Caffeine
Caffeine in its natural and added forms is found in a growing list of products including coffee, tea, cola beverages, new "energy" drinks, chocolate and even some medicines. The increasing presence of caffeine in our lives raises the question of how much is too much for the average consumer.
Health Canada's recommendations on caffeine intake for women of child-bearing age and children were lowered in 2003 based on new research.
For the rest of the general population of healthy adults, the long-standing advice still applies of no more than 400mg of caffeine per day, the equivalent of about three 8-oz (237ml) cups of brewed coffee. Background Caffeine is a natural ingredient found in the leaves, seeds or fruit of a number of plants, including coffee, tea, cocoa, kola, guarana and yerba maté.
It is also manufactured and used as a food additive in some carbonated drinks, and as an ingredient in certain drug products, such as cold and headache remedies. Canadian adults get an estimated 60% of their caffeine from coffee and about 30% from tea. The remaining 10% comes from cola beverages, chocolate products and medicines. For children aged one to five, about 55% comes from cola drinks, about 30% from tea, and about 14% from chocolate. The rest comes from other sources, including medicines.
The Health Effects of Caffeine It is difficult to link precise intake levels of caffeine to specific health effects because tolerance to caffeine differs widely from person to person. For healthy adults, a small amount of caffeine may have positive effects, such as increased alertness or ability to concentrate... more>>>