Is Caffeine A Serious Health Threat?
We all know that, in a way, caffeine is a drug. It gives you a buzz (quite unlike the buzz I get from Jack and Coke, though). It can make you high strung. It can give you the energy to keep going and going…and going…just like the Energizer bunny.
But we also know that it can have some negative side effects. Headaches. Tummy problems. Addiction?
According to experts, caffeine should not be taken lightly. The Daily Comet narrates:
“It’s the type of drug that shouldn’t be taken lightly,” said Bill Aronson, a representative with the Caffeine Awareness Association, a group claiming that caffeine has long-term adverse health effects, such as high blood pressure and anxiety disorders. “Caffeine is the type of drug abused frequently because it’s so accessible.”
Particularly popular among college students, caffeine has become an increasingly central part of many young people’s lives, said Aronson, adding to the risk of chronic health problems as a result. He believes that young people use diet sodas and coffees for a variety of irresponsible activities, like extreme late-night study sessions and weight loss.
“The more that you take it, the more that you want to take it,” said Aronson. He said conditions such as depression, mood swings and irregular heartbeat can emerge after pro-longed consumption.
I think that I am already experiencing some of these side effects, especially irregular heartbeat (smoking does not help either). However, I think that awareness and moderation is the key. There is no need to treat coffee as if it were coke (the powder) or something like that!
Slash In Starbucks Prices?
When was the last time that you went to Starbucks for a coffee? I have to be honest here and say that I think it was more than a month ago! I know, it is quite strange especially if you consider that I used to go there at least three times a week. I guess it is a combination of high prices and busy times. In any case, from what I hear, we just might have more reason to visit Starbucks pretty soon. News has been going around that the giant coffee chain is going to slash its prices because of plunging profits. Sky News has this story:
The chain reported a net profit of £17m for the 13 weeks to March 29 compared with £73m for the same period last year. The company has announced plans to close 960 stores globally as consumers cut back on their spending. Since July it has shut 507 stores in the US and 64 shops in other countries. The closures are part of a plan to close underperforming stores and shave costs companywide.
Starbucks has also been stung by suggestions that some of its drinks are too expensive. Chief executive Howard Schultz said prices on some products in some markets would now be cut. The perception that its coffee is too expensive has led to companies such as McDonald’s making inroads in the speciality coffee market.
ll I can say is that it is about time that they lowered their prices. After all, we do have a lot of other choices and just because their prices are high does not mean that their coffee is better than the others, no?
Coffee Cup Recycling Law In Canada?
This one’s for our java chugging friends up in Canada, specifically those who live in the Toronto area. Apparently, there has been a lot of talk going on about coffee cups. The city’s public works committee have been taking a look at the consumption of coffee and the use of coffee cups, whether plastic or paper. The situation is this: it seems that the residents of Toronto are using way too many coffee cups. What is way too many?
Toronto residents continue to send about 350 million cups and lids to the city’s landfill because neither the paper cups nor the plastic lids are currently accepted in the city’s blue bin program.
First proposed in December, along with a controversial plan to force retailers to charge five cents per plastic bag, intense lobbying forced the city to back down from its coffee cup stance. Instead, it formed a 40-person working group, which has spent at least $50,000 on consultants to address the issue.
So what about the issue again? Well for now, it has been shelved and will be reconsidered later in June. The idea is that the working group should find a less controversial solution to their trash problem.
I can very well understand the concern here. 350 million cups is no joking matter! Perhaps “friendlier” paper cups? Or how about giving incentives to those who do NOT use paper cups instead of penalizing those who use them? Got any other ideas?
No More Maxwell House For Some?
I used to drink Maxwell House all the time. In fact, that was my husband’s favorite brew. Then we discovered another local source, and we have stuck to that since then. Anyway, we still have Maxwell House every now and then, and so when I heard about the recent developments, I thought it would be interesting to write about.
So what’s going on over at the Kraft house? Well, according to news reports, they have increased the price of their Maxwell House 100 percent Colombian ground coffees. The price increase is quite considerable at 19 percent!
Before Maxwell House drinkers go nuts, here is what the company has to say, courtesy of Reuters:
The price hike, which went into effect on Tuesday, was due to “supply issues driven by poor crop yield,” a Kraft official said in an email to Reuters late Tuesday.
Maxwell House 100 percent Colombian one-lb equivalent vacuum bags and cans increased by 50 cents, marking increases of about 19 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively.
The Maxwell House 100 percent Colombian three-lb equivalent can was raised by $1.50 or about 19.4 percent, the company said.
I actually saw some news reports on the problems in Colombia with regard to their coffee crop, and they seem to validate the reasoning that Kraft has provided for their price increase. Actually, even other brands have been doing the same thing. Folgers, for examples, has also increased their prices by roughly the same amount.
Maybe it’s time to switch to other coffees?
