What on earth is going on at NaNoWriMo HQ? Here's a high level summary compiled by an anonymous community member.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a popular and legal stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and many sparkling beverages.
Product | Serving size | Caffeine per serving (mg) | Caffeine per liter (mg) |
---|---|---|---|
Caffeine tablet (regular-strength) | 1 tablet | 100 mg | — |
Caffeine tablet (extra-strength) | 1 tablet | 200 mg | — |
Excedrin tablet | 1 tablet | 65 mg | — |
Hershey's Special Dark (45% cacao content) | 1 bar (43 g; 1.5 oz) | 31 mg | — |
Hershey's Milk Chocolate (11% cacao content) | 1 bar (43 g; 1.5 oz) | 10 mg | — |
Percolated coffee | 207 mL (7 U.S. fl oz) | 80–135 mg | 386–652 mg |
Drip coffee | 207 mL (7 U.S. fl oz) | 115–175 mg | 555–845 mg |
Coffee, decaffeinated | 207 mL (7 U.S. fl oz) | 5–15 mg | 24–72 mg |
Coffee, espresso | 44–60 mL (1.5-2 U.S. fl oz) | 100 mg | 1691–2254 mg |
Black tea | 177 mL (6 U.S. fl oz) | 50 mg | 282 mg |
Green tea | 177 mL (6 U.S. fl oz) | 30 mg | 170 mg |
Guayakí Yerba Mate (loose leaf) | 6 g (0.2 U.S. oz) | 85 mg [3] | ~358 mg |
Coca-Cola Classic | 355 mL (12 U.S. fl oz) | 34 mg | 96 mg |
Mountain Dew | 355 mL (12 U.S. fl oz) | 54 mg | 154 mg |
Vault | 355 mL (12 U.S. fl oz) | 69 mg | 194 mg |
Jolt Cola | 695 mL (23.5 U.S. fl oz) | 280 mg | 403 mg |
Red Bull | 250 mL (8.2 U.S. fl oz) | 80 mg | 320 mg |
Random facts
The word "caffeine" was an invented word meaning "chemical found in coffee". Ironically, caffeine was already very popular across the world as it is also present naturally in tea.
Caffeine is considered safe in any amount by the United States Food and Drug Association, though excessive consumption can cause a rapid heartbeat. Because of this some people attempt to lessen their intake of the chemical by drinking de-caffeinated coffee or tea that does not contain caffeine. While the majority of coffee drinkers find this odd, the removed caffeine is added as pain relievers, energy drinks, and flavoring to carbonated soft drinks.
Relationship to Writing
As a stimulant, caffeine keeps writers awake late at night as they attempt to meet deadlines (or during November, word count goals). It may also wake them up during the day after a late-night writing session. There are often threads on the NaNoWriMo forums discussing one's caffeine of choice, coffee versus tea, and threads for coffee drinks or tea drinkers.
References
- ↑ "Caffeine Content of Food and Drugs." Nutrition Action Health Newsletter. Center for Science in the Public Interest. December 1996. [1] Archived from the original on 14 June 2007. Accessed on 10 October 2010.
- ↑ "Caffeine Content of Beverages, Foods, & Medications." The Vaults of Erowid. 7 July 2006. Retrieved 10 October 2010. [2]
- ↑ "Traditional Yerba Mate in Biodegradable Bag." Guayaki Yerba Mate. http://guayaki.com/product/41/Traditional-Yerba-Mate-[1-lb.].html. Accessed 10 October 2010.