Caffeine - America’s #1 addiction - what’s your source?

[BuffaloBill]

No doubt that nearly every American has some source of caffeine intake. Beyond this, if caffeine was taken away probably every American over the age of 16’ish would suffer from a headache or some other caffeine withdrawal symptom.

 

Harvard - Intellectual source of information about caffeine

 

Caffeine withdrawal symptoms

 

I am without a doubt a caffeine hound with my beverage of choice being unsweetened, iced tea.  I only very recently had my first coffee drink in the form of a latte. (Only because the wifey and I splurged on a machine to make them at home. She really pushed for me to get into it, so I have).

 

There was a time that I drank diet soda like it was the source of life. I hardly ever do so now.  

 

What’s your caffeine source?

[EmotionallyUnstable]

I drink a ton of regular black coffee. Probably 8-9 cups (two-three large mugs) each morning. 
 

I get the occasional Tim Hortons cup, but most are brewed from my $40 coffee pot. 
 

Every once and a while, I’ll go cold turkey and reset how much I have/need for a few days. 
 

I think I’ll try to cut down on it come the new year. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Ground fresh daily at home, brewed in a drip coffee maker at 5:15 a.m.  Coffee shop coffee is purchased only when I have to use their restroom. 😁

[Gugny]

I drink my coffee black; no sugar, no cream.

 

On work days, I drink 1-2 cups before leaving the house; then one cup on the road.  I stop after that.  That's been my pattern for the past six years.  Before that, I used to drink coffee all day, every day whilst working.  

 

I use a Keurig and my go-to is Cafe Bustelo.  If Walmart is out, then my backup is Tim Horton's dark roast.

 

On weekends, I drink an average of 4 cups per day on Saturday and Sunday.

 

I will be working from home starting mid-January.  I'm going to need to control my coffee intake since it'll be very convenient for me.  

[Greg S]

I stop off every morning at Dunkin Donuts on my way to work. Large coffee light and sweet.

[qwksilver]

I have a double espresso every morning. I grind the beans my self, and have a De'Longhi espresso machine with 15 lbs of pressure. I use 1/2 teaspoon of turbinado sugar. I've been drinking "Death Wish" Dark roast for about a year. The 1st time I tried it I felt like I could run a marathon. 

[Gugny]

3 minutes ago, qwksilver said:

I have a double espresso every morning. I grind the beans my self, and have a De'Longhi espresso machine with 15 lbs of pressure. I use 1/2 teaspoon of turbinado sugar. I've been drinking "Death Wish" Dark roast for about a year. The 1st time I tried it I felt like I could run a marathon. 

 

Headquartered in beautiful Saratoga Springs, NY!!

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

Either soda or energy drink... But I never need it regularly... Hit and miss... Can go weeks without....Mainly drink it for taste. 

 

Kinda stupid answer,  but if they made the same flavors withOUT caffeine,  I would still drink it sporadically... Is an energy drink an energy drink withOUT caffeine?

 

So... I really can't answer the poll because I simply don't consume caffeine every day.  Maybe 200mg a week?

 

My weakness is soda... But usually caffeine free... Like ginger ale, etc...

 

I would say SUGAR is America's #1 addiction. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by ExiledInIllinois

[billsfanmiamioh]

Good stuff, ground at home. Usually in the Bunn Thermofresh with occasional pour over when more time. Wife is a coffe snob and took me over to the dark side with her. 

[BillsPride12]

I would think Sugar is even more addicting than Caffeine.  

[BuffaloBill]

49 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

I would think Sugar is even more addicting than Caffeine.  

 

You may be correct:

 

“Indeed, research on rats from Connecticut College has shown that Oreo cookies activate more neurons in the pleasure center of the rats’ brains than cocaine does (and just like humans, the rats would eat the filling first).”

 

Is sugar addictive?

 

There is some debate - possibly because of the lack of strongly identifiable withdrawal symptoms from sugar.

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

I drink a ton of regular black coffee. Probably 8-9 cups (two-three large mugs) each morning. 
 

