Coffee and Caffeine

Coffee and Caffeine

Coffee contains caffeine... a mild stimulant to the central nervous system.

The caffeine in coffee occurs naturally; it’s not added to coffee (as it is, for example, added to many soft drinks.) Coffee – with its stimulating constituent, caffeine – is the most popular mood-altering substance on the planet, and has been for more than 300 years.

Caffeine promotes wakefulness by interfering with adenosine, a chemical in the body that acts as something of an natural sleep-promoting drug. In addition to its wakeful properties, caffeine – in moderate amounts – has been shown to enhance mood and increase alertness.

In moderate amounts, caffeine has been shown to decrease pain, alleviate asthma symptoms and migraine headaches, even to combat jet lag. The key, of course, is the phrase we seem to be repeating quite a lot… moderation.

What’s moderate? The medical community today generally agrees that 3 or 4 cups of coffee a day should be considered moderate consumption. What’s moderate for you, however, is largely a matter of how you respond to caffeine. If you have questions or concerns about your own consumption of caffeine, please talk to your doctor.

Relative Caffeine Content

Product	Serving Size	Caffeine
Brewed Coffee	6 oz.	100-150mg
Espresso	1.5 oz.	80-120mg
Brewed Decaf Coffee	6 oz.	3mg
Iced Tea	12 oz.	70mg
Hot Tea	6 oz.	60mg
Cola	12 oz.	30-55mg
Chocolate Bar	2 oz.	30-50mg