I have been drinking decaf coffee and decaf sodas for over twenty years. When people see me make decaf in the kitchen at work (day job) or order decaf, some begin to question why I drink decaf and say that decaf is for wimps. I was amazed and disturbed that someone would stick their nose into my coffee drinking business. When I drink full caffeinated coffee I’m jittery and if I drink it too late in the day it disturbs my sleep. It’s funny, I can drink a Pepsi or Coke and I don’t get the jitters, but it will keep me up all night.
It all boils down to knowing what your body can handle. Another side effect of caffeine for me is tender breasts and as a cancer survivor when you go to have a mammogram that is the last thing you want; a mammogram is still one of the most unpleasant medical tests on the planet.
Recently I got into a lightweight debate on caffeine vs decaf on Facebook, several people wanted to know why did they make decaf coffee? I was amazed at their thoughts and views.
I have never needed coffee to wake up I like the warmth of it, the taste and the aroma. Also coffee can be such a social drink, sitting around a fire or outside at a coffee shop is fun and I enjoy that but I don’t want the side effects of real coffee.
According to fitday.com, caffeine’s main side effect is increased alertness and energy, but there are other benefits as well as negative aspects to it. One benefit is assistance in pain killing, as caffeine has been shown to help boost the effectiveness of over the counter pain killers by as much as 40 percent. This is why you find them in migraine pain relievers. One night I had a terrible head ache and took an Excedrin, I was up all night and could not figure out why. I finally read the label and saw it contained caffeine. Some of the positives of caffeine is that it has been found to aid in reducing the risk of contracting the following conditions:
Diabetes
Colon Cancer
Parkinson’s disease
Cavities
Many parents may be wondering why their children are so restless, it may be their caffeine intake. I’ve noticed some parents don’t monitor what their children drink and let them have anything they ask for. With the growing popularity of energy drinks and coffee drinks, parents should be concerned about how much caffeine their kids are getting. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents get no more than 100 mg of caffeine a day. Younger children shouldn’t drink caffeinated beverages on a regular basis. A regular cup of brewed coffee (8 ounce) has 95-200 mg of caffeine while 8 ounces of decaf has 2-12 mg. It is rare that one will limit their intake to 8 ounces, it is reported that the 60 percent of the population has 2 to 3 cups a day. Abruptly stopping caffeine use can lead to symptoms of withdrawals, including headaches and irritability.
(Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com)
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