Battle of the Buzz

©All articles are copyright of Dr. Susan Mitchell and Practicalories, Inc. and cannot be reprinted or used without permission. To obtain permission, please contact Dr. Mitchell.

Have you noticed that people are drinking coffee all day long? It seems like everywhere you look, someone's carrying a Starbucks cup. If you've ever been in line at Starbucks, you'll hear people customize their drink announcing every ingredient. You've got your Java Chip Frap, Pumpkin Spice Frap, Skinny Caramel Latte Espresso..there's something for every season and every person. If you go to the Starbucks website, you can put in your drink of choice to find the nutritional value, even the amount of caffeine. Buzz inducing coffees and high energy drinks now have new caffeinated contenders in the marketplace. We can add beer to the list. That's right, beer. Anheuser-Busch introduced Bud Extra and Miller has Sparks. Both contain alcohol, caffeine and other stimulant additives including ginseng or guarana.

It's the battle of the buzz! And it doesn't stop here. Want your buzz from candy, gum, mints or oatmeal? Yes, oatmeal. How about 'energy candy'? Snickers now comes in Snickers Charged along with about 60 milligrams (mg) of caffeine. Jelly Belly has Extreme Sports Beans. Fourteen jelly beans contain about 50 milligrams of caffeine. One piece of Jolt gum roughly 60 milligrams. Crackheads, which are chocolate covered espresso beans, contain 120 mg in a small box.a little over an ounce. Caffeine added to all types of food items is THE current trend.

This addition of caffeine is not without controversy. Energy drink sales have skyrocketed. These caffeine-enhanced products are marketed to teenagers and young adults (20s-30s). Don't be fooled, younger children are definitely consuming these products as well as adults well into their 60s and beyond. Here's what you need to know whether you're making decisions for your health or your children.

Why the controversy? The potential health concerns of caffeine abuse. The American Dietetic Association suggests that 300 milligrams of caffeine per day is a fairly safe range for most people. Coffee can vary from less than 100 mg of caffeine per cup to well over 300 depending on the size of the container and the brew. While studies show that caffeine may benefit athletic performance and mental sharpness, here's the concern. Symptoms such as feeling nervous and anxious, not being able to sleep, and stomach aches are not uncommon at caffeine levels under 300 milligrams. For regular caffeine consumers, where you get the caffeine is really not the issue. But if you're caffeine sensitive or not use to much caffeine in your diet, or not sure how caffeine affects you, the issues are different.

It is so easy to consume large amounts of caffeine and not be aware of it. Drink coffee, add an energy drink, chew a piece of energy gum and you may forget about eating real nutritious food.after all, you've got a buzz on and have plenty of energy. Who needs to eat? So instead of healthy food selections, you're buzzing along on caffeine-spiked products often enhanced with the herbals ginseng and guarana which have a caffeine-like affect. Here's the potential for a double or triple whammy. For someone who is caffeine sensitive or not use to much caffeine, the effects of these herbals added to the caffeine may not be pleasant.

The heart rate and blood pressure go up, feelings of panic and anxiety can set in at any age, and it's hard to sleep. Children or young adults may not be able to gauge their reactions to these enhanced products..particularly beers with added caffeine. The hype of the caffeine may make them forget about the potential effects of alcohol.

Whatever your buzz, choose wisely. If in doubt, check it out..the label that is. Read, be a label sleuth as new and different products are constantly entering the market place. Be aware of what your children are eating and drinking both at home and with their friends. The names of the products are cool and hip but may contain ingredients that cause symptoms that are anything but that.