Caffeine: America’s Addiction
Caffeine: America’s Addiction
Dating back to the early 1900’s, caffeine has been the drug of choice for many people with over 80% of Americans consuming caffeine daily, Facts and effects of caffeine should be recognized
- Caffeine was ones isolated from coffee in 1820
- One 8 oz. can of red bull contains 80 mg of caffeine. That is twice the amount in a Mr. Pibb and four times the amount in a chocolate slim fast.
- Caffeine can be found in over 60 plants such as coffee beans, tea leaves, guarana, kola nuts, yerba mate etc
- It is not just drinks, many foods are full of caffeine too. The amount of caffeine a product contains is not on the food label
- Ben and Jerry’s coffee flavored ice cream contains 68mg of caffeine
- A Hershey special dark chocolate bar contains 31mg of caffeine
- A cup of chocolate pudding contains 9mg of caffeine
- There are three top sources of caffeine in adults: coffee 70%, Soda 16% and Tea 12%
- The word caffeine came from the German word kaffee and french word cafe, each meaning coffee
- Caffeine has a greater effect on men than women. These effects start just 10 minutes after it’s first consumed
- Since 2000, caffeine has been banned by the Olympic committee
- Caffeine in athletics has been linked to the belief that it can enhance their physical, as well as, mental performance. Caffeine can improve the athletes endurance in sports where long term stamina is needed.
- Caffeine can be lethal! A fatal dose for adults has shown to be more than 10 grams, which would be drinking 80-100 cups of coffee in rapid succession
- Caffeine may be useful as part of a weight control program because it increases the rate at which the body burns calories for three or more hours after being consumed
- The chemically correct name for caffeine is 1,3,7 trimethylxanthine.
- Despite the act of ‘decaffeinating’ a drink, many decaffeinated drinks still contain trace amount of caffeine. About 2% of the original still remains in deaf drinks
- Even when moderate amounts of caffeine are withdrawn for 18-24 hours, one may feel symptoms such as depression and poor concentration.
Caffeine is the most commonly used mood- altering drug in the world.
