Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Energy Or Enemy? Teens Drink Of Choice
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Power Vegetables In A Drink |
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Apparently, it doesn't take a biochemist to formulate an energy drink. No, according to Starbucks, any guy off the street is qualified. At least that's whose opinion mattered most when the coffee giant recently created the ingredient list for its own concoction.
"There are many energy ingredients on the market, and B vitamins, guarana, and ginseng are the ones our customers are most familiar with," says Ruby Amegah, product development manager for the team behind the Starbucks Doubleshot Energy + Coffee. Which perhaps in large part explains why the company chose them; It's smart marketing.
Trouble is, by letting consumer research influence ingredient lists, energy-drink companies are helping popularize exotic-sounding compounds that even scientists don't yet fully understand. The approach has worked: Last year, Americans spent $4.2 billion on these supposedly high octane elixirs. And that's probably why manufacturers haven't strayed far from the best-selling recipe they used when the first energy drinks took off a dozen years ago.
It's a formulation that includes a hefty dose of caffeine and sugar combined with smaller amounts of seemingly obscure substances, most notably guarana, ginseng, and taurine.
But do these beverages really energize your body and sharpen your mind? Or should you can the energy drinks for good? To help you separate the science from the sales pitch, I analyzed five key ingredients in the market's most popular potions.
Caffeine: What is it? Caffeine is a chemical compound that stimulates your central nervous system. Most energy drinks contain between 140 and 170 milligrams (mg) of caffeine in a 15- or 16-ounce can.
Does it work? Java junkies certainly think so. As for the science, an Austrian study showed that men who swallowed 100 mg of caffeine had a bigger boost in brain activity after 20 minutes than those who took a placebo.
Is caffeine safe? The most caffeine-packed energy drink contains the equivalent in caffeine of about two 8-ounce cups of coffee. If downing that much joe doesn't make you jittery, then quaffing a can shouldn't pose a problem. Of course, if you combine that with other caffeinated beverages throughout the day, then the sum total stimulation could cause headaches, sleeplessness, or nausea.
Glucose: What is it? Sugar. Sucrose, another ingredient you'll often see on energy drink labels, is a combination of fructose (the natural sugar found in fruit) and glucose. Many energy drinks contain 50 to 60 grams (g) of glucose or sucrose in a 16-ounce can.
Does Glucose work? Your body runs mainly on glucose, so topping off your tank with the sweet stuff should theoretically provide an instant boost.
Is Glucose safe? Dumping empty calories down your gullet is never a great idea, and some energy drinks contain nearly as much sugar as a 20-ounce soda. Then there's the fact that a sudden infusion of glucose can cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to skyrocket, signaling your body to stop incinerating fat.
Guarana: What is it? Guarna is a South American shrub. One seed has caffeine content of 4 to 5 percent, while a coffee bean has 1 to 2 percent. The amount of guarana in a 16-ounce energy drink ranges from a minuscule 1.4 mg to as much as 300 mg.
Does Guarana work? Yes, if you don't set the bar too high. Is Guarana safe? Scientists at Florida's Nova Southeastern University conducted tests and concluded that the amounts of guarana found in most energy drinks aren't large enough to cause any adverse effects.
Ginseng: What is it? An extract made from the root of the ginseng plant. Panax ginseng is the species most commonly used. The ginseng content in energy drinks typically ranges between 8 mg and 400 mg in 16 ounces.
Does Ginseng work? Not if you're hoping for energy to burn. However, ginseng is known to boost brainpower. Is it safe? Since the amount of ginseng in an energy drink is minimal, harmful effects are unlikely. And while there have been some reports of negative side effects from ginseng - diarrhea, for example - Scholey points out that those occurred in people taking 3 g a day.
Taurine: What is it? One of the most abundant amino acids in your brain, where it can act as a neurotransmitter a chemical messenger that allows your cells to communicate with one another. Does Taurine work? Scientists aren't sure, but it doesn't seem likely. When taurine is dumped into your bloodstream when you down a Red Bull, for instance, it can't pass through the membranes that protect your brain. Is taurine safe? Probably in small doses, but chug too many energy drinks and the picture becomes less clear.
