYCAT 2007.

Summary: Good quality and strength decaff cofee.