Oct 11, 2021
Used this to make my coffee today
Time to see if I've make super coffee, or potion of crap my pants.
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Used this to make my coffee today
Time to see if I've make super coffee, or potion of crap my pants.
The Secret behind Enhanced Physical Performance
Athletes need to enhance their physical performance during exercise. What should they drink to help them cross the finish line? Click here to find out. Athletes and outdoor fanatics need to hydrate their bodies before, during, and after physical activity, so they turn to water and caffeine.Water lubricates your joints, regulates your body temperature, and transports nutrients, converting them into energy. Without water, your body fails to perform. However, water alone isn’t enough. Athletes need caffeine too.Caffeine can benefit athletes who partake in high-intensity workouts, power sports, and endurance performance. The guideline for drinking caffeine: Your body requires around 200 mg to 400 mg of caffeine at least 30 to 60 minutes before you work out. The guideline for drinking water: ·Drinking 17 to 20 ounces of water at least 2 to 3 hours before you work out.· Drinking 8 ounces of water at least 20 to 30 minutes before you work out or during warm-up.· Drinking 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during work out.· Drinking 8 ounces of water after 30 minutes of working out. Now, let’s look at water and caffeine in a little more detail to understand the effects and importance of both in improving physical performance.Caffeine— Your Adrenal Rush Did you know there are more than 74 studies conducted on the use of caffeine for short-term, higher intensity exercise and endurance exercise? Most of the studies confirmed caffeine’s ability to enhance performance by 6%. The average improvement in physical performance is 12%, with added benefits observed during endurance workouts. Most athletes receive their daily caffeine dose from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, red bull, supplements, sodas, and more. However, pouring caffeine into your body can’t be healthy. Yes, caffeine has its benefits, but it also has its drawbacks. Overconsumption of caffeine can cause:· Anxiety· Increased heart rate· Tremors· Stomach discomfort· Insomnia or sleep disruption· Irritability · Dizziness You need to strike a balance, and that’s where water comes in. Water— Let’s Hydrate Water helps you combat the heat by replacing the fluids lost during exercise. Most importantly, it prevents dehydration and allows you to train for more than an hour. Water energizes you and keeps you alert and focused. We would tell you more, but the importance of water has already been embedded into our heads from a young age.Water is water, and there’s no replacement.Let’s add another twist. What about Sports Drinks?Sports drinks contain carbohydrates, sodium, potassium, and amino acids. · Your body needs Carbohydrates to perform strenuous workouts that last more than an hour.· Your body needs Sodium to retain water.· Your body needs Potassium when you’re partaking in prolonged sports events or when you’re heavily sweating.· Your body needs Amino Acids for muscle recovery. However, you can’t rely on sports drinks to keep you going, as they aren’t the healthiest alternative to water. Sports drinks can cause you to gain weight due to the sheer number of calories found in them. It can also lead to enamel erosion and demineralization because they have a pH level between 3 and 4. Although most sports drinks contain caffeine, making it your choice of drink to replenish your lost fluids is nowhere near healthy. You’re just filling yourself up with sugar. For people who follow an intense workout regime or go for outdoor excursions, water should be their first choice.Where Does This Leave Caffeine Then?Athletes and fitness buffs that drink caffeine due to the benefits it gives them can continue drinking it. “Didn’t you just say drinking too much caffeine is bad for your body? And what about water?” Since you need water and caffeine both and sports drinks are off the table, you can give caffeinated water a try. Yes, that’s water infused with the ideal amount of caffeine, electrolytes, and a pH level of at least 7+, but without the calories. Benefits of Caffeinated WaterCaffeinated water transports nutrients, regulates your body temperature, offers structure to cells and tissues, and lubricates joints. Water will keep you hydrated, whereas caffeine will keep you moving. If you drink coffee, energy drinks, sports drinks, and soft drinks regularly or drink it as part of your workout routine, you may benefit more from drinking caffeinated water.Drinking caffeine alone will dehydrate you, as it’s a diuretic, but water won’t. Since you also don’t want to give up the kick that caffeine brings with it, you would be better off drinking water that contains caffeine. You’ll neither have to give up caffeine nor replace water with an unhealthier alternative, and that’s what we call striking the perfect balance.If you’re an athlete, both water and caffeine are necessary for you to enhance your physical performance during training and game time. Instead of leaning towards one option more, you can combine them into one to boost your performance. Every workout should be fulfilling and refreshing. When it comes to your health and preferences, you’re the best person to make the call. What will you choose? — Caffeine, water, or both?
Fun fact about me: I couldn’t have caffeine for about 20 years because of a medical thing and I had no idea this existed until I almost put this in my cart as part of my hurricane supplies- but omg.
