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caffeine trap
We are a nation of caffeine addicts. Most of us can’t get through our day without a cup of caffeine, and many can’t even start their morning without it. Drinking beverages infused with caffeine is so common these days, it is almost more difficult to find a tasty beverage that doesn’t have caffeine in it. In addition, beverages are coming out on the market that contain less drink and more caffeine. While many grew up in households where drinking a cup of coffee led to a caffeine jolt, we are now able to attain this much caffeine by consuming, a single, sweet shot’s worth of liquid. With this easy accessibility of caffeine, it may be time to ask ourselves if we have fallen into a caffeine trap. And if so, how can we break free of the caffeine trap?
Breaking Free of the Caffeine Trap
How much caffeine is too much?
Every person is different with regard to how much caffeine they can tolerate or how sensitive to caffeine they are. Those who do not consume caffeine everyday usually have a greater sensitivity to it. Having said that, most health professionals recommend up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is generally a safe amount. This is essentially the equivalent of four cups of coffee.
Kids should not consume more than 100 mg of caffeine a day, and young children should be given even smaller amounts, if that. And for women who are pregnant it is recommended to consume no more than 200 mg of caffeine per day. Various studies on animals showed that more than 300 mg of caffeine consumed a day led to an increase of miscarriages and birth defects in the study group.
Also Read: 5 Amazing Health Benefits Of Coffee
Common caffeinated beverages and caffeine content
We definitely like our caffeinated beverages. While currently water is currently the most frequently consumed beverage in the U.S., it recently traded places with soda which has a history of sitting at the top. Some of the caffeinated drinks that are frequented the most and their caffeine amounts are as follows:
Coffee
83% of Americans are consumers of coffee, and 54% of them drink coffee every day. Trends indicate there are more coffee drinkers now than in previous years. While the blend and strength of coffee varies, an 8 ounce cup of coffee typically yields 95 – 150 mg of caffeine. Coffee that contains dark roasted Arabica beans generally contains less caffeine that blends that incorporate Robusta beans.
Frappes and Frozen Coffees
In the summer many opt for the cool, sweetened frappes over traditional coffee. Starbucks came out with the Frappuccino beverage in 1995 and sees much financial successes as a result. An 8 ounce frozen coffee drink generally contains 60 – 150 mg of caffeine, but most consumers don’t drink just 8 ounces worth.
Soda
About half of Americans drink soft drinks on a daily basis; consuming soda is one of the easiest ways to fall into the caffeine trap. Those that do consume the sweet, caffeinated form of carbonation usually drink 2.6 glasses of soda per day. A 12 ounce can of caffeinated cola contains 35 to 55 mg of caffeine. Some brands of diet soda even contain more caffeine than their sugary counterpart.
Also Read: Dangers Of Diet Soda
Energy drinks
Energy drinks have taken off in popularity within the last 15 years, although they started to appear on the market during the 1980’s. Teens and young adults gravitate to these beverages more than older adults; 66 percent of those who consume energy drinks regularly are between the ages of 13 and 35 years old. Redbull, which is the most popular brand of energy drink, contains 80 mg of caffeine in its 8.2 oz. can. Energy drinks come in a variety of formats from small, single shots, to drinks sold in monster-sized cans.
Tea
Tea is found in roughly 80% of U.S. households. And 85% of tea consumed in the U.S. is iced. Despite all the energy drinks on the market tea has seen a steep increase of popularity among Millennials. 87% of Millennials claim to drink tea frequently.
There are four major types of tea; black, green, white, and oolong. These major types all come from the same plant, but the different methods of treatment result in the different types. Black is the most commonly consumed type of tea. Black tea contains about 40 – 70 mg of caffeine. Green tea, which is the second most popular tea type contains about 15 – 45 mg of caffeine.
The Effects of Caffeine
Caffeine Dependency
Most consume caffeine because they like the quick feeling of alertness it brings. Caffeine is a stimulant and quickly affects the brain. Those who are feeling tired or sluggish suddenly start to perk up with just a few sips of a caffeinated drink. Many also find themselves in a caffeine trap because they feel they need to have caffeine in order to focus on a task. Students often rely on caffeine to get some major studying done. Additionally, many employees in the workplace have a cup in hand in order to battle the tasks of the day.
Irritability & Anxiety
While caffeine does help kick-start the mind, there are many negative consequences that come into play when consuming too much. For starters, since caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, many of the negative effects mess with our heads. After consuming an abundance of caffeine it’s not uncommon to experience the jitters and feel anxious. Some also feel suddenly irritable, especially when the caffeine wears off.
