It seems like an oxymoron at first. Energy drinks are usually laced with artificially produced caffeine, High Fructose Corn Syrup, synthetic Taurine (ref: Dangers of Taurine with Caffeine) and of course, for marketing effect artificially produced vitamins. How can any of this be good for you. It isn't.
Many of today's 18-30 year olds consume energy drink daily. Some are starting to suffer from skin, liver, pancreas or digestive tract problems. This is besides the effect these chemical cocktails can have on one's heart (increased and irregular heartbeats) or skin (dehydration).
An entire new generation is coming into adulthood without their parents' coffee routine, but with a morning, afternoon or evening energy drink. Sometimes all three. Many spend hours online gaming, instead of exercising, which accentuates the problem with energy drinks, introducing type 2 diabetes and other sedentary diseases.
Why are energy drinks worse than coffee? One could say that many more people drink a cup or two or three of coffee every day and have never had any of the health issues associated with Taurine and energy drinks. This is because coffee derives its caffeine from coffee beans.
Like most natural substances, the caffeine in the coffee beans cannot easily be separated as a distinct molecular structure. It comes with many other elements, including fibrous membranes, which actually reduce the speed of absorption of the active caffeine.
In most energy drinks, the caffeine is synthetically produced in a factory, usually in India or China. This synthetic caffeine has one advantage over natural caffeine: it is extremely potent. All of the natural byproducts that come with natural caffeine from coffee beans or Guarana are not present with laboratory caffeine. It is also much cheaper to produce than natural caffeine, another great thing, from the manufacturer's point of view. Unfortunately, from a consumer's point of view, this concentrated caffeine blast is absorbed into the bloodstream almost as soon as it hits the stomach.
Natural products like the actual coffee from coffee beans, Guarana seeds or tea leaves, are absorbed more gradually by the body. They are also not as concentrated and therefore less toxic than the chemical caffeine in most energy drinks. Here are some advantages of natural caffeine (whether it be in coffee, tea or Guarana). Firstly, the increased mental alertness is longer. Instead of the instant high you get from most energy drinks and then the subsequent downfall, you get a sustained feeling of mental clarity for a few hours and the effect eventually wears off more naturally and gradually.
A second good thing happens over the medium and long term. Continuous usage of synthetic caffeine tends to over saturate the nervous system. If this excessive use continues, our nervous system rebels. This is our body's way of telling us to reduce the intake of this toxic substance. Our hands start shaking, nervous tics can develop; we start to see the same signs of stress as you would from depression or anxiety. This often leads to bigger problems.
With natural caffeine or guaranine, the body can more easily flush out the excess quantities and not overtax the nervous system. But even with natural caffeine, one must use moderation. It is best to stick with one regular cup of coffee or tea (not the large Starbucks which is really like 6 coffees) or one 12 oz can of a natural energy drink or unsweetened cold tea.
Organic coffees don't contain any of the chemicals used in large farming operations. Whole Foods Markets has a wide variety of these.
Two natural energy drinks that I like are GURU Energy Drinks from Canada and Syzmo from the US. They are made exclusively with natural caffeine from Guarana and/or coffee. The big plus for GURU is that its Organic and doesn't have added vitamins. Syzmo is excellent quality but much more expensive, and the taste needs getting used to. GURU has an all natural low-cal energy drink sweetened with Stevia called (GURU Lite), which is an added bonus (see my post on Benefits of Stevia: (ref: For Dollars (will) Authorize (FDA)).
In the world of teas; cold, naturally brewed beverages provide both anti-oxidants and natural caffeine. A brand I recommend highly is ITOEN, from Japan. They have some unsweetened products with a unique taste that grows on you after a while. Teas Teas - 14915
Many of today's 18-30 year olds consume energy drink daily. Some are starting to suffer from skin, liver, pancreas or digestive tract problems. This is besides the effect these chemical cocktails can have on one's heart (increased and irregular heartbeats) or skin (dehydration).
An entire new generation is coming into adulthood without their parents' coffee routine, but with a morning, afternoon or evening energy drink. Sometimes all three. Many spend hours online gaming, instead of exercising, which accentuates the problem with energy drinks, introducing type 2 diabetes and other sedentary diseases.
Why are energy drinks worse than coffee? One could say that many more people drink a cup or two or three of coffee every day and have never had any of the health issues associated with Taurine and energy drinks. This is because coffee derives its caffeine from coffee beans.
Like most natural substances, the caffeine in the coffee beans cannot easily be separated as a distinct molecular structure. It comes with many other elements, including fibrous membranes, which actually reduce the speed of absorption of the active caffeine.
In most energy drinks, the caffeine is synthetically produced in a factory, usually in India or China. This synthetic caffeine has one advantage over natural caffeine: it is extremely potent. All of the natural byproducts that come with natural caffeine from coffee beans or Guarana are not present with laboratory caffeine. It is also much cheaper to produce than natural caffeine, another great thing, from the manufacturer's point of view. Unfortunately, from a consumer's point of view, this concentrated caffeine blast is absorbed into the bloodstream almost as soon as it hits the stomach.
Natural products like the actual coffee from coffee beans, Guarana seeds or tea leaves, are absorbed more gradually by the body. They are also not as concentrated and therefore less toxic than the chemical caffeine in most energy drinks. Here are some advantages of natural caffeine (whether it be in coffee, tea or Guarana). Firstly, the increased mental alertness is longer. Instead of the instant high you get from most energy drinks and then the subsequent downfall, you get a sustained feeling of mental clarity for a few hours and the effect eventually wears off more naturally and gradually.
A second good thing happens over the medium and long term. Continuous usage of synthetic caffeine tends to over saturate the nervous system. If this excessive use continues, our nervous system rebels. This is our body's way of telling us to reduce the intake of this toxic substance. Our hands start shaking, nervous tics can develop; we start to see the same signs of stress as you would from depression or anxiety. This often leads to bigger problems.
With natural caffeine or guaranine, the body can more easily flush out the excess quantities and not overtax the nervous system. But even with natural caffeine, one must use moderation. It is best to stick with one regular cup of coffee or tea (not the large Starbucks which is really like 6 coffees) or one 12 oz can of a natural energy drink or unsweetened cold tea.
Organic coffees don't contain any of the chemicals used in large farming operations. Whole Foods Markets has a wide variety of these.
Two natural energy drinks that I like are GURU Energy Drinks from Canada and Syzmo from the US. They are made exclusively with natural caffeine from Guarana and/or coffee. The big plus for GURU is that its Organic and doesn't have added vitamins. Syzmo is excellent quality but much more expensive, and the taste needs getting used to. GURU has an all natural low-cal energy drink sweetened with Stevia called (GURU Lite), which is an added bonus (see my post on Benefits of Stevia: (ref: For Dollars (will) Authorize (FDA)).
In the world of teas; cold, naturally brewed beverages provide both anti-oxidants and natural caffeine. A brand I recommend highly is ITOEN, from Japan. They have some unsweetened products with a unique taste that grows on you after a while. Teas Teas - 14915
About the Author:
Dr. Jones is an expert in dietary issues and physical and emotional well-being. He writes and consults with a variety of companies providing more natural alternatives to everyday consumer products. For more, read his blog on Squidoo at Natural Foods & Drinks
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