Caffeinated Water 101
How does caffeinated water compare to energy drinks in terms of ingredients and safety? What does the latest research say about caffeine and hydration? As a food scientist who’s studied the science behind energy drinks since 2003, I believe caffeinated waters can be a great alternative to the stereotypical energy drink, but there’s a lot more to consider before deciding whether caffeinated waters…
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Start with water. Add flavor. Add vitamins. Add color. Add sweetener. At what point does “water” become something else? Consider a drink with only caffeine, water, and flavor – what do we call this? For this month’s energy drink pick, let’s discuss a beverage contrary to energy drink expectations and the science behind the green coffee beans used to fuel it.
Spectrums and Stereotypes
The FDA has drawn the line for what is allowed to be called “water” [see this FDA Warning Letter here] but no such lines exist for a “water beverage”.
FDA defines water in warning letter 2011 Source: FDA Warning Letters
I’ve studied biochemistry and energy drinks since 2003. It’s remarkable how much the energy drink market has evolved. Energy drinks are not a stereotype, they’re a spectrum, and caffeinated waters are so far on the edge of this spectrum, it barely makes sense to call them “energy drinks”. Of course, even if we give “caffeinated waters” their own separate category and stereotypes, there are products like Monster Energy’s Hydro line to challenge wherever we draw those lines.
If you don’t care about blurred categories or want to deal with the stigmas of energy drinks, good news! There are plenty of non-stereotypical energy drinks on the market. Here at GreenEyedGuide.com, my goal is to highlight these options.
The Energy Drink of the Month for April 2018 is Hint Kick
Normally I try to pick the Energy Drink of the Month based on what kind of caffeinated beverage is most suitable for the holidays and happenings of this time of year (e.g.,. the Superbowl, Back-to-School time, etc). But it’s snowing here in Wisconsin, and it’s April…
Alas, here’s one good reason to pick Hint Kick as the Energy Drink of the Month for April 2018: Hint’s Founder and CEO was nominated Woman of the Month for April 2018:
Kara Goldin Woman of the Month – April 2018; Founder and CEO of GreenEyedGuide’s pick for Energy Drink of the Month – April 2018
Science Behind Hint Kick’s Key Ingredients
Hint Kick has only three ingredients: purified water, natural flavor, and natural caffeine from coffee bean extract.
Coffee bean extract, also referred to as green coffee bean extract, comes from coffee beans that don’t go through the roasting process of coffee beans used for, you know, real coffee.
There are many health benefits associated with drinking coffee (Caffeine Informer lists at least 25) but the antioxidant activity of coffee is attributed to an antioxidant named chlorogenic acid (or “CGA” for short). However, roasting can break this little CGA guy, thus diminishing the benefits he’d bring us. And therein lies the appeal of unroasted coffee beans.
More proof food processing is evil…totally joking! Let’s not really go there.
Green coffee beans have gotten some attention in recent years as the latest plant to enable weight loss. First of all, ALL SOURCES of caffeine can be associated with weight loss because of how caffeine affects reactions all over the body to encourage the use of fat molecules over carbs for fuel. Second of all, let’s skip the miracles and skepticism and instead talk about what the latest research papers say:
Green coffee extract can’t help control blood sugar or insulin concentration (at least not post-exercise). When cyclists got sugar and a placebo or caffeine or green coffee extract after a workout, there were no significant differences in blood glucose or insulin levels. (This was with 5 mg per kg bodyweight CGA, too! So we can’t blame “ineffective doses” for lack of an effect) [2015, Nutrition] .
Roasting coffee beans reduces the amount of CGA [2009, J Agric Food Chem] BUT…
Total Polyphenol Content and Antioxidant Activity isn’t always superior for green coffee bean extract. Some varieties of the green coffee beans had smaller polyphenol content than the roasted ones. (Same genus, same species, different variety, different Polyphenol Content!) [2015, Mol Med Rep] .
When coffee beans are roasted, the CGA content goes down, but OTHER polyphenols, like polymeric melonoidins, are formed during the roasting process thanks to the Maillard Reaction. [2017, Phytochem Anal]
Thanks, nerd, but what do I do with this information?
What this means is green coffee beans are not the miracle plant some people are hoping for, but it’s still a source of antioxidants. Also, these green coffee extracts sure help take the coffee-taste out of non-coffee caffeinated beverages. This means more options for those who like to get their caffeine from something other than soda, coffee, tea, or the stereotypical energy drink!
Hint Kick versus other Caffeinated Waters
Caffeine is bitter, so different companies will find different ways to combat the bitterness. Some companies use caffeine anhydrous (the non-natural source of caffeine); some companies add flavor enhancers like citric acid which help preserve the beverage and combat the bitterness; other companies add sweeteners, whether it’s artificial or natural.
When trying to compare Hint Kick to other caffeinated waters, I can only help you with the science, not the sensory. YOUR OWN flavor preferences, sensitivity to bitterness, aversion to GMOs, artificial sweeteners, etc. will greatly impact which brand(s) you prefer.
