Archive for the ‘caffeine’ Category

For several years the joint venture between Miller Brewing Company and Molson Coors US and Puerto Rican operations have been putting caffeine in some of their beers. After complaints and consulting with the US attorneys general MillerCoors will remove the caffeine from their Sparks brand of beer.

The health advocacy group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) sued the brewer in order to get the change.

Anheuser-Busch said they were removing the same ingredients from its malt beverage brands like Tilt and Bud Extra after getting pressure from consumer organizations.

We won’t even go to all the soft drinks that are loaded with caffeine. I mentioned that in an earlier article on this blog.

With the increase of beverages claiming to boost energy, researchers warn about caffeine toxicity. For example Coca Cola and Pepsi have 34.5 mg and 38 mg of caffeine respectively. Some of these new energy drinks have between 50 mg to 505 mg each.

The United States does not regulate nor require how much caffeine is in these drinks so the average person has no idea how dangerous these drinks could be.

Clinical studies on “caffeine intoxication” say that there may be symptoms of nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, stomach upset and motor skill agitation.

Then there are the caffeine withdrawal symptoms. I have personally encountered these symptoms myself. After one hospital visit I had such a headache I called the emergency number and the doctor told me to make a pot of coffee. Within 15 minutes my headache was gone.

Green tea has 15mg of caffeine; coffee between 80 – 175 mg; two ounces of espresso coffee has 100 mg; decaf coffee between 2 – 4 mg of caffeine. Just by comparison 8.2 oz of Red Bull has 80 mg; Jolt, 71.2; Pepsi One 55.5; and Mountain Dew 55.

And for the record I drink decaf and a lot of tea.

For more information on this story of caffeine go to: www.foodnavigator-usa.com. September 24, 2008