Differences between synthetic and natural caffeine

Recently a family member mentioned that caffeinated drinks affect him differently.  He told me that he noticed a difference when he consumed coffee which has natural caffeine as compared to soda which has synthetic caffeine.

I was surprised.  I never thought about the fact that there could be a difference.  I decided to investigate by doing some research and experimenting with drinking coffee instead of Diet Coke.  

• Caffeine occurs naturally in many plants such as coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa nuts.  Villanova University

• In addition to caffeine coffee has vitamins, antioxidants, and other compounds similar to caffeine.  These components balance the lift and fall of the caffeine in your system, preventing the instant jolt and imminent crash associated with synthetic caffeine.  

• Natural caffeine doesn’t cause side effects such as nervousness, insomnia and flushed face as much as synthetic caffeine.  True Protein

• Coffee contains:  pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (B3) and thiamine (B1), potassium and manganese   Health Line

• Coffee’s antioxidant compounds include caffeic acid, chlorogenic acids, eugenol, gamma-tocopherol, isoeugenol, p-coumaric acid, scopoletin and tannic acid.  Fox News

• Synthetic caffeine is produced in laboratories and manufactured in factories.  It is added to many products such as sodas and energy drinks.  

• Synthetic caffeine does not include the the plant-based vitamins and nutrients found in naturally occurring caffeine, which may disturb a healthy balance.  

• Many products using synthetic caffeine include several other, cheaper substances, such as sugar.  Ubiquinol  

• Synthetic caffeine is significantly more powerful than natural caffeine. One teaspoon of synthetic caffeine powder contains as much caffeine as 28 cups of coffee. Pure Lyft

For my experiment I replaced Diet Coke with coffee for one week. 

I typically drink 6 ounces of Diet Coke in the morning.  Because I am sensitive to caffeine I made sure the amount of caffeine in the coffee was the same amount in 6 ounces of Diet Coke.  I did not add anything to my coffee.  

• 6 ounces of Diet Coke has 22.5 mg of caffeine.

• 2 ounces of Maxwell House Original Roast Coffee has 21.6 mg caffeine (2 Tbs coffee with 12 ounces of water has approximately 10.8 mg caffeine/ounce)

I drank 2 ounces of coffee instead of 6 ounces of Diet Coke for one week.  This is what I noticed:

1. Similar to Diet Coke, when I drank coffee I was a in a good mood, felt energetic and running seemed easier as compared to when I do not have caffeine.
2. Coffee did NOT make me feel jittery like when I drink Diet Coke.  My hands did not shake and I could focus on a task.
3. When I drank coffee in the morning I did NOT have an energy slump and feel tired later in the day.  When drinking Diet Coke I usually felt tired in the afternoon.
4. Based on drinking coffee when I was in college I thought coffee would bother my stomach.  Coffee did NOT bother my stomach.  (I made sure to drink 8 ounces of water before drinking coffee.)
5. After drinking coffee I did NOT crave something sweet like I do after drinking Diet Coke.

Based on this experiment I am going to continue drinking coffee instead of Diet Coke for my daily caffeine fix.

If you drink soda and you don't like feeling jittery and crashing in the afternoon you should try coffee.

Snacking for Energy

Feeling energetic is key to feeling happy.  Studies show that when you feel energetic, you feel much better about yourself. Psychology Today

Healthy snacks can prevent your blood sugar levels from dropping too much between meals leaving you feeling tired and lethargic.  Healthy Eating  Nutritious snacking throughout the day maintains your energy levels by providing strength and vitality for sustained physical and mental activities. Live Strong

Healthy snacks should be eaten halfway between meals to keep energy levels consistent.  Eating snacks every three to four hours will fuel your metabolism, help prevent blood-sugar crashes and prevent binge eating.   Best Health Magazine  

In addition to providing energy throughout the day, snacking between meals has other  benefits:  

1. High protein snacks help you feel fuller longer and eat less at the next meal.*
2. High protein snacks provide a mental boost because amino acids increase production of neurotransmitters that regulate concentration and alertness. Everyday Health 
3. Snacks help eliminate postmeal sleepiness that comes from consuming too many calories at one sitting. Everyday Health 
4. Healthy snacks after exercising can speed up muscle recovery. Healthy Eating
5.  Snacking can lower cholesterol. Little Things
6.  Healthy snacks can help with weight control.  Snacking regulates our metabolism so that our bodies don't store fat when we are hungry.*
7. Nutritious snacks can help meet daily dietary requirements. Healthy Eating

Ideas for healthy snacks include:  beef jerky, 1% cottage cheese and strawberries, 2% plain greek yogurt, avocado, string cheese, orange, pistachios, Cheerios and 2% milk, apple, and peanut butter and celery.  


*Zinczenko, David, Goulding, Matt, Eat This Not That. Rodale Inc., 2012, pp. 220. 

10 Reasons to Eat Plain Air Popped Popcorn

There are so many salty, crunchy snacks that taste great.  But snacks like chips, Tostitos, cheese puffs, and Fritos have a lot of sodium and fat.  Good and Bad Fats, June 18, 2018.   

Plain air popped Popcorn is the perfect snack food!  Pre-packaged microwave and movie theater popcorn should be avoided.

