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Food

Caffeine, Coffee, and Soft Drinks

NEWS:

Big gulp: Liquid calories can sneak up on you "Several studies peg calories from beverages as one of the causes of increased numbers of overweight and obese people in the United States. Studies suggest that when people consume more calories from beverages, they don’t compensate by eating or drinking less."

Caffeine may boost acetaminophen risk to liver "Large amounts of caffeine may increase the risk of liver dysfunction caused by ingesting higher-than-recommended doses of acetaminophen, according to a study published in the Oct. 15 Chemical Research in Toxicology. The authors are urging patients to be more judicious with these substances, especially if they also imbibe alcohol."

Coffee consumption and the incidence of antihypertensive drug treatment in Finnish men and women (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007)

Coffee Consumption May Lower Blood Uric Acid Levels - The Precursor of Gout (Arthritis Care. 2007)

Coffee drinking linked to lower liver cancer risk "The relationship was seen across all levels of alcohol consumption and among hepatitis patients. However, neither tea nor decaf coffee was associated with a significantly lower hepatocellular carcinoma risk. Coffee contains a number of antioxidants, the researchers note, as well as other substances that might shield the liver from damage due to alcohol."

Coffee linked with high blood pressure risk "The risk of needing to start on antihypertensive drug treatment was higher in coffee drinkers than in the noncoffee drinkers, with the highest increased risk of 29 percent, being associated with drinking two to three cups daily. However, drinking more than eight cups per day only increased the risk by 14 percent."

Fructose-Sweetened Drinks Tougher on Arteries "The type of sugar in a sugary drink may impact how healthy -- or unhealthy -- it is for arteries, a new study suggests. Fructose-sweetened drinks are more likely to provoke the development of fatty artery deposits in overweight adults than glucose-sweetened beverages, researchers say. "

Nutritionists: Soda making Americans drink themselves fat "If you're searching for a villain in America's obesity epidemic, most nutritionists tell you to put one picture on the wanted poster: a cold, bubbly glass of soda pop. … "Liquid candy" to detractors, sweetened soft drinks are so ubiquitous that they contribute about 10 percent of the calories in the American diet, according to government data. In fact, said Dr. David Ludwig, a Harvard endocrinologist whose 2001 paper in the Lancet is widely cited by obesity researchers, sweetened drinks are the only specific food that clinical research has directly linked to weight gain. "

Should You Sip Your Vitamins Through a Straw? "The explosion of nutrient-laced drinks reflects consumers' desire for more healthful choices than soda … But some nutritionists say these enhanced drinks may lead consumers to pack in more calories than they need. Popular drinks such as SoBe Life Water and Vitaminwater often contain about 125 calories per bottle. That's less than sugared sodas, but certainly more than plain water. Many health experts say there is little evidence to suggest that fortified beverages make a significant difference in health. And they question whether the drinks are worth their hefty retail prices, which can run twice as high as those of plain bottled water or unenhanced sodas. … Meanwhile, other nutrients often lacking in people's diets typically aren't in enhanced drinks or are present in such small quantities that they don't make much difference."

Soda and Osteoporosis: Is There a Connection?

Soda Ingredients Linked to Cirrhosis and Cancer "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported that it found a high level of cancer-causing benzene in five of the 100 soft drinks and beverages that it tested. The levels of benzene were more than the recommended 5 parts per billion limit for drinking water. The FDA said that it had alerted the companies that make the soft drinks in which benzene was over the prescribed limit. All companies had agreed to reformulate their drinks or have already done so, the FDA revealed on Friday. It maintained that there was no cause for concern although some environmental groups have expressed dismay at these findings. … Benzene in soft drinks has become a very sensitive matter these days. The chemical id formed as a result of a reaction between Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate, which are contained in soft drinks and beverages. However the reaction does not occur as a rule, but takes place as an exception when the conditions are ideal for the reaction to take place. Benzene is a chemical, which is linked to cancer in humans."

Sugary drinks may raise uric acid levels in men "High serum uric acid, they explain, has been suggested as a possible risk factor for high blood pressure, heart and vascular disease, as well as metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of risk factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity and high blood sugar levels, that together increase the likelihood of developing heart problems or diabetes."

