Caffeine II

In Caffeine I, we talked about what caffeine is and how it works on the mind. In addition to working as a brain stimulant, caffeine has also been shown to improve athletic performance and endurance.

Two additional things to keep in mind about caffeine are that it is a diuretic and it causes increased calcium loss. So, if you consume caffeine, you should make sure that you are drinking enough water to avoid dehydration and that you are getting enough calcium in your diet.

It's probably a good idea to limit your caffeine intake to 250mg per day (less if you are pregnant). Unfortunately, companies rarely label their products with the amount of caffeine that they contain. Here is a little chart to help you.

Drip Coffee (8oz)	95mg
Instant Coffee (8oz)	85mg
Decaf Coffee (8oz)	3mg
Espresso (1oz)	40mg
Coffee Ice Cream (1 cup)	50mg
Brewed Tea (8oz)	50mg
Instant Tea (8oz)	28mg
Iced Tea (8oz)	25mg
Snapple Tea	42mg
Cocoa (8oz)	6mg
Chocolate Milk (8oz)	5mg
Chocolate Bar	10mg
Mountain Dew	56mg
Diet Coke	47mg
Coke	35mg
Pepsi	38mg
Barq's Root Beer	23mg
NoDoz Max Strength	200mg
NoDoz Regular Strength	100mg