That
would be 1,3,7-Trimethxylaxanthine, better known as caffeine. My mornings get a
lot better after the first dose, usually contained in a mug of Colombian roast
coffee, black no sugar. This comes to mind due to a tragic news story about a
University of Pennsylvania student who, according to her family, died after
drinking a Panera Charged Lemonade. The charge in the drink comes from caffeine
to which, it is alleged, the young lady was sensitive. Any stimulant can be a
problem for those with certain sensitivities or disorders such as tachycardia
and arrhythmia. Caffeine is not an exception. However, most people are highly
tolerant of the stuff, which is fortunate since it is present in a wide array
of drinks and foods – often as a natural ingredient rather than something
added.
As long ago as 1916 the FDA nearly put Coca-Cola out of business (see United States vs Forty Barrels and Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola) because of caffeine. The FDA alleged it was an adulterant that (it would be hard to make this up) promoted promiscuity in youth. Coca-Cola countered that caffeine was not an adulterant but a natural ingredient; it wasn’t added, the company argued, but was naturally present in the kola nut just as it was naturally present in cacao and coffee beans, neither of which were targeted by the FDA. (In 1916, one should keep in mind, opium and cocaine could be bought over the counter.) The case was touch-and-go for a while, but there is still caffeine in Coca-Cola today.
Direct lethal caffeine poisoning is possible to achieve but it takes dedication for an average person of normal metabolism. 5 grams is a low-end estimate of fatal toxicity for adults, though actual known cases involve much higher doses (such as from diet pills). 5 grams is equivalent to 23 liters (6 gallons) of coffee (standard McDonald’s blend) drunk at a single sitting. 23 liters of anything (even water) drunk all at once is likely to cause trouble. Indirect health risks are present at lower doses of course such as from an accelerated heart rate, especially in someone who has preexisting cardio issues. For most people, however, the effects of mild overdoses are limited to sleeplessness, jitteriness, and anxiety. I experience none of that from the one or two mugs of coffee with which I start a typical morning. The effects on me are all positive.
Tea is the caffeinated drink with the deepest known history. (Black tea has about half the caffeine of coffee of equivalent volume and strength.) Chinese legend credits Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 BCE for accidently discovering it when leaves blew into his boiling water. He enjoyed the flavor and the stimulation. Olmecs in Mesoamerica cultivated cacao from around 1000 BCE if not earlier. The Aztec “xocolatl” (which means “bitter water”) was favored in part for the stimulatory effects. Coffee, originating in Ethiopia, spread across the Islamic world in the 15th and 16th centuries. Coffee was popularized in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Coffee houses at the time were noted mercantile centers where shippers, traders, and financiers made deals. They were an improvement over taverns, at least for business, which generally is better conducted sober. Coffee just might have been the unsung fuel for the budding industrial revolution.
As long ago as 1916 the FDA nearly put Coca-Cola out of business (see United States vs Forty Barrels and Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola) because of caffeine. The FDA alleged it was an adulterant that (it would be hard to make this up) promoted promiscuity in youth. Coca-Cola countered that caffeine was not an adulterant but a natural ingredient; it wasn’t added, the company argued, but was naturally present in the kola nut just as it was naturally present in cacao and coffee beans, neither of which were targeted by the FDA. (In 1916, one should keep in mind, opium and cocaine could be bought over the counter.) The case was touch-and-go for a while, but there is still caffeine in Coca-Cola today.
Direct lethal caffeine poisoning is possible to achieve but it takes dedication for an average person of normal metabolism. 5 grams is a low-end estimate of fatal toxicity for adults, though actual known cases involve much higher doses (such as from diet pills). 5 grams is equivalent to 23 liters (6 gallons) of coffee (standard McDonald’s blend) drunk at a single sitting. 23 liters of anything (even water) drunk all at once is likely to cause trouble. Indirect health risks are present at lower doses of course such as from an accelerated heart rate, especially in someone who has preexisting cardio issues. For most people, however, the effects of mild overdoses are limited to sleeplessness, jitteriness, and anxiety. I experience none of that from the one or two mugs of coffee with which I start a typical morning. The effects on me are all positive.
Tea is the caffeinated drink with the deepest known history. (Black tea has about half the caffeine of coffee of equivalent volume and strength.) Chinese legend credits Emperor Shen Nung in 2737 BCE for accidently discovering it when leaves blew into his boiling water. He enjoyed the flavor and the stimulation. Olmecs in Mesoamerica cultivated cacao from around 1000 BCE if not earlier. The Aztec “xocolatl” (which means “bitter water”) was favored in part for the stimulatory effects. Coffee, originating in Ethiopia, spread across the Islamic world in the 15th and 16th centuries. Coffee was popularized in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Coffee houses at the time were noted mercantile centers where shippers, traders, and financiers made deals. They were an improvement over taverns, at least for business, which generally is better conducted sober. Coffee just might have been the unsung fuel for the budding industrial revolution.
Decaffeinated coffee seems a strange idea to caffeine lovers. Yet, it is older than one might think. It was developed in 1903 in Bremen, first marketed in Germany in 1905, and first sold in the US in 1909. The brand name Sanka derives from sans caffeine. Orange was the signature packaging color, which is why decaffeinated coffee of any brand in diners to this day is in pots with orange tops.
I won’t personally be switching to decaffeinated beverages anytime soon. On the other hand two mugs of full strength coffee are enough. I’ll encounter enough caffeine in other meals, snacks, and beverages to carry me though the rest of the day without actively seeking it out. We all have different sensitivities though. So if Java makes you jittery, by all means fill your cup from the pot with the orange top.
Rival Sons - Black
Coffee
I've gone to the one-half caffeine variety, it seems to cut back on the jitters. I like a lot of vaierty in flavors as well: mocha, vanilla, pecan, etc. What a great drug. :)
ReplyDeleteMostly I stick with Colombian, but I do occasionally brew flavored coffees: hazelnut, ginger, pumpkin spice et al. Just occasionally.
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