motd Wed Sept 21, 2011

[Guest guest]

COFFEE TALK

Wednesday, 21 September 2011

No matter where you go here in Los Angeles,

you're bound to run into a coffee shop. It seems

like there're thousands of them lining the streets

of this city. And, truth is, you don't have to go

very far in just about any city in America

these days to get yourself a cup of java, or two...or

three. (You know what I mean.)

Coffee shops are all the rage.

Ahhh, yes, coffee has become king in America, now

more than ever. Coffee shops are all the rage. But

today's coffee shops have moved way beyond just a

plain cup of coffee. You don't go there for just a

regular cup of Joe. You can have yourself a blended

coffee, a latte or choose from a number of

espressos. (Can you say Morocco espresso five times

fast? LOL.) And oh yeah, let's not forget those

sinfully rich frapacinnos topped with whipped cream,

drizzled with chocolate and filled with...calories. My goodness,

whatever happened to just an innocent cup of coffee,

huh? Coffee has been the morning drink of choice

for decades running here in America. (And

Starbuck's is helping that fact become true all over

the world.)

These drinks have one thing in common.

They all contain caffeine. When you drink too much coffee, you can end

up with a case of the jitters. And when that

happens, it can affect your concentration and even

your performance at work or school. Too much coffee

can also lead to sleepless nights. And that's not

good because a peaceful night's sleep is important

for your overall good health.

Did you know that coffee is not the only

place you'll find caffeine?

Did you know that coffee is not the only place

you'll find caffeine? It's in lots of sodas, tea

and even some ice cream and yogurts. Some candy

bars also contain caffeine and you might not be

aware that several over-the-counter medications

contain caffeine, too. And let's not even talk

about the energy drinks so popular with today's

kids. No wonder they're "buzzing" around like they

do. Hey, after drinking a can of one of those

energy drinks, they can just about fly to school!

Now, here's something to consider: The manufacturers

who make caffeine-containing foods don't have to

tell you how

much caffeine

is in them. They only have to tell you the caffeine

is there.

FYI, you can safely have 300 mg of caffeine per

day. Pregnant women should limit their caffeine

consumption to less than 200 mg. And in my opinion,

children should not be drinking coffee at all. But

you still have to be careful because caffeine can

be found in many of the sodas they drink everyday.

To keep track of how much caffeine you're

consuming, read the labels of the foods and drinks

you buy.

To keep track of how much caffeine you're consuming,

read the labels of the foods and drinks you buy.

And if you don't find specific information about how

much caffeine is in what you're consuming, check

that food's web site and you should be able to find

the information there.

Being raised in New Orleans, coffee was the beverage

everyone had to have first thing in the morning.

Me? I was happy with an ice-old glass of chocolate

milk. But wait a minute. I found out that

chocolate milk has caffeine, too. So I'm glad I've

given it up!

This morning, I'm starting my day out with a toast

to you. And my drink of choice this morning drink

is a nice cold glass of good-old water...the

ultimate caffeine-free beverage.

Cheers!

Love,