Caffeine is a staple the average Americans diet, found in Energy Drinks, Tea and Coffee, caffeine has had a disputed reputation for decades. Over the years, many studies have been done trying to prove the benefits or health risks associated with caffeinated drinks, specifically coffee. Every few weeks the media jumps on the latest study about the effects of caffeine on people, with most people targeting coffee as the key offender. The latest study claims that green tea has more caffeine than coke, and most energy drinks have less caffeine than a cup of coffee. As with all studies, there is room for error, so aside from the amount of caffeine found in your daily cup of Joe, it is unlikely that you will find most studies about coffee or soda agreeing with each other.
According to Energy Fiend, a site that tracks caffeine content in food and drinks, some of the most popular drinks out there have far more or far less caffeine than you might think. What I find so amazing about the media is that they can release any study, not matter how detailed or specific, via magazine or internet, and we choose to believe them, regardless of what we believed about previous studies. You can look up articles online like 7 myths about caffeine , or Caffeine in pregnancy won't harm offspring, study says, but the point still is, these are just studies, tests that were done to prove or disprove a hypothesis.
I for one am always ready to believe what the media says about the positive effects of coffee. I am a long time coffee drinker, I look forward to my morning cup every day, so I am willing to believe those studies that say that a cup of coffee a day helps lower my chances of getting cancer or suffering from stress. I am not saying that all studies about health related issues are wrong, just that we need to think carefully about believing every story that pops up about the benefits of our favorite beverage. There are certain facts about caffeine content that have been tested and studied that most if not all researchers agree on, such as the amount of caffeine found in certain types of coffee and energy drinks.
All energy drinks need to be tested to show how much caffeine is in there and for the general public to have access to these drinks, that information needs to be correct. Monster M3 Energy Drink has a whopping 150 mg of caffeine per 5-ounce can (that's 32 mg per fluid ounce), and Red Bull has about the same amount of caffeine as a Starbucks latte.
Interestingly enough, the amount of caffeine found in coffee differs from brand to brand, roast to roast.
Your old-fashioned coffee can have anywhere from 51.3 mg of caffeine per ounce (in espresso form) to 0.3 mg per ounce for instant decaf (yes, decaf). A lot also depends on how the coffee is prepared and what coffee shops you frequent:
Your old-fashioned coffee can have anywhere from 51.3 mg of caffeine per ounce (in espresso form) to 0.3 mg per ounce for instant decaf (yes, decaf). A lot also depends on how the coffee is prepared and what coffee shops you frequent:
Ø Drip coffee- 18.1 mg per ounce
Ø Brewed coffee - 13.4 mg per ounce
Ø Instant coffee - 7.1 mg per ounce
Ø Dunkin' Donuts' coffee- 13.2 mg of caffeine per ounce
Ø Caribou Coffee- 15 mg per ounce
Ø McDonalds- 9.1 mg per ounce
Ø Starbucks regular brew- 20.6 mg per ounce
In the end, I believe in my own common sense, anything in moderation is fine. And while I still read those studies about the effects of coffee with interest, until scientists and studies agree, I see little need to take these statements at face value.
How interesting that there MAY be more caffeine in green tea than other items we think have tons. Even though I am not a huge coffee drinker, I am severely guilty of indulging in a Dr. Pepper at least four or five times a week. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest , my twelve ounce little friend contains a whopping 42 mg. of caffeine. Not sure if that’s worse than the 40 grams of carbs or 40 grams of sugar (!!) but it probably means something. Isn’t it amazing how we take what some of these sites with their version of a study have to say and roll with it? I guess its part of our culture now!
ReplyDeleteIf you're like most adults, caffeine is a part of your daily routine. I read on-line that, “The actual caffeine content of the same coffee drink can vary from day to day, even at the same coffee shop, because of various factors, such as roasting and grinding, as well as brewing time. The caffeine content of tea also is affected by how long it's brewed”. Caffeine is the only drug that is present naturally or added to widely consumed foods. It is mildly addictive, one possible reason that makers of soft drinks add it to their products. Many coffee drinkers experience withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, irritability, sleepiness, and lethargy, when they stop drinking coffee.
ReplyDeleteYes, Everything in moderation is fine and i wish people will understand what MODERATION really means. The thing about caffeine is it is used even in Thermogenics to help people lose weight but the problem here is people just abuse the consumption of caffeine. An example is some people drink coffee early in the morning, drink coke as part of their lunch, mountain dew when they are eating dinner and finally and energy drink if they have to study or drive that same night to keep them awake. This is so ridiculous and people just don't realize it. These actions will kill your bodies natural instincts.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more that the public needs to be made aware of the caffeine content in the drinks that they consume. I recently had a baby, and I got so sick of people telling me that I needed to stop drinking coffee because I was pregnant, and this was from people who were chugging two energy drinks right in front of me! First, it wasn't my first rodeo - it was my third baby, and with my first I had tried to go caffeine free, but the migraines that persisted made it a miserable pregnancy and I eventually had to drink coffee again. BUT, my child (and all three of them) have been born perfectly healthy and happy, taking after their father's height and I know that caffeine did not stunt their growth. Secondly, my mother is an avid coffee drinker and it didn't affect me any more than it did my children. Yes, I am an addict, I have no problem admitting that. But caffeine is not like other drugs, and I get really tired of the bad rep that it and its' consumers get. There's a reason that there's not a legal limit on how much caffeine someone can consume before getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. It is all about moderation, and people need to get that into their heads.
ReplyDelete