Caffeine is something we have all run into in our lives. It comes in many forms, so there is almost certainly a product you like that has caffeine in it. So, what actually is caffeine, what does it do, and is it really healthy to drink so much of it every day. If you have these questions, you should keep reading because we’re going to go over them and then some!
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What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance that’s found in over 60 different types of plants. It’s also added to food and beverages as an additive to improve alertness, focus, and overall performance. Caffeine has been used for hundreds of yearsāin fact, some think it was first discovered during the early 1500s by a chemist named Angelo Mariani who observed that his patients improved when he gave them coffee (which contains caffeine) for their ailments. It wasn’t until the 1950s that scientists were able to isolate the specific chemical compound that made us feel more awake: caffeine!
Caffeine is the most widely consumed stimulant in the world, found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and some soft drinks.
It’s a diuretic that can have a positive effect on mood and energy levels. Caffeine is also addictive: it produces physical dependence if consumed regularly for more than a few weeks at a time.
Where is it used?
Caffeine is primarily used as an additive to food and beverages, but can also be given as a drug for certain conditions. The most common sources of caffeine are coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa beans (cacao). Caffeine is also found in other widely consumed foods such as chocolate bars, soft drinks, and energy drinks.
Naturally occurring caffeine is not the same as synthetic caffeine which is manufactured from chemicals instead of plants. While both forms offer similar effects on the body when consumed, they may have different side effects depending on their sourceāfor example, if you consume too much natural caffeine by accident it might make you feel jittery whereas synthetic versions have fewer side effects like these because they’re not extracted from living organisms like trees!
Why we need to monitor our caffeine intake
While caffeine is one of the most commonly used stimulants in the world, it has also been shown to have negative effects on health. It’s important to know how much caffeine you are taking each day so that you can avoid any negative side effects. To help you know if you are taking too much caffeine, we have developed this calculator.
How to use the caffeine calculator
Think of this calculator as a kind of survey. All you need to do is answer a few questions, and the calculator will tell you whether you have surpassed your maximum recommended dose.
For an adult, the maximum recommended dose is 400 mg, for a teenager aged 13-18 100 mg, for a pregnant woman 200 mg, and for a child 0.
FAQ
When was caffeine discovered?
Caffeine has been used by the human race since before recorded history.
Who first isolated caffeine from coffee?
Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge isolated and purified the white crystalline substance in 1819.
What happens if you drink too much coffee?
Too much caffeine can cause high blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease, and can cause side effects like dizziness, shakiness, headache, or abnormal heartbeat.