Microsoft word - caffeine content of various foods.doc

Typical caffeine content of various foods
(Caffeine in tea & coffee will vary widely depending on brewing, etc) Caffeine Product
Caffeine
(ounces)
(ounces)
Caffeine-free versions of Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Barq's, etc. Minute Maid Orange, Slice, Sprite, 7-Up, Ice cream, yogurt, candy
Other drinks

Caffeine, also known as guaranine, mateine or theine depending on the source plant, is considered a
psychoactive drug. However, it has not been designated a controlled substance, so its use is not illegal.
Coffee beans contain a significant amount of caffeine, while tea leaves and yuba mate plants contain less.
Cocoa beans also contain caffeine, but they contain much higher levels of another alkaloid called
theobromine.
Chemically speaking, pure caffeine is a plant-based alkaloid which stimulates the central nervous system of
any creature that ingests it. In nature, caffeine serves as a form of pest control. The caffeine causes insects
and other pests to collapse from the effects of over-stimulation.
Not all of the caffeine derived from coffee and tea plants ends up in coffee mugs and tea cups. A
considerable amount is extracted from low-quality coffee beans and tea leaves or is collected as a by-product
of the decaffeination process from coffee and tea. This caffeine is used in soft drinks and in medicines.


Herbs containing Caffeine
Guaraná
Guaraná is a plant with high caffeine content. Guaraná is an evergreen vine indigenous to the Amazon basin.
The vast majority of guaraná is grown in a small area in northern Brazil. Guaraná gum or paste is derived
from the seeds and is used in herbal preparations.
Maté
Maté which thrives in the rugged, mountainous areas of South America is a popular tea-like beverage. Since
ancient times South Americans prize the brew as a tonic and stimulant. The mate leaves are rich in caffeine,
and also contain neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids and theobromine catechols. Together, these
substances give maté its tonic properties and provide the same function that coffee or tea has in North
America and Europe.
Tobacco
Smoking can increase caffeine metabolism, decreasing effectiveness. Smokers who use caffeine-containing
drug products may require higher amounts of caffeine to achieve effectiveness.
DeCaffeination
There are three main methods used to decaffeinate tea. First is the commercial method, in which ethyl acetate
is used to chemically extract the caffeine. The leaves are soaked with solvent, which bonds with the caffeine;
when the solvent and water are evaporated, they take the caffeine with them. However, they may also take a
large amount of the health-promoting flavonoids and antioxidants, and some of the solvent residue remains.
The other two methods are water processing and carbon dioxide (CO2) processing. In water processing, the leaves are soaked in water twice; the method is only used by a few companies and is relatively difficult. Because antioxidants are also water soluble, the level is likely impacted in water extraction. CO2 is the preferred method for most natural and organic tea companies. Leaves are lightly soaked and then flushed with CO2; when it dissipates, it takes most of the caffeine with it, leaving a majority of the antioxidants behind. It is important to remember that in any decaffeination process, some amount of caffeine may remain, and the level of antioxidants and other health promoting components can be impacted by the extraction. Also, CO2 is the only decaffeination method approved for organic tea production. The Place for Tea

Source: http://www.nottinghall.com/Caffeine%20Content.pdf