Three cups of plain air popped popcorn has only 1.2 grams of fat and 3 mg of sodium. 

Pre-packaged microwave popcorn has significantly more fat and sodium as compared to air popped, and if you pop your own with oil, this has twice as many calories as air popped popcorn.  American Chemical Society

One bag of HomeStyle PopSecret Popcorn has 510 calories, 36 grams fat, 1140 mg sodium, and 510 calories.  One bag of Orville Redenbacher Ultimate Butter Popcorn has 313 calories, 30 grams fat, and 688 mg sodium.

A medium popcorn purchased at the movie theater has 1200 calories and 60 grams of fat.  Dr Axe

10 Reasons to Eat Plain Air Popped Popcorn

1. Popcorn tastes good!  It can be salty or sweet.
2. It is filling (more filling than potato chips and chocolate).  Health Line  The fiber content in popcorn makes you feel full and inhibits the release of the hunger hormone, ghrelin.  Organic Facts  
3. Popcorn has 15 grams of fiber in 100 grams.  Fiber helps regulate blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, lower rate of heart disease and cancer, and feeds billions of microorganisms in our bodies.  Fiber Is Not Just for Seniors, August 30, 2018
4. Popcorn has more iron than spinach. Readers Digest   Iron is an essential element for blood production.  Iron, September 6, 2018
5. 100 grams popcorn has 12 grams protein.  Protein is an important building block for bones muscles cartilage, skin and blood.  WebMD   Popcorn has more protein than a ribeye steak (6 grams) and a slice of whole wheat bread (3 grams).
6. Popcorn can help build and maintain healthy bones because it is a significant source of manganese.  Dr Axe
7. The type of corn used to create popcorn is not a GMO food.  
8. Popcorn is inexpensive.  For example one serving (3 TBS kernels) of Orville Redenbacher popcorn costs $0.16.  
9. Popcorn has more antioxidants than fruits  The benefits of antioxidants are very important to good health.
10. Popcorn improves digestion.

My favorite way to eat popcorn is with a little salt.  Once in a while I add a little parmesan cheese.  When I am in the mood for something sweet I put honey on top of my popcorn and eat it with a spoon.  

I also like to mix popcorn with almonds and M&M's for a satisfying trail mix.  

Essential oils for cleaning and allergy relief

Do you ever get a headache or have respiratory issues when you clean your bathrooms and kitchen?  I do and I am not just imagining this.


Commercial cleaning solutions contain volatile organic compounds which can cause headaches and other health problems.  Also, added fragrances  (i.e. Lemon) contain phthalates which  have been labeled as "probable carcinogens"  VOC's in Household Cleaners Fragrances in Household Cleaners 


Several years ago I started making my own vinegar and water cleaning solution for the areas I clean most often.  Recently I started adding essential oils to the solution to increase  effectiveness and provide a pleasant smell.

An essential oil is a concentrated liquid containing aroma compounds from plants.  They are commonly used in aromatherapy for relaxation and stress management.  Orange, mint, peppermint, cedar wood, lemon and eucalyptus are some of the most popular oils.  Wikipedia  


Essential oils have been used for medicines and remedies for thousands of years.  There is evidence of the use of essential oils in the period of 3000 -2500 BC.  It is believed they were being used at this time in Egypt, China and India. Essential Oils History


Essential Oils have antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral properties.  Cleaning With Essential Oils  Oils that are good for cleaning include lemon, peppermint, and tea tree.  Huffington Post Essential Oils

I use 10 drops of peppermint oil with a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar in a 28 ounce spray bottle to clean my kitchen counters, sink and stove top.  It makes my entire kitchen sparkly clean with a fresh scent.


I also use a homemade cleaning solution for the Swifter floor mop.  I add a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar with 20 drops of tea tree oil to the 42 ounce swifter bottle.  It is easy to transfer a homemade cleaning solution into an empty Swifter bottle. The bottle cap can be unscrewed using a pair of pliers. 

 

Homemade cleaning solutions can also be used to clean the refrigerator, drains, toilets, carpet and windows. Better Homes and Garden 

Essential oils also provide allergy relief.  For example Lavender can help soothe symptoms during allergy season by reducing inflammation.  One study concluded that Lavender oil prevents allergic inflammation as well as enlargement of mucous cells. Essential Oils for Allergies

Shower Steamers can help relieve allergy symptoms (headache, congestion and sinus pressure).  A shower steamer with an essential oil can be placed on the floor of the shower to diffuse the oil while the shower is on.

I originally received a Shower Steamer From Nautilus Soap as a gift.  I loved it and decided to make my own using peppermint oil. 

The Garden Therapy Shower Steamer Recipe only requires three ingredients besides the water and oil.  Ice cube trays worked well for the mold.  I bought the citric acid and baking soda at a local store that sells bulk items.  Witch hazel is located in the pharmacy department at Walmart.

The shower steamers turned out great!  Whenever I have a headache or sinus pressure I put one in the shower. 

Shower steamers don't have to be used only for allergy relief.  They can also be used to invigorate or relax by adding specific essential oils (orange for energy, lavender for calm).