Caffeine: America's Most Popular Drug?

With Americans consuming 330 million cups of coffee per day, there's no question that coffee is America's number one beverage choice. At the office there's a pot brewing, your car has it's on thermos, and every corner you turn to has a coffee shop on it. Next to oil, coffee may be the second most valuable commodity.

Is it the different flavors and varieties that drives the coffee buzz? If coffee contained absolutely no caffeine would it be the most dominant drink of choice? Not a chance. Is it a coincidence that all the most popular drinks, despite they all have different tastes, contain caffeine? I'll make it easy and answer for you - absolutely not!

Here's how the drug caffeine works: when consumed almost every cell in the body, including the brain, absorbs it within minutes. Caffeine works by blocking adenosine, a chemical the body releases to tell the brain it's tired. Now it's basically telling the brain the opposite, "I'm wide awake." And this is the buzz that many coffee drinkers crave.

Americans spend more that $33 billion annually on weight loss products and services. Take a guess at what ingredient is commonly used in many of the weight loss products - you're darn right, caffeine.

Since caffeine is a stimulant, many believe it enhances fat metabolism and encourages weight loss. Unfortunately, it is the diuretic affect of caffeine that gives the illusion of fat loss. Therefore the reduction of weight isn't in the form of fat, it is strictly water loss.

Coffee and caffeine intake aggravates stress leading to increased levels of glucocorticoids including cortisol. For the record, cortisol has been shown to decrease muscle tissue which relates to a decreased metabolism.

Of all the dietary habits people struggle to change, consuming coffee is one of the most difficult due to it's social status and caffeine addiction. Like a drug, there are withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up that Cup of Joe. Symptoms include: painful headaches, nausea, vomiting, depression, fatigue, and even anxiety.

Are you considering loosing weight? If so, you would do well avoiding coffee/caffeine consumption. Caffeine increases the reactivity of the body to the stress of everyday life and increased levels of stress NEGATIVELY affect weight loss.

How many cups of coffee will you have now?