CoffeeFacts About Caffeine
Itò€™s become a morning traditionò€”each and every day we wake up and get the day started with a cup of piping hot coffee. It seems that many of us simply canò€™t live without the stuff. Those quad shot, venti lattes from Starbucks have become an essential part of our morning routines. So just what is it that makes that infamous black sludge sludge so irresistible? The answer is caffeine. Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant used throughout the world to help us get through the day.
Statistically, around 80% of the worldò€™s population drinks or eats caffeine in some form or other, either in coffee, mate, tea, or chocolate etc. every single day. A whopping 90% of Americans ingest caffeine on a regular day to day basis. Just over half of those intake more than 300 milligrams of the stuff daily. Caffeine seems to make the world go round.
The question becomes then, why is caffeine so necessary and what is it that makes it so appealing? In scientific terms caffeine is known as trimethylxanthine and its molecular formula is C8H10N4O2. As a pure substance, caffeine is odorless and white in appearance and acidic in 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 found in beans, leaves and fruits of various plant species which use it to ward off and even kill certain types of insects.
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it reacts with the central nervous system, and stimulates awareness, increasing alertness and warding off drowsiness. It also has diuretic properties, meaning that in those unused to its effects it can increase urine production. Caffeine is absorbed within 45 minutes of ingestion. Its half life, varies but within adults it lasts about five hours.
There are various benefits as well as disadvantages to consuming caffeine. Consuming too much caffeineò€”more than 6,000 mg/day which is a lot considering that the average intake is around 280 mg/dayò€”isnò€™t recommended. Consuming anything in excess can lead to problems, and caffeine in excess can lead to sleeping disorders and even addiction.
The more caffeine you consume, the more tolerance for it you build, meaning that you have to take more to feel its effects; itò€™s the same with other drugs. Caffeine tolerance or adaption is developed quickly. It can be addicting. Consumers of large quantities of caffeine do often experience withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and nausea.
When consumed in moderation, caffeine can enhance physical and mental performance. Studies have shown that caffeine can improve endurance in athletes especially in high intensity activities.
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.
Studies have shown that caffeine, may, potentially have adverse effects on pregnant women. There seems to be some correlation between miscarriages and increased caffeine intake, although there is no direct evidence to prove this.
Caffeine consumption is forbidden by some religions.