If you skip your morning tea or coffee, do you often have that unexplained headache? One reason is that you are caffeine-starved. So, what does caffeine consumption do to your body? Find out more about this in the write-up. We will start with what caffeine is.
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a natural stimulant widely used worldwide. It is found in cacao plants, coffee, and tea. One of the functions of caffeine is to keep your brain and nervous system active. This property helps you remain alert and prevents you from becoming weary.
Consuming caffeine allows it to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream from the gut. From there, it moves to the liver, disintegrating into compounds. This activity impacts the way different organs work.
The Journal of Neurochemistry states that caffeine works on the brain and blocks the impact of adenosine. Adenosine is a transmitter that helps relax your brain and makes you feel weary. Normal levels of adenosine gather throughout the day, making you feel tired and drowsy/sleepy. However, with the help of caffeine, you can stay up by inhibiting the effect of adenosine.
Caffeine consumption: a scientific approach
A few instances of caffeine content values in various food products were cited. These are usually standard values. Here, we have taken a few caffeine consumption values for the United States. They are as follows:
- Coffee: 5 oz or 85 mg of coffee for ground roasted coffee
- Instant Coffee, 60 mg
- Decaffeinated: 3 mg
- Tea: -5 oz. 30 mg for a tea bag or leaf
- Instant tea, 20 mg
- Colas: 18 mg or 6 oz per serving
- Hot chocolate or cocoa: 4 mg or 5 oz.
- Chocolate milk: 4 mg or 6 oz.
- Chocolate candy: 1.5 to 6.0 mg or oz.
There is very limited caffeine consumption data. However, depending on product usage and the limited data available, experts and authors usually suggest a daily mean caffeine intake of 4 mg/kg for United States consumers.
Many products are available in Denmark and the United Kingdom, where the caffeine content is much higher than the permissible limit.
The standard value for caffeine consumption must not exceed 1 mg/kg for children less than 18 years old and those who consume caffeine. However, we can see that caffeine consumption among children is higher in Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Interesting facts about caffeine consumption
Check out the following fast facts below:
- Caffeine is a natural stimulant that occurs in some foods.
- Coffee, when taken in moderation, aids in weight loss and improves alertness and cognitive functions.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests limiting your caffeine intake to 400 mg daily, which is equivalent to 2 to 3 cups daily.
- Consuming caffeine powder can lead to an overdose and might prove fatal. So, avoid the powder format.
- You must also avoid energy drinks that contain high levels of caffeine. Also, avoid drinking alcohol.
- Caffeine consumption adversely impacts individuals during pregnancy and affects fertility, blood sugar control, and various other aspects of health.
Final word
Moderate caffeine consumption must not cause any problems or distress. So, be prudent when consuming the same.