Once people switch to decaf, they often wonder whether there's still a limit — whether they've just traded one thing to worry about for another. There isn't. Here's why.

Is decaf completely caffeine free?

Not technically, but close enough that it rarely matters. Most decaf contains 2 to 7mg of caffeine per cup; a can of Nolo has around 2mg. For comparison, a regular espresso has around 75mg. To hit the 400mg daily caffeine limit from decaf alone, you'd need around 40 cups. That's not a realistic scenario, so for all practical purposes: yes, it's caffeine-free.

Are there any decaf coffee side effects to be aware of?

In ordinary quantities, no — coffee has been studied extensively and no meaningful side effects have been identified from moderate daily decaf consumption. A couple of things worth knowing: coffee is mildly acidic, which matters in large quantities if you're prone to acid reflux, and if you're drinking multiple canned lattes, the calories exist (Nolo is about 65 per can, with less than 5g of sugar). Neither of these is a reason to limit yourself dramatically. They're just things worth knowing.

@coochiebygucci: "The anxiety people have about whether they're drinking too much coffee is almost entirely a caffeine question, not a coffee question. Remove caffeine from the equation and you're mostly just drinking something with antioxidants in it."

How much is sensible as a daily decaf coffee intake?

Three to five a day sits comfortably within any reasonable health framework. The main thing to remember beyond that is hydration — coffee, decaf or not, is mildly diuretic, so keep water in the picture too.

The actual answer

A Nolo at 8am, another at noon, one at 4pm, one after dinner — zero consequences. That's what it was made for.

Nolo: drink it all day. Seriously.

The Nolo Team