It used to be that if you attended a early morning business meeting most people walked around with a cup of coffee in their hands. Today you're just as likely to see bottles of energy drinks that are not only popular with adults but also with teens.
The drinks claim to increase stamina and physical and mental performance. Some of the drinks have a high sugar content while others are lower-calorie alternatives. Most contain caffeine.
In case you needed more proof of their popularity. Energy drinks are the fastest growing beverage category in the U.S. We spent over $741 million on them last year which was a 37 percent increase from 2006. That is a hugh jump considering they were just introduced ten years ago.
Caffeine, on the other hand, has been around for centuries – in tea, coffee, and chocolate. Caffeine is classified as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USDA). The American Medical Association (AMA) says:
"Moderate tea or coffee drinkers probably need have no concern relative to their caffeine consumption provided other lifestyle habits (diet, alcohol consumption) are moderate as well."
Moderate caffeine consumption is considered to be about 300 mg or about three cups of coffee for the day.
A test of 10 different energy drinks reported that the caffeine levels ranged from no caffeine to 141 mg per serving. Compare that to an 8 ounce cup of coffee which contains 65 to 120 mg of caffeine and tea which has 20 to 90 mg per serving.
Research has indicated that caffeine can somewhat improve mental and physical performance. However, physicians usually tell patients that if they do drink coffee, drink it in moderation especially since some people are sensitive to caffeine itself.
More on caffeine in my next post. In the mean time, I am having my morning coffee fix which is about two cups while I write this post. I really love the aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the morning.
Any attachments to coffee? Tell us your story.
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Ruthan Brodsky
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Sarah
Now that I've looked up Narconon Vista Bay and know what the facility is for, I'm curious why you made that comment. I don't disagree that artificial sweeteners aren't very healthy and may even cause some problems but you're coming from a different place then I am and I'd like to know your take. Thanks.
Ruthan
Posted by: Ruthan Brodsky | December 04, 2008 at 06:22 AM
Artificial sweetners are the biggest evils of energy drinks! That's what I've seen while working at Narconon Vista Bay
Posted by: Sarah | December 03, 2008 at 07:25 PM