Insomnia
Consuming caffeine in the evening, or even in the late afternoon causes some to have a hard time sleeping at night. Drinking excessive amounts of caffeine leads to insomnia in some people. And while we don’t generally think of caffeine being a drug that one overdoses on, it is possible. For those that do overdose on caffeine they may experience confusion. Overdosing even leads to hallucinations in some cases.
Heart Complications
In addition to affecting the brain, caffeine also negatively impacts other parts of the body. It takes an hour or two for caffeine to enter the blood stream. When it does it results in an increase of blood pressure and a faster heartbeat. In addition to a rapid heartbeat, too much caffeine also causes some to experience an irregular heartbeat. For those with heart trouble, caffeine can cause further heart complications.
Nausea
Another common side-effect of caffeine can be an upset stomach. Consuming caffeine increases the amount of acid in the stomach. For some this results in nausea and vomiting, while others experience diarrhea. Acid-Reflux is another consequence of digesting large amounts of caffeine. One way to reduce stomach issues is to eat something before consuming a caffeinated drink.
Tips for breaking away from the caffeine trap
If you are one who consumes caffeine throughout the day, suddenly stopping any caffeine from entering the body is actually not the best approach. Cutting caffeine out completely will mostly likely result in a gigantic, painful headache and will make you feel extremely irritable. If you very dependent on caffeine, suddenly eliminating caffeine can actually make you feel sick. Most health professionals agree that breaking away from the caffeine trap should be a gradual process of reducing caffeine over time. Below are some tips on how to cut out some caffeine if you are caught in the caffeine trap.
Be aware of your intake
If you are someone who doesn’t keep track of your caffeine consumption, now may be a good time to start. Since you feel the effects of caffeine pretty quickly, you probably are aware when you are drinking caffeine. However, you probably don’t know exactly how much. It may be beneficial to keep tabs on the caffeine content of your drinks. Also be aware of how much you are drinking.
To go along with this, learn to distinguish the difference between a serving and what you are actually ingesting. A convenience store may label their 32 ounce beverage cup as “small,” but if you are consuming 32 ounces of Mountain Dew, your caffeine intake is anything but small. The bottom line is the cups we are drinking from usually contain multiple servings. Therefore the caffeine content entering our system needs to be multiplied when keeping track of the math.
Opt for half-decaf
One way to decrease the caffeine content in your beverage is to mix in the decaffeinated or caffeine-free version of your drink with the regular caffeinated kind. For example, rather than drinking a cup of fully leaded coffee, brew a half-eineited version as an alternative. This requires a little bit of an adjustment, but is much easier on your system than cutting out caffeine cold turkey. Going half-decaf will still perk you up, but allows you to reduce your caffeine intake.
With this method you can eventually wean yourself entirely off caffeine over time. You may want to start by having 75% of your preferred beverage be caffeinated and 25% non-caffeinated, but over the course of a month or so you can switch the ratios by adjusting the beverage. Many women who discover they are pregnant find this approach useful in order to have a healthier pregnancy.
Drink water
Unfortunately, many drink their favorite caffeinated beverages instead of drinking water. When faced with some of the more unpleasant side-effects affiliated with caffeine, or even withdrawal symptoms, it’s a good idea to drink some water. Staying hydrated helps reduce headaches and will keep you healthier in the long run.
Also Read: 3 Major Benefits Of Water
Stretch
It is quite common to seek out a caffeinated beverage when we are feeling tired or lethargic. During the work day this sleepy feeling typically finds us a couple of hours after lunch. Since napping is usually not an option, we once again get sucked into the caffeine trap. To shake this feeling, rather than reaching for a caffeine-filled soft drink, try reaching for the sky instead. Doing a quick stretch routine is an easy, fast way to rejuvenate the mind and body. This doesn’t have to be a 30 minute, sweat-inducing cardio routine. Even taking just a few minutes to wiggle the limbs, or walk around the building helps stimulate the mind. It’s also good to wake up your body with a little exercise as well.
Head outdoors
Venturing outdoors is another way to energize the senses without falling back into the caffeine trap. Going outside for even a few minutes is a great way to perk up and obtain Vitamin D. In addition, research studies have found that taking a brief walk outside helps to foster creativity. Instead of relying on a chemical stimulants, let the fresh air stimulate you. Studies have also shown that being outdoors generally improves our overall mood. And heading outside, rather than the convenient store for a caffeine fix is good for another reason: it will conveniently save you some cash.
Breaking free from the caffeine trap isn’t always easy and requires hard work and dedication. Utilizing the above tips and sticking to a plan will allow you to make strides over time. Hopefully you will experience the benefits of not having to rely on caffeine and feel like a healthier person overall.
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