Caffeine Content In Coffee

-

Have you ever thought about the content of caffeine in coffee? Approximately 100-135 mg caffeine is present in an eight ounce cup of drip brewed coffee. Here is some useful information on coffee caffeine content, caffeine sensitivity and other products that contain caffeine.
Caffeine is chemically a xanthine alkaloid that acts as stimulant of the central nervous system. It ranks as the world's most popular psychoactive substance. Medically, caffeine is referred to as trimethylxanthine. In the United States, about 90 percent people consume caffeine every day, in one way or the other. We all have a fair idea regarding the caffeine content in coffee. Besides coffee, caffeine is present in other natural plant sources like tea, kola and guarana. Among the several food items, coffee beans is the main source for caffeine worldwide.

Though the FDA enlisted caffeine as a substance safe for consumption, consuming a high concentration is harmful for health. In some people, caffeine intake causes certain adverse effects like headache, sleep disorder, nervousness and irritability. Considering the various caffeine side effects, it is very important for us to learn the pros and cons of caffeine intake and the amount of caffeine in coffee and other beverages.

Caffeine in Coffee

The diuretic and stimulative properties of caffeine induce certain metabolic effects. Hence, consuming caffeinated beverages like tea, coffee, soft drinks and energy drinks aids in overcoming drowsiness and increasing alertness. The ingested caffeine is not retained in the body, but its effects are observed after 15 minutes and last for as long as 6 hours. This is the reason as to why, many people state that they cannot start their day without a cup of coffee in the morning.

The amount of caffeine in coffee varies significantly based on the coffee type and the mode of brewing. The usual drip-brewed coffee contains approximately 100-135 mg per cup (8 ounce size), while the espresso contains about 30 mg per ounce coffee and instant coffee contains about 95 mg per cup (8 ounce size). On a general note, drinking two to three brewed coffee cups a day is not harmful for people who are not hypersensitive to caffeine.

Caffeine Sensitivity

Caffeine sensitivity is the term that refers to the body's responses towards caffeine intake. To be precise, the amount of the bitter alkaloid that stimulates a person may vary, depending upon the body size and the sensitivity. The smaller the size of the individual, the lesser is the caffeine amount to produce effects and vice versa. People who take coffee several times a day require more concentration of caffeine than first time coffee drinkers to experience the same effect.

Decaffeinated Coffee and Other Products

It is to be borne in mind that decaffeinated coffee also contains caffeine. Nevertheless, the amount of the alkaloid in decaffeinated coffee is comparatively lesser (about 5-7 mg per 8 ounce cup) than the regular coffee. In medical science, caffeine is administered as a mild diuretic and cardiac stimulant. Commercially, it is extracted as a white, crystalline and bitter powder, which is then used in various processed food items and pharmaceutical products. For example, pain killers, diet pills and common cold medications are formulated by using caffeine in specific concentrations.

Overall, caffeine is a highly addictive substance and is referred to as a commonly consumed drug. It works in the same brain stimulating mechanism as that of other strong drugs, but in a subtle way. As per studies, ingesting a very high dose of caffeine is fatal. Taking 10 gm of caffeine, which accounts to 170mg/kg of the body weight can lead to life-threatening symptoms. To be on the safer side, take a note of the caffeine content in coffee and keep it minimum, not more than 2-3 cups per day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Is Atomic And Molecular Orbitals

-
Image
A more detailed model of covalent bonding requires a consideration of valence shell atomic orbitals. For second period elements such as carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, these orbitals have been designated 2 s , 2p x , 2p y   & 2p z . The spatial distribution of electrons occupying each of these orbitals is shown in the diagram below.   Very nice displays of orbitals may be found at the following sites: J. Gutow, Univ. Wisconsin Oshkosh R. Spinney, Ohio State  M. Winter, Sheffield University The valence shell electron configuration of carbon is 2 s 2 , 2p x 1 , 2p y 1  & 2p z 0 . If this were the configuration used in covalent bonding, carbon would only be able to form two bonds. In this case, the valence shell would have six electrons- two shy of an octet. However, the tetrahedral structures of methane and carbon tetrachloride demonstrate that carbon can form four equivalent bonds, leading to the desired octet. In order to explain this covalent bonding, Linus Pauling prop
Read more

What Is Melting Points

-
Image
Most organic compounds have melting points below 200 ºC. Some decompose before melting, a few sublime, but a majority undergo repeated melting and crystallization without any change in molecular structure. When a pure crystalline compound is heated, or a liquid cooled, the change in sample temperature with time is roughly uniform. However, if the solid melts, or the liquid freezes, a discontinuity occurs and the temperature of the sample remains constant until the phase change is complete. This behavior is shown in the diagram on the right, with the green segment representing the solid phase, light blue the liquid, and red the temperature invariant liquid/solid equilibrium. For a given compound, this temperature represents its melting point (or freezing point), and is a reproducible constant as long as the external pressure does not change. The length of the horizontal portion depends on the size of the sample, since a quantity of heat proportional to the heat of fusion must be
Read more

Uses OF Alkynes In Nature And Medicine

-
Alkynes in nature and medicine According to Ferdinand Bohlmann, the first naturally occurring acetylenic compound, dehydromatricaria ester, was isolated from an Artemisia  species in 1826 . Polyynes, a subset of this class of natural products, have been isolated from a wide variety of plant species, cultures of higher fungi, bacteria, marine sponges, and corals.  Some acids like  tariric acid  contains an alkyne group. Diynes and triynes, species with the linkage RC ≡ C-C ≡ CR' and RC ≡ C-C ≡ C-C ≡ CR' respectively, occur in certain plants ( Ichthyothere , Chrysanthemum ,  Cicuta ,  Oenanthe  and other members of the  Asteraceae  and  Apiaceae  families).  Some examples are  cicutoxin , oenanthotoxin ,  falcarinol  and  carotatoxin . These compounds are highly bioactive, e.g. as  nematocides .  1-Phenylhepta-1,3,5-triyne is illustrative of a naturally occurring triyne. Alkynes occur in some pharmaceuticals, including the contraceptive  norethynodrel .  A car
Read more