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Caffeine: Truths Which You Will Find Fascinating

By Debrah Elliot


Do you know that an average American consumes around 200mg of caffeine daily? This is according to the FDA. Even so, America is not the title holder for the most consumption of caffeine on a daily basis because according to a recent BBC article, it is Finland that holds the crown with its average adult consuming about 400mg of caffeine every day. This "caffeine" we are talking about is commonly thought to be found in coffee as majority of the people worldwide believe coffee to be the source of caffeine. However, caffeine is in fact found in many other food and drinks we consume. Here are more interesting facts about caffeine.

Of course, coffee contains a great deal of caffeine and coffee comes from the seed of the coffee tree. The seeds are green and must be roasted and ground in order to finally come up with the coffee which we make into various hot or cold drinks. It is possible to actually separate the caffeine from the coffee seed, and this caffeine is crystalline and white. Do you know that caffeine is not only found in coffee beans because others like the tea leaves, kola nuts and cocoa beans also naturally come with caffeine? Yes, there are more than 60 plants with caffeine in the leaves, seeds or fruits and while we enjoy the energy boost from caffeine, the plants use caffeine as a natural deterrent against insects.

Because of the fact that caffeine is not merely limited to coffee beans, a number of other foods and beverages we consume can also contain it. In fact, it can also come as man-made if it is used as additives to products. One interesting fact is that contrary to what we think about coffee beans having the highest amount of caffeine, tea leaves in fact comes with a higher amount. The only thing is that we tend to consume smaller amount of tea and add the fact that it is more diluted hence giving tea of lesser caffeine effects on the one drinking.

Chocolate and many soft drinks are other sources of caffeine. Perhaps you feel a lot more energized when you eat chocolates or when you drink colas because caffeine can also be found in these products. In the past, a soda would have its caffeine extracted from kola nuts and coca leaves while today the sources tend to be artificial. In both chocolate and cola, that energy burst comes from the sugar and the caffeine.

Many people drink coffee because apart from the energy boost, it also contains antioxidants and nutrients like the B vitamins. There have been studies showing that caffeine may have health benefits including the reduction of risks from Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. This is why some people still remain regular coffee-drinkers. However, as with anything, too much caffeine also has been shown to be unhealthy, especially to women who are pregnant.

If all these facts about caffeine have left you craving a cup of coffee, then be on your way to Island Monarch Coffee, which is one of Los Angeles' best places to grab a cup of coffee. Located near West L.A. College, this Culver City coffee ship imports beans directly from Hawaii and South America. These beans are not roasted until they reach Los Angeles and beans are never ground until you order you cup of coffee, ensuring perfect freshness. Even the water is the highest quality, reverse osmosis purified water.




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