March is full of a ton of silly food holidays from National Peanut Butter Day to National Cheese Doodle Day. One holiday that often flies under the radar is actually for the entire month of March, Caffeine Awareness. Caffeine Awareness may sound weird, but it may be your new best friend.
While I don’t recommend upping your caffeine intake for the month of March, I do suggest getting your facts straight while snapping pics of your latte art.
What is Caffeine Awareness Month?
As someone who starts and sometimes ends her day with coffee (and a few in between), I was immediately interested in finding out more about caffeine awareness month.
March is a time to school ourselves on what we’re consuming from our favorite specialty coffees, tea, energy drinks, chocolate bars, and other foods and beverages.
Why Does it Matter?
We should know where caffeine can be found in what we are eating and drinking regularly so that we can see where it is adding up throughout the day.
It is important for your diet to have healthy limits of caffeine. If you have ever felt jittery or noticed your hands shaking after that second energy drink, you probably know that too much can really effect your body.
What’s Healthy and What’s a Little too Much
According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), a maximum of 400 mg of caffeine can be part of a healthy, daily diet. If you’re like me, and math ain’t your thing, here’s what that means…
What’s in My Cup?
Sipping on an average energy drink of about 8-oz (half a can of Monster for reference), a 20-oz. diet soda, a shot of espresso, or a small cup of coffee will all bring you to about 80 mg of caffeine.
Coffee Ain’t Your Cup of Tea?
If your go-to Starbucks order is a PGTL, your caffeine intake is about half as much as your coffee-loving friends, A cup of green tea or a 12-oz can of soda both contain about 40 mg.
For the Love of Chocolate
If chocolate is your guilty pleasure, you get about 10 mg of caffeine from an average 1.5-oz chocolate bar. Is dark chocolate more your thing? The same size contains about 30 mg.
Mixin’ and Matchin’
On any given school day, I start my day with a cup of coffee, grab an iced latte between classes, may down an energy drink while studying, and sneak a few pieces of chocolate here and there.
Here are combos that will keep you fueled through the day, but flying under the healthy daily limit:
– 3 cups of coffee and one energy drink
-3 pieces of dark chocolate, 2 cups of coffee, and 1 energy drink
-2 energy drinks and 4 shots of espresso (two tall lattes)
-2 cups of coffee, 2 energy drinks, and 1 shot of espresso
-4 energy drinks and a shot of espresso
Healthy Habits
As long as caffeine consumption is maintained, it is a beneficial addition to any diet. It is know to boost memory, detox your liver, help hair growth, and relieve post-workout muscle pain. Healthy doses may also prevent kidney-stones and skin cancer.
Taking time this March to educate yourself on your favorite pick-me-up method will help you maintain your health.
As long as you keep your intake in check and balanced with a healthy diet, it is completely safe to keep sippin’ on your go-to Starbucks order.