Q. I have never been a coffee drinker. I don’t enjoy its taste (though I realize that’s heresy to millions) and I can’t handle the caffeine because of an irregular heartbeat. But I’ve heard that coffee contains many antioxidants and other beneficial chemicals.
Does anyone make a “coffee extract pill” that contains all the good ingredients while eliminating the caffeine? That way I could get coffee’s benefits without actually having to drink it.
A. There are several decaffeinated coffee extracts on the market intended for use primarily in cooking and baking. Some are used as concentrates for preparing coffee. None is exactly what you are seeking.
Although coffee provides lots of antioxidants in the American diet, that is partly because so many people drink it. You can get natural antioxidants from fruits and vegetables that you like. The darker the color, the richer the plant usually is in these compounds.
Some of the best sources include blackberries, blueberries, chocolate, green tea, beans, cherries, grapefruit, onions, apples, pomegranates and kale. A review of the research concluded that it is better to get antioxidants from the diet than from pills (Advances in Nutrition, Jan., 2011). You can learn a lot more about the healing power of our favorite foods in The People’s Pharmacy Quick and Handy Home Remedies.
