Caffeine
Energy drinks can contain up to 180 mg of caffeine per serving. How many milligrams (mg) of caffeine do you think a cup of coffee has?
a. 50 mg
b. 130 mg
c. 400 mg
What is 130 mg
True or False: Caffeine is a drug.
What is true? Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug. It is a stimulant that speeds up the central nervous system. It stimulates the brain, elevates the mood and postpones fatigue. In its pure form, caffeine is a white, bitter-tasting powder.
The word found beside the exclamation mark on the front of any energy drink container.
a. Danger
b. Supplemented
c. Yum!
What is supplemented.
The way energy drink companies' market their products to youth.
a. billboard ads
b. social media
c. TV commercials
What is social media?
A common type of energy drink contains 54 grams of sugar in a 473 mL can. How many teaspoons of sugar is that per can?
a. 5 teaspoons
b. 8 teaspoons
c. 13 teaspoons
What is 13 teaspoons?
True or False: Energy drinks with natural sources of caffeine like yerba mate are safer than artificial sources of caffeine.
What is False. Caffeine can be naturally occurring or added from artificial sources, and both have a similar effect on the body. The label will include caffeine content from all sources.
True or False: You can become dependent on caffeine and experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop using.
What is true. If you consume caffeine regularly, your body develops a tolerance, requiring more to achieve the same effects. Increased caffeine intake raises the risk of side effects. Drinking about 350 mg (2 to 4 cups of coffee) daily can lead to mild dependence in adults, making you feel unable to function or fully awake without it.
If you suddenly stop drinking caffeine, you might have withdrawal symptoms such as:
Withdrawal symptoms begin 12 to 24 hours after you stop caffeine typically peaking at one or two days. Most symptoms go away within a few days.
True or False: Energy drinks must have a "supplemented food facts table". These include everything that is added to the drink that might be harmful to some people if too much is eaten or drank.
What is true.
True or False: Health Canada does not allow caffeinated energy drinks to be marketed to children/youth.
What is true. However, children end up seeing adults consuming them, and also see advertisements that are intended for adults.
What are sugar substitutes or artificial sugar. Many energy drinks are sweetened with sugar substitutes to make them seem healthier. They will say "zero sugar" or "sugar free". Som examples of erythritol, sucralose, acesulfame-potassum. They can still have negative effects on your body such as bloating, gas, and stomach upset in some people. Drinks with sugar substitutes might be a better choice for some people compared to drinks sweetened with sugar, based on own personal health needs.
Fill in the blank:
Caffeine is a ____________________.
a. stimulant
b. antidepressant
c. hallucinogen
What is a stimulant.
True or False: Energy Shots can have different amounts of caffeine in them compared to energy drinks.
What is True. Energy shots are
a. Convenience store
b. Grocery store
c. Fountain drink machine
What is fountain machine drink. Fountain machines, like the ones found at fast food restaurants or movie theatres cannot offer energy drinks as the risks associated with them is higher for certain populations and the warnings need to be shared with the customer. Fountain drinks do not come with a label like bottled or canned energy drinks do.
Why ingredients like taurine, ginseng, and ginko biloba may be added to energy drink.
a. they are cheap
b. they are healthy
c. they make it seem like the drink is healthy
What is "they make it seem like the drink is healthy".
True or False: Energy drinks are considered highly processed foods.
What is true. Highly processed foods, when consumed over time, increase risk for chronic disease, Chronic disease are types of illness that can last a long time and show up gradually with time.
Energy drinks can contain high levels of caffeine but are not the only sources of caffeine. What are three other products, food or drinks, that contain caffeine?
What is:
coffee drinks, tea drinks, chocolate and chocolate products, cola and other soft drinks, some cough, cold, and pain medications.
Remember, Energy Drinks have different levels of caffeine per serving. It may not be recommended to consume energy drinks with other sources of caffeine.
What is alcohol?
Caffeine doesn't help you sober up if you drink too much alcohol.
Mixing caffeine and alcohol puts you at higher risk of drinking and driving or getting into a vehicle with someone who has been drinking. You might not realize the person has had too much alcohol, and the caffeine or energy drink might mask the drowsiness from alcohol.
You might also drink more than normal if you combine alcohol and caffeine (such as mixing alcohol with an energy drink). The more alcohol you drink, the higher the risk that you may pass out or have an alcohol-related injury.
Mixing these substances can also lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and dehydration.
What is "no". High levels of caffeine especially in children can be dangerous.
A drink that is free, receives no marketing but is the safest and most recommended for children, youth, adults and everyone else to drink throughout the day.
What is water.
Youth and adults need many different nutrients to stay healthy and feel good. True or False: Energy drinks are a great meal replacement option.
What is False. Energy drinks cannot compare to food. Energy drinks do not contain many of the nutrients recommended by Canada's Food Guide. An apple or piece of whole wheat bread has more nutrients in it than an energy drink. The main nutrient in energy drinks is sugar which will provide a quick source of energy followed by a tired feeling and often with food cravings.
Sometimes caffeine makes people feel temporarily less tired and/or moody. These effects don't last long. What are three negative side effects that some people feel from consuming caffeine?
What is:
increase blood pressure
increase your heart rate
make you pee more
trouble falling asleep, sleep for a shorter time, or not sleep as deeply
headache
upset stomach
nervous and jittery
agitation
True or False: Youth under 18 years of age could consume more caffeine that is recommended for them in a day by consuming just a single caffeinated energy drink.
What is true.
Health Canada recommends that youth under 18 years of age follow maximum caffeine amounts based on their body weight (ie 2.5 mg/kg). In Canada, energy drinks can have up to 180 mg of caffeine per serving. An energy drink with 180 mg of caffeine would exceed the daily recommended maximum for youth under 160 pounds.
True or False: Caffeine overdose is possible and real.
What is "true". In adults,
Larger amounts of caffeine (600 mg or more) can:
True or False: Energy drinks cannot be marketed for the purpose of hydration or as an electrolyte replacement during sports activities.
What is True. The caffeine in energy drinks can "hide" the signs of dehydrations so are not allowed to be marketed for these purposes.
What is
Caffeine - natural or artificial
Sugar and sugar substitutes
Artificial or natural flavours
B Vitamins, minerals and/or herbal ingredients
Taurine- a type of building block for protein called amino acids which our body makes on its own