Have you ever been so tired that you’ve dozed off at work? Or tried to stop yourself from falling asleep while you’re driving or even worse – got caught sleeping in class? These instances could have been prevented by doing what 90% of Americans do every day – by consuming CAFFEINE. If anyone here feels you can’t make it though your day without a cup of coffee, you are probably addicted to it (I’ll discuss more on that later). Here’s an interesting fact: both words caffeine and coffee are derived from the Arabic word “QAHWEH.” The origins of the words reflect the spread of the beverage into Europe through Arabia and Turkey from North-East Africa. Coffee began to be very popular in Europe in the 17th century and today it’s the most popular psychoactive drug in the world.
Almost everyone in our society today uses caffeine regularly, in one form or another. According to Jennifer Warner of WebMD Medical News, nearly 90% of adults and 76% of children drink some kind of caffeinated beverage every day. More than half of all American adults consume more than 3 cups of coffee. Also, a 1994 survey by the Agriculture Department found that on average, 64 gallons of soda are consumed by children and teenagers every year. Researchers have found that soft drinks have surpassed tea as the second leading source of caffeine for adults while being the top source of caffeine for children. People are not only getting their caffeine from coffee, soda and tea, but from other sources such as energy beverages, caffeinated water, herbal supplements and chocolate. You may not realize how much caffeine you are consuming on a daily basis because caffeine is not listed as an ingredient on the food or drink label, and the Nutrition Facts label does not show how much caffeine is in the product. In addition, beverages marketed as high-energy drinks may contain more than one type of caffeine extract, and in herbal sources, caffeine may not be listed as an active ingredient.
So you can see why half of American adults consume more than 300mg of caffeine per day. All you need to consume to get that amount are just 2 mugs of coffee and a couple of cookies. If you sit down and calculate your caffeine consumption during a typical day, you may be surprised. Many people consume a gram or more of caffeine every day and don’t even realize it.
Now that the widespread u...
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...nd the globe, is a mild drug stimulant, has the potential to become addicting and gives people the opportunity to be social. The bottom line is that caffeine is the most widely accepted and legal way to get that all important energy boost. So, the next time you down that can of Red Bull or take that last sip of cappuccino from Starbucks, take comfort in the fact that you’re getting your fix legally
Works Cited
• Bealer, Bonnie K., and Bennet A. Weinberg. The World of Caffeine: The Science and Culture of the World's Most Popular Drug. New York: Routledge, 2002. 208-212.
• Centre College. "Students get a Caffeine and Culture Boost." Yubanet.com 14 Feb. 2005. .
• Gordon M. Wardlaw. Contemporary Nutrition: Issues & Insights. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003. P 556.
• HSW Media Network. “How Caffeine Works.” HowStuffWorks.com. 28 Dec. 2004. .
• Jennifer Warner. “Caffeine Sources Shifting” CBSNEWS.com 28 Dec. 2004. WebMD Inc. .
• T.R. Reid. "Caffeine." Nationalgeographic.com. June 2000. .
Michael Pollan, an American author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism (Michael Pollan), writes in his book In Defense of Food, the dangers of nutritionism and how to escape the Western diet and subsequently most of the chronic diseases the diet imparts. In the chapter “Nutritionism Defined” Pollan defines the term nutritionism. Pollan’s main assertion being how the ideology of nutritionism defines food as the sum of its nutrients, and from this viewpoint Pollan goes on to write how nutritionism divides food into two categories, with each macronutrient divided against each other as either bad or good nutrients, in a bid for focus of our food fears and enthusiasms. Finally, Pollan concludes that with the relentless focus nutritionism places on nutrients and their interplay distinctions between foods become irrelevant and abandoned.
For some time, scholars and writers have continuously debated as to what constitutes or defines the idea of healthy eating, mainly because of the increase in the number of people diagnosed with ailments associated with bad eating habits. It has quickly become the forefront of issue, particularly in the United States. In recognition of this on-going debate, this composition seeks to compare and contrast two well-known authors concerning how we think about and consume food. In Michael Pollan’s discussion, “Escape from the Western Diet,” he discusses the negative sides of nutrition science, including conflicting theories surrounding the elements of healthy food consumption and why solutions are essential for the Western diet and lifestyle. “Escape from the Western Diet,’’ is among the articles that talks about the eating habits of individuals in the society. In the article, Pollan points out not only the numerous conflicts concerning what types of diets – including carbohydrate-based, the inclusion of omega-3s, other nutrition-specific needs - that are believed to directly affect general health or specific illnesses, but also how western nutritionism compares to other countries diets affect longevity outcomes. In the end, Pollan suggests that the United States must seek solutions that move towards more natural, unprocessed, plant-based lifestyles that ensure that individuals are making what they consume a primary
Nestle, Marion. Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.
By this definition, and after knowing the effects of caffeine upon the human body, I have come to the conclusion that drinking caffeine is a sign of a lack of respect for oneself, and of an unappreciative attitude toward the life that each of us has been blessed with. Furthermore, it shows of either our inability, or unwillingness to learn to think clearly.
Caffeine is a mild stimulant that occurs naturally in at least 63 plant species. Caffeine can be found in the leaves, stems, seeds, and roots of these various plants. Caffeine is part of the methylxanthine family. It consists of a xanthine molecule with three methyl groups attached to it. Caffeine can be found in many products like sodas, tea, and coffee, but it also occurs in several other products such as prescription medications, diuretics, and pain relievers. Caffeine’s widespread use and popularity have caused many people to view the substance as an addictive drug. Thus making caffeine the most inexpensive and readily available drug known to man. Then on the other hand there are people who view caffeine as a helpful stimulant that increases the individual’s concentration and awareness as well as many other physical traits. The important thing to remember is that caffeine’s affects vary based on the person, the amount ingested, the frequency of consumption, and individual metabolism. (http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/kopykit/caffeine.html)
Wardlaw, G.M. and Smith. Contemporary Nutrition: Issues and Insights. 5th Edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill, pp 85, 2004.