I get the occasional Tim Hortons cup, but most are brewed from my $40 coffee pot. 
 

Every once and a while, I’ll go cold turkey and reset how much I have/need for a few days. 
 

I think I’ll try to cut down on it come the new year. 

 

 

Black coffee is the way for me as well.   

 

I like sweet food and drink but can't drink sweetened coffee.

[dave mcbride]

Strong, good black coffee from the time I wake up until around noon. Then, soda stream-produced seltzer until around 6. After that, French/Spanish/Italian red (french rose in the summer sometimes) or a good hazy IPA.  Next day: rinse and repeat.

[WhoTom]

We drink whole bean coffee (Cameron's Dark Guatemalan is our favorite), ground fresh each morning, and brewed strong. I take mine black (no sugar) because I like the taste of good coffee. My wife adds milk because black coffee gives her heartburn.

 

I drink two mugs of coffee to start each morning, and then a mug of tea (green tea or Earl Grey) for a late morning/early afternoon pick-me-up.

 

I can buy a month's worth of Cameron's for the price of three cups of Starbucks. 

 

 

[qwksilver]

Coffee from Yemen.

Saw this video about a month ago. I would love to try this but not sure where I could find any. For coffee snobs this is a good watch. Anyone ever have any of this?

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/the-secret-behind-bodega-coffee/#x

 

 

[BillsPride12]

1 hour ago, BuffaloBill said:

 

You may be correct:

 

“Indeed, research on rats from Connecticut College has shown that Oreo cookies activate more neurons in the pleasure center of the rats’ brains than cocaine does (and just like humans, the rats would eat the filling first).”

 

Is sugar addictive?

 

There is some debate - possibly because of the lack of strongly identifiable withdrawal symptoms from sugar.

I honestly don't consume a lot of Caffeine....don't drink Coffee or Energy Drinks but Sugar would be a whole different story.  

[PastaJoe]

I’ve never liked coffee. I would drink two cups of hot tea at work every morning. But since I’ve retired I don’t have to become alert in the morning before I want to, so it’s iced tea or Pepsi occasionally with lunch.

[ExiledInIllinois]

2 hours ago, BillsPride12 said:

I would think Sugar is even more addicting than Caffeine.  

Yup.  Soda.   It's not the caffeine I crave, don't even know why they put caffeine in soda,  it's so miniscule like 40mg per can....Almost useless. Have to drink like 30oz. to get an 8oz. cup of coffee's caffeine.  

 

A 16oz. NORMAL energy drink is still lower than an cup of coffee. Sure it's synthesized... Loaded with vitamins ans amnio acids... 

12 minutes ago, PastaJoe said:

I’ve never liked coffee. I would drink two cups of hot tea at work every morning. But since I’ve retired I don’t have to become alert in the morning before I want to, so it’s iced tea or Pepsi occasionally with lunch.

My father drank nothing but coffee.  He had to be intaking 1,000s mg of caffeine daily.  Into his 70s and died early 80s... Vascular dementia.   Had terrible pain when he died.  He built tolerance to caffeine,  but didn't help in taking so much! All he drank. /smh...

Edited December 29, 2021 by ExiledInIllinois

[That's No Moon]

None. I went cold turkey on a vacation a couple years ago and never went back. I sleep so much better and I don't get random tachycardia anymore.

 

The vacation was a week at a beach house and I only drank beer and water for the whole week. The beer dealt with the withdrawal headaches and the water dealt with the beer. It was a solid strategy IMHO and it worked. Now that I'm off it I have no desire to get back on nor any cravings for it like I'd have before. Going on four years now I think.

[BritBill]

I stopped drinking coffee and anything which obviously had caffeine in around 2 years ago.

My word the withdrawal symptoms were bad. Headaches for around 3 days. I couldn’t focus on anything and was a really angry man. 
 

I didn’t even drink that much coffee. Maybe 3 cups a day. 
 

Once the first week was over the withdrawal signs were gone and I was sleeping like a drunk log.