Coffee is friggin’ delicious and enjoyed by millions of people around the globe; however, there are a few people concerned about coffee containing nicotine – a highly addictive substance found in cigarettes and other tobacco products. The first time my friend brought up the question of nicotine in coffee to me, I thought she was making a bad joke. Umm, she wasn’t.
This lead me down the rabbit hole and here it my article researching this very question. The answer is yes! Coffee does have nicotine in it but it’s a negligible amount and not in the way people may think. Read the rest of the article for the breakdown.
Does Coffee Contain Nicotine?
When most people think of this word, they think of cigarettes or tobacco, those late 90s and early 2000s anti-smoking commercials, and how addictive and harmful it is. So the question is a valid one: I wouldn’t want to drink coffee if it had such a highly addictive ingredient in it. But, the truth is, nicotine can also be found in a variety of plant-based products including coffee.
Generally speaking, no, most caffeinated drinks like coffee do not contain nicotine. This is because nicotine found in tobacco isn’t naturally present; it is added by “curing”. However, caffeinated drinks like precious coffee can contain very small amounts of nicotine due to contamination from other sources; an example of contamination would be nicotine-containing pesticides used on coffee beans.
Now that you know how and why coffee can contain this harmful ingredient, know that it usually contains very small trace amounts of nicotine – typically less than 0.01mg per cup. In comparison, cigarettes contain 1-2 mg of nicotine depending on how long one is smoked for. When you compare the amounts in this way, the amount of nicotine in caffeine is almost negligible.
What Harmful Ingredients Are In Coffee?
Coffee contains some harmful substances though most of them are not considered dangerous. One of the main ones is caffeine which is also in soda and tea. Caffeine can cause anxiety and sleeplessness in some people if consumed in big quantities; after years of drinking it, I have become more acclimated to coffee and it doesn’t cause me anxiety anymore.
Another harmful ingredient that coffee contains is acrylamide which is a cancer-causing chemical produced when coffee beans are roasted… that’s the bad for all the good that coffee is!
Now, there was an interesting cell-based study conducted that shed light on something very interesting: “In a cell-based study, the researchers identified two compounds in coffee that directly affect certain high-sensitivity nicotine receptors in the brain. In smokers, these brain receptors can be hypersensitive after a night of nicotine withdrawal.”
Is Nicotine Good Or Bad for You?
By now, thanks to all the anti-smoking campaigns, most people know that nicotine isn’t good for your health. It’s proven to be highly addictive and has tons of terrible health effects like an increase in blood pressure and heart rate as well as decreased oxygen levels in the brain. But it doesn’t stop there: there’s an much higher chance of stroke or heart attack too. Wierdly, some studies have suggested that it may have positive benefits in small doses, enhancing focus and concentration.
Is there a Way to Completely Get Rid of It in Your Beloved Mugga Joe?
Yes – if you’re looking to avoid any nicotine in your cup of joe, you can opt for decaffeinated coffee. The decaffeination process removes most of the nicotine from the beans. In addition, you can also look for organic or shade-grown coffees which are grown without the use of nicotine-containing pesticides.
Conclusion
In conclusion, more often than not, does not contain nicotine. While there are trace amounts present due to contamination from other sources, they’re usually too small to be harmful. However, if you’d like to avoid any nicotine in your coffee, you can opt for decaffeinated coffee or look for organic and shade-grown varieties. Now you can drink your coffee hopefully a bit more carefree. Enjoy!