Scrutiny of caffeine and its effects has increased dramatically in the last 20 years, due in part to an increase in consumption of caffeine. In fact, coffee consumption among young adults rose to 3.2 cups per day in 2008 from 2.4 cups per day in 2005 (Rokerya 1). For instance, in a one hour period, on Richland College’s on-campus Starbucks, the author took note of how many customers arrived and purchased a cup of coffee. Between 8:00 and 9:00 AM, there were 51 customers, implying that – especially at college - many people are dependent on coffee in the mornings. However, the results from these studies are inconclusive and often somewhat contradictory – many studies (such as that by Tetsuya Ohara et al.) show that caffeine is a great boon to
Secondly, caffeine may lower the risk of type II diabetes in humans. Particularly, type II diabetes is caused by high blood sugars in the context of insulin resistance or the failure to secrete insulin. According to Gunnars (2013), studies illustrate that people who consume caffeine have a 23-50% lower risk of getting type II diabetes while one study showed a reduction as high as 67%. In addition, each daily cup of coffee was associated with a 7% reduced risk of developing type II diabetes based on a massive review that looked at data from 18 studies with a sum of 457 922 individuals...
Since 1916, the United States Department of Agriculture (the government agency responsible for all U.S. policy regarding agriculture, food, and farming) has revised their recommendations several times. Unfortunately, money talks and the USDA’s recommendations are based on outdated science and are influenced by people with business interest. Even so, its recommendations are considered almost “holy” by physicians, nutritionists, and dieters, but in reality, they are the root cause of the problem. A single visit to our local public school cafeteria and it will become clear that they do not have the best interests of the children at heart. What they are feeding our innocent children is preposterous. Doctors, the people we trust and expect to be “the experts”, do not know much about the subject of nutrition. A vast majority of medical schools in the U.S. require just 25-30 hours or less of nutrition training, and some do not require at all. So doctors must rely on the ...
Caffeine, also known as methyltheobromine, is a central nervous system stimulant that humans consume on a daily basis. Found in coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages, caffeine has many side effects. While caffeine can make the consumer feel more alert, there are health concerns such as dependence and hypertension.
Most people aren’t aware that caffeine can act as a stimulant to the central nervous system. So once someone consumes a caffeinated beverage they may begin to notice a slight change in the way their body begins to feel. Caffeine can be found in many different places such as energy drinks, coffee, candy and also in other common beverages and over the counter medications. Caffeine can have major side effects on those who consume it on a regular routine, but caffeine can also have side effects on those who rarely even consume caffeine . “These side effects include sleep deprivation, nausea, cramping, anxiety, fatigue, and headaches (Braun 73).” Not only does drinking a couple of caffeinated beverages come with its list of side effects, caffeine consumption has also been proven to show drastic changes in the kidneys. “Also, caffeine has been known to weaken the detrusor muscles in the bladder, which provokes the need to urinate (Chambers 42).” So once a person has been consuming caffeine past a certain period of time it begins to become difficult for them to regulate their trips to the bathroom. The list of harm caffeine does on the human body could continue forever, but I will review some of the most relevant categories. Caffeine can have harmful effects on the human body that people are not aware of, therefore I believe that people should be informed what exactly caffeine is and how it affects them directly in terms of where caffeine can be found, the effects it has on the brain and the heart and also the pregnancy effects. Also, people should be provided with a general knowledge of how caffeine can play a part in someone’s life, and some steps to help slow down the consumption of caffeine.
Caffeine is a stimulant that has not been given the attention that some says it deserves. Caffeine is found in many everyday substances. It can be found in coffee, tea or sodas. Caffeine can be found on almost every street corner. There is a coffee place in just about every town. Sodas and coffee are found...
The media fails to project the negative effects of excessive caffeine intake. This literature review will illustrate how excessive caffeine consumption can be detrimental to one’s life, and how problematic caffeine use derives from conditioning by the caffeine industry. Caffeine is the single most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the United States (Einöther & Giesbrecht, 2013). According to Einöther and Giesbrecht (2013), 80% of the world’s population consumes caffeinated products every day, with coffee and tea being the primary sources. In the recent years, the demand for coffee has increased, causing the caffeine industry to create an expansion of coffee shops, new caffeinated beverages (Bailey, Saldanha, Gahche, & Dwyer, 2014), and mass-media advertising.
Coffee is the first thing that people associate with instant energy on a groggy morning. “In the U.S., coffee is king of beverages” (Reinke) Research has been done that has named coffee as an addiction to the people who consume large quantities of it. Coffee was named the top source of antioxidants. This is partly because of the amount consumed each day. Some of the antioxidants that coffee has are quinines and chlorogenic acid. It also contains trigonelline, an antibacterial compound. This is where coffee acquires its delicious aroma. Now let’s step back for a minute and just think about how much caffeine people consume. In an 8oz cup of coffee it has about 85 milligrams of caffeine. This is about double the amount that tea contains. Studies have shown that caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system. This is where you get that energized feeling. After about the third cup, knees start to bounce, pens are clicking and people start running laps around the office. Caffeine can become addicting if you drink too much. Coffee can become that addictive habit people are unable to shake.
In the book, In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan explores the relationship between nutrition and the Western diet, claiming that the answer to healthy eating is simply to “eat food”.