About the Author:
Tollie Schmidt lived his life as the fat kid. His weight reached over 500 pounds. Losing over 300 pounds of fat, Tollie struggled with bulimia and became a personal trainer. Today, Tollie's a highly sought after International Speaker, Author, Producer and Dreamer. Today our Youth have a voice for change. (Empowering Greatness for a Dream-Infused Life).Tollie's Personal Site
"There are many energy ingredients on the market, and B vitamins, guarana, and ginseng are the ones our customers are most familiar with," says Ruby Amegah, product development manager for the team behind the Starbucks Doubleshot Energy + Coffee. Which perhaps in large part explains why the company chose them; It's smart marketing.
Trouble is, by letting consumer research influence ingredient lists, energy-drink companies are helping popularize exotic-sounding compounds that even scientists don't yet fully understand. The approach has worked: Last year, Americans spent $4.2 billion on these supposedly high octane elixirs. And that's probably why manufacturers haven't strayed far from the best-selling recipe they used when the first energy drinks took off a dozen years ago.
It's a formulation that includes a hefty dose of caffeine and sugar combined with smaller amounts of seemingly obscure substances, most notably guarana, ginseng, and taurine.
But do these beverages really energize your body and sharpen your mind? Or should you can the energy drinks for good? To help you separate the science from the sales pitch, I analyzed five key ingredients in the market's most popular potions.
Caffeine: What is it? Caffeine is a chemical compound that stimulates your central nervous system. Most energy drinks contain between 140 and 170 milligrams (mg) of caffeine in a 15- or 16-ounce can.
Does it work? Java junkies certainly think so. As for the science, an Austrian study showed that men who swallowed 100 mg of caffeine had a bigger boost in brain activity after 20 minutes than those who took a placebo.
Is caffeine safe? The most caffeine-packed energy drink contains the equivalent in caffeine of about two 8-ounce cups of coffee. If downing that much joe doesn't make you jittery, then quaffing a can shouldn't pose a problem. Of course, if you combine that with other caffeinated beverages throughout the day, then the sum total stimulation could cause headaches, sleeplessness, or nausea.
Glucose: What is it? Sugar. Sucrose, another ingredient you'll often see on energy drink labels, is a combination of fructose (the natural sugar found in fruit) and glucose. Many energy drinks contain 50 to 60 grams (g) of glucose or sucrose in a 16-ounce can.
Does Glucose work? Your body runs mainly on glucose, so topping off your tank with the sweet stuff should theoretically provide an instant boost.
Is Glucose safe? Dumping empty calories down your gullet is never a great idea, and some energy drinks contain nearly as much sugar as a 20-ounce soda. Then there's the fact that a sudden infusion of glucose can cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to skyrocket, signaling your body to stop incinerating fat.
Guarana: What is it? Guarna is a South American shrub. One seed has caffeine content of 4 to 5 percent, while a coffee bean has 1 to 2 percent. The amount of guarana in a 16-ounce energy drink ranges from a minuscule 1.4 mg to as much as 300 mg.
Does Guarana work? Yes, if you don't set the bar too high. Is Guarana safe? Scientists at Florida's Nova Southeastern University conducted tests and concluded that the amounts of guarana found in most energy drinks aren't large enough to cause any adverse effects.
Ginseng: What is it? An extract made from the root of the ginseng plant. Panax ginseng is the species most commonly used. The ginseng content in energy drinks typically ranges between 8 mg and 400 mg in 16 ounces.
Does Ginseng work? Not if you're hoping for energy to burn. However, ginseng is known to boost brainpower. Is it safe? Since the amount of ginseng in an energy drink is minimal, harmful effects are unlikely. And while there have been some reports of negative side effects from ginseng - diarrhea, for example - Scholey points out that those occurred in people taking 3 g a day.
Taurine: What is it? One of the most abundant amino acids in your brain, where it can act as a neurotransmitter a chemical messenger that allows your cells to communicate with one another. Does Taurine work? Scientists aren't sure, but it doesn't seem likely. When taurine is dumped into your bloodstream when you down a Red Bull, for instance, it can't pass through the membranes that protect your brain. Is taurine safe? Probably in small doses, but chug too many energy drinks and the picture becomes less clear.
About the Author:
Tollie Schmidt lived his life as the fat kid. His weight reached over 500 pounds. Losing over 300 pounds of fat, Tollie struggled with bulimia and became a personal trainer. Today, Tollie's a highly sought after International Speaker, Author, Producer and Dreamer. Today our Youth have a voice for change. (Empowering Greatness for a Dream-Infused Life).Tollie's Personal Site
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