Cut the Caffeine

No one needs caffeine. This might seem hard to believe, since many adults say they need caffeine to make it through the day. However, caffeine is not a necessary part of anyone's diet. Let's take a look at the facts.

• What is caffeine?
• How does it work?
• Why do people like caffeine?
• What is the downside of caffeine?
• How much is too much?

What is caffeine?

Caffeine is a natural chemical, which means that it is found in nature and then put into products. Caffeine is in coffee beans, tea leaves, cola nuts (which give cola its flavor) and cacao plants (which are used to make chocolate).
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How does it work?

Caffeine is a stimulant, which means that eating or drinking caffeine makes you feel more awake and alert. Caffeine gives people artificial energy, meaning it is not the healthy kind of energy that someone would get from a good night's sleep.
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Why do people like caffeine?

Drinking a caffeinated drink makes people feel more awake. If a person did not get a lot of sleep or feels tired in the morning, a cup of coffee or can of soda can temporarily give that person an extra boost to feel more energetic.
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What is the downside of caffeine?

Caffeine might make you feel more awake, but it can also have some negative effects on your body.

• Caffeine is a diuretic. A diuretic makes you have to urinate (pee) more than normal, and you can become dehydrated if you do not also drink plenty of water.
  
• Caffeine is addictive. It's not as addictive as cigarettes and drugs. However, if you don't get your usual dose of caffeine, you may get one or more of the following symptoms:
  • Nausea
    
  • Headache
    
  • Stomachache
    
  • Tired
• If you have too much caffeine, you can get jumpy or not be able to sleep at night.

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How much is too much?

The experts say that a child who is seven to nine years of age should not have more than 63 milligrams of caffeine a day. This is about 16 ounces of soda (one can of soda is 12 ounces). Children 10 to 12 years of age should not have more than 85 mg of caffeine (about 22 ounces of soda) per day. Your parents may want you to have even less.

Learn more about caffeine, and view a chart of the caffeine content in some common food and drinks at Caffeine Confusion at Kidshealth.org. You might be surprised at how much caffeine is in your favorite food and drinks!
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