Health News
- Teens Don't Need Sports Drinks Unless They Are Playing Sports, And Shouldn't Consume Energy Drinks, Experts Say
Though teens are increasingly consuming sports and energy drinks, the beverages don't offer them any benefits, a report contends. In fact, teens should only consume sports drinks like Gatorade if they're actually playing sports and avoid caffeinated...
- Legislator Wants Ban On Caffeinated Energy Drinks
Kentucky teenagers will have to be 18 in order to buy high-caffeine energy drinks if state Rep. Danny Ford, R-Mount Vernon, has his way. The lawmaker, left, told The Associated Press he plans to have the General Assembly consider banning the sales of...
- Fat Burning Soda?
By Dr. Madelyn FernstromPepsiCo has just launched a new soda in Japan, claiming to burn fat and support weight loss. It?s called ?Pepsi Special? and the ?special weight loss ingredient? is the addition of dextrin to the standard Pepsi formula. Dextrin...
- Healthy Eating In Black And White: Part Two
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom You might be surprised to know that an important health-promoting antioxidant called anthocyanin also provides a dark purple/black pigment to a wide variety of foods. Like the foods described earlier this week, many nutrient-dense...
- Take Tea And See!
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom While liquid calories can add hundreds of extra daily calories, a tasty, calorie free option is tea. While green tea is richest in health-promoting antioxidants, other teas (like white and black teas) are also good sources. Studies...
Health News
All About Caffeine
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed compounds in the world. Nature?s original stimulant, caffeine is found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cola nuts. Because caffeine boosts mental focus and alertness, it was an important survival tool in caveman days, when our ancestors had to run away from predators and search for food.
But nowadays, when it comes to caffeine consumption, a little goes a long way. The LESS you consume, the better it works when you need a boost. Too much caffeine makes your body resistant to the positive effects and can result in health negatives, including rapid heart beat, stomach upset, and jitteriness. When it comes to caffeine, less is definitely more.
Most adults should limit caffeine intake to about 300 mg daily. That?s about two mugs of coffee or five cups of tea. An added ?turbo shot? from a coffee house adds another 100 mg or so.
Caffeine is well known to help athletic performance, so a large cup of coffee before exercising can help support energy and endurance by directly influencing muscle activity as well as boosting mental focus. Make sure to stick with coffee or tea, and don't take caffeine-containing pills (like No-Doz).
If you want to start decreasing your caffeine intake, you can go cold turkey, but you?ll likely get a headache for a few days. To avoid that headache, try cutting your intake in half every few days. Or, make your coffee half-decaf and drink herbal teas and caffeine-free sodas.
Make sure to check with your doctor if you are ?caffeine sensitive,? have a medical condition, or take medications (like asthma medicines) that might mean you need to cut back on caffeine beyond the general health recommendations.
- Teens Don't Need Sports Drinks Unless They Are Playing Sports, And Shouldn't Consume Energy Drinks, Experts Say
Though teens are increasingly consuming sports and energy drinks, the beverages don't offer them any benefits, a report contends. In fact, teens should only consume sports drinks like Gatorade if they're actually playing sports and avoid caffeinated...
- Legislator Wants Ban On Caffeinated Energy Drinks
Kentucky teenagers will have to be 18 in order to buy high-caffeine energy drinks if state Rep. Danny Ford, R-Mount Vernon, has his way. The lawmaker, left, told The Associated Press he plans to have the General Assembly consider banning the sales of...
- Fat Burning Soda?
By Dr. Madelyn FernstromPepsiCo has just launched a new soda in Japan, claiming to burn fat and support weight loss. It?s called ?Pepsi Special? and the ?special weight loss ingredient? is the addition of dextrin to the standard Pepsi formula. Dextrin...
- Healthy Eating In Black And White: Part Two
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom You might be surprised to know that an important health-promoting antioxidant called anthocyanin also provides a dark purple/black pigment to a wide variety of foods. Like the foods described earlier this week, many nutrient-dense...
- Take Tea And See!
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom While liquid calories can add hundreds of extra daily calories, a tasty, calorie free option is tea. While green tea is richest in health-promoting antioxidants, other teas (like white and black teas) are also good sources. Studies...