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LIQUID ASSETS
Big Sip Energy Coffee, tea and energy drinks provide vigor and pep, but too much caffeine comes at a cost. Luckbox tested low-caffeine and caffeine-free alternatives. By Mike Reddy
PHOTOGRAPHS: GARRETT ROODBERGEN
W
hen Aristotle said “the energy of the mind is the essence of life,” he likely wasn’t talking about caffeine—regardless of how fitting the proverb looks on a coffee mug. Nevertheless, many would argue that caffeine actually is the essence of life, particularly those dependent on coffee, tea or energy drinks to power through the day. Americans consume over 450 million cups of coffee every day, according to HowStuffWorks. That’s 120 million more cups than there are people in the country. Meanwhile, energy drinks represent 31% of the dollar sales of packaged beverages sold at convenience stores, according to Statista. Experts from the realms of medicine and chemistry, including those at the American Chemical Society, agree: Caffeine is the most popular psychoactive drug in the world. But too much of any good thing can be harmful—sugary energy-boosting stimulants not excepted. One can’t help but wonder: After how many espresso shots should the line be drawn in the grounds? Mayo Clinic staff suggest that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day should be safe for most adults. For context, an 8-ounce cup of coffee contains anywhere from 70 milligrams to 140 milligrams of caffeine. By comparison, a 12-ounce Red Bull contains about 114 milligrams of caffeine. Habitual Starbucks espresso drinkers may be surprised to learn that each shot adds about 75 milligrams of caffeine to a drink. By the sixth shot, they’ve already exceeded the daily recommended caffeine dose, and too much caffeine can result in headaches, sleeplessness, irritability, a fast heartbeat and muscle tremors, to name just a few adverse side effects. The editors at Luckbox are no strangers to caffeinated drinks—or drinking too many of them on occasion. So, we sought out and tested a variety of low-caffeine and caffeine-free alternatives that boast energy-boosting properties without the unwanted side effects and sugar. These were our favorites.
Do superimposed rectangles indicate Leonardo da Vinci laid out the Mona Lisa according to the golden ratio?
May 2022 | Luckbox
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