Crank Up the Caffeine by Aliza Beer, MS RD

Crank Up the Caffeine

by Aliza beer MS, rD, cDN

every day, billions of people rely on caffeine to help them wake up and function throughout their busy day. Interestingly, the FDA says that about 80 percent of U.S. adults ingest some form of caffeine daily. Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee every day.

Caffeine is a natural stimulant that is found in coffee, tea, and cacao. When it reaches your brain, it increases activity and makes you feel more awake and alert. It does this by blocking the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and makes you feel tired. Evidence suggests that moderate caffeine consumption comes along with benefits and risks.

Sources of Caffeine

1. Coffee: Coffee is the most common source of caffeine and contains about 95mg per an 8 oz serving. A decaf 8 oz cup of coffee contains about 2mg of caffeine. Cold brew coffee contains the most caffeine, as a 12-oz cup has between 153mg and 238mg of caffeine. A cup of instant coffee contains about 62mg of caffeine, while a single shot espresso contains 63mg caffeine. 2. For many, it’s hard to imagine a day without a cup of joe. The question is, is drinking coffee good for you? According to research, coffee contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and decrease the risk of disease. However, there is such thing as having too much of a good thing. Excessive coffee intake can cause raised blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia, and increased heart rate. Dietary guidelines say that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee daily is safe. This means keeping caffeine intake below 400mg will ensure you are safe. However, these rules don’t apply to pregnant women. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should lower their caffeine consumption and follow their doctor’s recommendation. 3. Tea: Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot water over tea leaves. Camellia sinensis is the tea plant that caffeine is naturally found in. Tea is the second most common source of caffeine and contains about 26mg per 8oz serving – coffee has almost four times as much caffeine than tea. 4. Black tea has the highest caffeine content of all teas as it contains 47g caffeine per 8oz serving. Green tea is the second highest as it contains 28g per 8oz serving. White and oolong teas have lower caffeine content but higher antioxidant content. Most herbal tea is naturally caffeine-free because herbals don’t contain any tea leaves. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you can brew less tea leaves and use colder water so less caffeine will be extracted from the tea. 5. Cacao: Did anybody ever warn you to not eat chocolate before bed? This is because chocolate is made from cacao. Cacao is chocolate in its rawest form. It contains 12mg caffeine per tablespoon. Cacao is known to be a natural energy booster because it contains a small amount of caffeine and a compound called theobromine, which has a stimulant effect. Caffeine is found in cacao byproducts including cocoa powder and chocolate. 6. Other sources: Caffeine is naturally found in some leaves, nuts, and seeds. The caffeine is usually harvested from these natural sources and added into many caffeinated foods and drinks. Caffeine is also added into many drugs like cold, pain, weight-loss, and allergy medications. Caffeine is also added to beverages like soda and energy drinks. One cup of Coke contains 34mg of caffeine, and one can of 8.4oz Red Bull contains 77mg of caffeine. benefit less from its effects. If you start to feel restlessness, headaches, or anxiousness, consider decreasing your caffeine intake slowly by either consuming it less often or in smaller amounts to decrease your tolerance to caffeine. A good rule to follow is to consume one cup of coffee each day, and on days where you feel you need more, have that second cup so it has a stronger effect on you. If you are looking to decrease caffeine from tea, consider shortening the brew time or choosing herbal teas that do not contain caffeine.

Cutting back gradually, shortening the brew time, or going decaf can help you change your caffeine habits.

Benefits of Caffeine

1. Alertness: Caffeine helps keep you alert and awake by blocking sleep-promoting receptors in your brain. 2. Decrease risk of suicide: Studies found that the risk of suicide in adults who drank 2-4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily was about half compared to those who didn’t drink caffeinated coffee. Caffeine boosts neurotransmitters in the brain, which can increase mood. 3. Decreases the risk of oral cancer. 4. Decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia. 5. May boost metabolism: Caffeine

can increase the metabolism by up to 11% and can increase fat-burning by up to 13%. 6. May increase athletic performance: Caffeine can increase tolerance to muscle fatigue and improve muscle contractions. 7. May improve gut health: Consuming 3 cups of coffee each day can increase the number of good bacteria in the gut.

Drawbacks of Caffeine

1. Fatigue: As the caffeine leaves your system, you can begin to experience fatigue. 2. Irritability: The fight-or-flight response caused by caffeine consumption can cause you to be irritable. 3. Anxiety: As caffeine increase alertness, it triggers the release of a fightor-flight hormone that may make you feel more anxious. 4. Rapid heartbeat: Because caffeine is a stimulant, it can cause your heart to beat faster. If you notice changes in your heartrate after ingesting caffeine, think about decreasing your consumption. 5. Insomnia: Too much caffeine can make it difficult for you to fall asleep and have restful sleep. Studies have shown that the more caffeine you drink, the more time it takes you to fall asleep. Similarly, drinking caffeinated coffee or tea later in the day can interfere with sleep. A good rule to is refrain from consuming caffeine at least 6 hours before going to sleep. 6. Habit-forming: Although caffeine does have some health benefits, caffeine

can become addictive. People become dependent on caffeine’s effects and either cannot function without it or experience bad withdrawal symptoms. 7. Heart burn: Caffeinated beverages can increase the acidity of gastric secretions and trigger acid reflux. 8. Nausea and vomiting: Drinking too much caffeine can cause nausea and vomiting because it encourages the digestive system to work faster and causes the stomach to create more acid. This can lead to nausea and vomiting, especially when taken on an empty stomach. 9. Diarrhea: Because caffeine has a laxative effect, having too much caffeine can cause digestive issues like diarrhea. 10. Jitters: Jitters are the physical sensations after consuming too much caffeine. People tend to be shaky and ner-

vous because caffeine increases adrenaline in the body. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. Therefore, even a little bit of coffee can make you jittery.

Caffeine, although 100% natural, comes along with both benefits and risks. Caffeine has been shown to increase alertness, decrease the risk of certain illnesses, and improve gut health and the metabolism. Caffeine is healthy to consume but can cause negative effects when too much is ingested – it can can cause jitters, diarrhea, anxiety, and irritability. Caffeine is also extremely habit-forming and can be difficult to live without when our bodies get used to it.

The biggest issue with caffeine is its withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, poor concentration, and low energy. Withdrawal can last anywhere from 2-9 days, which can make it difficult to function.

The most important thing to know is that coffee, in controlled amounts, may be healthy for you. It can help you function better, improve your memory, and increase your attention span. As always, try to find a healthy balance in terms of what you drink and how many cups you consume.

Although caffeine does have some health benefits, caffeine can become addictive.

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @ alizabeer.