Facts About Caffeine
What is it that prompts our need for that morning cup of Joe? Why is it that we can’t drag ourselves into consciousness without first taking a sip of a triple shot nonfat latte? It’s the caffeine, of course. Caffeine is a natural stimulant. In fact, caffeine is actually considered the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world.
Caffeine is actually the most widely used psychoactive ‘drug’ in the world. About 80% of the total world population consumes caffeine, in tea, in coffee, in sodas and even in chocolate, on a daily basis. Fully 90% of Americans consume caffeine in one form or other each day. Half of those 90% ingest more than 300 milligrams of caffeine on a daily, day to day basis. Caffeine makes things work.
So just what is caffeine and why do we all crave it so much? Caffeine is the layman’s term for chemical compound 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine. In its pure, unadulterated form, caffeine is a white crystalline xanthine alkaloid with a bitter taste.
The German scientist Friedrich Ferdinand Runger discovered caffeine in the year 1819. He christened it kaffein, given that it could be derived from the beverage coffee.
Caffeine is naturally occurring and can be found in a variety of plants; it actually acts a pesticide, keeping insects at bay.
Caffeine is a nervous system stimulant and a diuretic, meaning it makes one feel awake and less drowsy and it also increases the production of urine. Caffeine is processed by the body within 30-45 minutes of ingestion; the effect wears off in about three hours depending on the amount consumed.
There are various benefits as well as disadvantages to consuming caffeine. Consuming too much caffeine-more than 6,000 mg/day which is a lot considering that the average intake is around 280 mg/day-isn’t recommended. Consuming anything in excess can lead to problems, and caffeine in excess can lead to sleeping disorders and even addiction.
It’s easy to build up a tolerance for caffeine. This basically means that your body easily adapts to higher levels, which means you end up having to intake more caffeine to feel its effects. Those who do consume high amounts of caffeine each day often end up feeling withdrawal symptoms such headaches and stomach pains when they don’t get their caffeine ‘fix’.
Caffeine, when taken in moderate amounts, has been proven to stimulate mental and physical prowess. Scientific trials have proven that it can enhance athletic endurance.
Percolated coffee contains around 80-135 mg of caffeine per serving; drip coffee, on the other hand contains 115-175 mg of caffeine. A Starbucks coffee, tall, 12 ounces contains 240 mg of caffeine. Green tea contains 30 mg, while black tea contains 50 mg.
Caffeine is not recommended in large quantities for pregnant women. Although the findings are as yet inconclusive, there is some evidence to suggest that caffeine may affect the formation of the fetus or possibly increase the risk of miscarriage. It may also affect fertility. That being said, there is no direct link connecting caffeine to miscarriage.
Some religions discourage the consumption of caffeine due to its stimulative properties.
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