Caffeine Content and the 5 Levels of Fatigue
You don’t wear the same color clothes every day (unless you’re Batman or Black Widow), so why would you drink the same exact caffeinated beverage every single day? What if you’re not as tired one day as you were the next?
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/415105290648061852/
The 5 Levels of Fatigue is a system I developed while studying biochemistry and energy drinks in grad school which takes advantage of the spectrum of caffeinated beverages available. If you’re bored-kind-of-tired, you don’t want to drink the same thing you’d rely on for an all-nighter-kind-of-tired. Hence, the different levels and their corresponding beverage recommendations.
FATIGUE LEVEL 2
At Fatigue Level 1, you’re tired because you’re dehydrated, so you should drink a non-caffeinated water beverage (you know, like real water).
At Fatigue Level 2, you’re officially tired, but you don’t need a high-powered shove, just a little boost or a…KICK?
If you accidentally confuse Hint with Hint Kick, don’t worry – there’s only 60 mg caffeine per bottle, AND it’s non-carbonated, so you’re unlikely to feel super-charged and jittery unless you’re sensitive to caffeine.
Let’s compare this amount to other caffeinated beverages because there is no such thing as a standard cup of coffee (despite what you’ve read elsewhere, c’mon, you KNOW this is true if you’ve ever tried coffee from gas stations, hotels, your parents’ house, etc.)
Source: Caffeine Informer
Bottom Line
In 2013, congressmen Durbin, Blumenthal and Markey published a report called “What’s All The Buzz About” wherein they provided their definition of energy drinks:
“The term ‘energy drink’ generally represents a class of products in liquid form that contains high levels of caffeine frequently combined with other stimulants and specialty ingredients.”
– “What’s All the Buzz About”
One of the points the congressmen brought up in this report was that, prior to energy drinks, the FDA had acknowledged 71 mg caffeine per 12 oz as the amount recognized as safe for sodas.
Hint Kick is below that 71 mg/12 oz limit, and it fails to meet the typical definition of “energy drink”.
Hint Kick provides only 60 mg caffeine per 16 oz bottle, with only water and flavor as the other ingredients. This may not be enough caffeine for some people (like me) or PLENTY of caffeine for others (like my husband), and your opinion of this beverage may come down to how much you want something that tastes like water.
The most important thing about this beverage is it becomes another example of how not all energy drinks are created equal.
Hint Kick Main Page
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Review the entire ENERGY DRINK OF THE MONTH SERIES
I’ve researched the science and safety behind energy drinks and their ingredients since 2003. This book is the culmination of my research:
Get your copy of MY BOOK: “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: A Guide to Energy Drinks — How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely” on Amazon and NOW ON AUDIBLE***
Explore the CAFFEINE INFORMER database
Need help with quitting caffeine?
If you’ve decided you want caffeine out of your life entirely, I HIGHLY recommend this Caffeine Informer guide: Awake: How to Quit from Caffeine for Good or this set of capsules to help you Wean Caffeine
When is Caffeinated Water an Energy Drink? Hint Kick – Energy Drink of the Month – April 2018 Start with water. Add flavor. Add vitamins. Add color. Add sweetener. At what point does "water" become something else?
My roommate bought me caffeinated water. I hate drinking water unless it has added minerals or is a pH of 9. This is going to be interesting
Could you pick an energy drink out of a line-up? Every so often, I read a news story that makes me either laugh or grit my teeth because of how energy drinks are portrayed as dangerous concoctions of sugar and caffeine. To me this portrayal seems like saying all water tastes exactly the same. Ocean water, bottled water, carbonated water etc. While some energy drinks do contain extreme amounts of sugar and caffeine, condemning all energy drinks without addressing the specifics is both folly and counter-productive to safe caffeine consumption. To combat this grievous over-generalization, each month I try to highlight an energy drink that breaks the mold and counters the stereotype.
The Energy Drink of the Month for April 2014 is Avitae (“ah-vee-tay”) caffeine+water.
“Energy Kick” with 45 mg caffeine
“Energy Boost” with 90 mg caffeine
“Energy Blast” with 125 mg caffeine
There are currently no flavored versions (and thus ends, temporarily, the pomegranate theme I’ve had going since January’s pick). There are three caffeine levels of this Avitae line available: 45 mg, 90 mg and 125 mg. As far as energy drinks go, it doesn’t get much cleaner or simpler than this. With the three levels of caffeine available, this product line is suitable for Level 2, 3 and 4 of the 5 Levels of Fatigue. Also note that since it comes in a bottle you can sip it and reseal it, regulating your caffeine intake in ways that aren’t possible with an open can or a hot coffee.
For more, see:
Redefining “Energy Drink” — 5 Qs with Avitae
Energy Drink of the Month -- April 2014 Could you pick an energy drink out of a line-up? Every so often, I read a news story that makes me either laugh or grit my teeth because of how energy drinks are portrayed as dangerous concoctions of sugar and caffeine.