Sugary Sodas High in Diabetes-Linked Compound "Sodas sweetened with high fructose corn syrup contain high levels of a potentially dangerous compound often found in the blood of diabetics, a new study concludes. It could be cause for concern, experts say, because the "reactive carbonyls" in these sugary drinks could bump up diabetes risk, particularly in children. … Ho suggests that parents check the labels of all the beverages their children consume and discourage them from drinking those containing HCFS. Instead, substitute diet carbonated beverages, water or fruit juices. Ho also noted that other types of beverages may contain high levels of HFCS, as well. So-called "hydrating" sports drinks often contain HFCS. Ho is particularly concerned about high-caffeine energy drinks."

The Safety of Caffeine Consumption

ARTICLES:

JOURNAL ARTICLES:

Caffeine Consumption, Sleep, and Affect in the Natural Environments of Depressed Youth and Healthy Controls. (J Pediatr Psychol. 2007)

Coffee and tea consumption and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Italy. (Int J Cancer. 2007) "The present study supports the hypothesis of a favourable effect of coffee, though not decaffeinated coffee and tea, on the risk on hepatocellular carcinoma."

Coffee intake and incidence of hypertension (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007) "Conclusions: Coffee abstinence is associated with a lower hypertension risk than is low coffee consumption. An inverse U-shaped relation between coffee intake and risk of hypertension was observed in the women."

Coffee consumption and risk of colorectal cancer in a population-based prospective cohort of Japanese men and women. (Int J Cancer. 2007) "These findings suggest that coffee consumption may lower the risk of colon cancer among Japanese women."

Coffee, caffeine, and coronary heart disease. (Curr Opin Lipidol. 2007) "Coffee is a complex mixture of compounds that may have either beneficial or harmful effects on the cardiovascular system. Randomized controlled trials have confirmed the cholesterol-raising effect of diterpenes present in boiled coffee, which may contribute to the risk of coronary heart disease associated with unfiltered coffee consumption. A recent study examining the relationship between coffee and risk of myocardial infarction incorporated a genetic polymorphism associated with a slower rate of caffeine metabolism and provides strong evidence that caffeine also affects risk of coronary heart disease. Several studies have reported a protective effect of moderate coffee consumption, which suggests that coffee contains other compounds that may be beneficial. SUMMARY: Diterpenes present in unfiltered coffee and caffeine each appear to increase risk of coronary heart disease. A lower risk of coronary heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers might be due to antioxidants found in coffee."

Commercial soft drinks: pH and in vitro dissolution of enamel. (Gen Dent. 2007)

Effects of soft drink consumption on nutrition and health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (Am J Public Health. 2007) "We found clear associations of soft drink intake with increased energy intake and body weight. Soft drink intake also was associated with lower intakes of milk, calcium, and other nutrients and with an increased risk of several medical problems (e.g., diabetes)."

Fructose intake is a predictor of LDL particle size in overweight schoolchildren. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: In school-age children, greater total and central adiposity are associated with smaller LDL particle size and lower HDL cholesterol. Overweight children consume more fructose from sweets and sweetened drinks than do normal-weight children, and higher fructose intake predicts smaller LDL particle size."

Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2007) "We revisit an old hypothesis that sugar, particularly excessive fructose intake, has a critical role in the epidemic of cardiorenal disease. We also present evidence that the unique ability of fructose to induce an increase in uric acid may be a major mechanism by which fructose can cause cardiorenal disease."

Prospective study of coffee consumption and risk of Parkinson's disease. (Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007)

Regular Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption between Meals Increases Risk of Overweight among Preschool-Aged Children. (J Am Diet Assoc. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: Regular sugar-sweetened beverage consumption between meals may put some young children at a greater risk for overweight. Parents should limit the quantity of sweetened beverages consumed during preschool years because it may increase propensity to gain weight."

Soft Drink Consumption and Risk of Developing Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and the Metabolic Syndrome in Middle-Aged Adults in the Community (Circulation 2007) "Conclusions--In middle-aged adults, soft drink consumption is associated with a higher prevalence and incidence of multiple metabolic risk factors."

The neuroprotective effects of caffeine (NEUROLOGY 2007) "Although no impact is observed on dementia incidence, further studies are required to ascertain whether caffeine may nonetheless be of potential use in prolonging the period of mild cognitive impairment in women prior to a diagnosis of dementia."

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