Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Starbucks Super Size Me










That is a lot of caffeine. Can you imagine an Americano 31 oz, which apparently will soon be a reality? A LITRE of coffee. You would literally be zooming around your house like a two-year-old on crack. Okay, maybe the caffeine addicts would barely notice it. Having broken my caffeine addiction (meaning I only have it here and there and do not experience withdrawl from it...any more...), I would definitely be flying higher than the stars. I drank a CAN of Pepsi Max last week, the one with the Ginseng, and I didn't sleep for four days. Seriously though, I worked at Starbucks (hasn't everyone), and there are some crazy orderers out there. It was bad enough when people came in and ordered a Venti light roast (light roast has the most caffeine, btw) with two or three shots of espresso. But being able to order it ten ounces larger? How many shots could you stick into an Americano that size? Like five? Six? And then people wonder why they have panic attacks and feel anxious. Um, could it be that you basically shot yourself up with another form of adrenaline? Why don't you add some SUGAR to that, and maybe your heart will just start beating so fast that it will actually explode out of your chest?


Okay, FACTS from Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug by Stephen Cherniske:


  • Caffeine can't provide energy, only chemical stimulation (love that word...also love the word "moist"...anyway... distracted...), an induced emergency state that can lead to irritability, mood swings, and panic attacks.

  • Caffeine's ultimate mood effect can be letdown, which can lead to depression and chronic fatigue.

  • Caffeine gives the illusion of heightened alertness by dilating pupils, quickening heart rate, and raising blood pressure. In fact, caffeine does not increase overall mental activity.

Espresso was meant to be savoured, people. Not glugged. Um, by the way Amber, I still have your book. I think it has been a couple years. Sorry. You can have it back. :>


However, I do love the iced passion tea in the summer. Unsweetened. Herbal. Bright red. Herbaciously delicious and thirst quenching. 0 caffeine. 0 sugar. 0 calories. Lots of flavour. I could drink 30 ounces of that. Hmmm...

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