Spilling the Tea on Caffeine

Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash

It’s no secret that many college students need their daily caffeine fix. Caffeine in all forms is consumed by 92% of college students each year, according to the National Institutes of Health.

There are plenty of spots to caffeinate on and around campus that Terps can choose from. With shops like Starbucks, Dunkin’ and various campus cafés, students can get their daily dose of caffeine just about anywhere. But the struggle for students can come when deciding what drink to fuel up with.

Coffee is favored by many students on campus, and all of the different syrups, milk alternatives and flavors allow consumers to personalize their orders.

“I drink coffee over tea for sure, probably around three to four times a week,” sophomore bio-engineering major Anthony Neri said.

However, there is no shortage of tea drinkers on campus. Sophomore finance major Taylor Kelly said she prefers to get her caffeine from tea over coffee.

“I usually drink a cup a day, sometimes twice a day. I usually drink it late at night when I’m doing work or when I wake up in the morning,” Kelly said.

It’s common for students who consume caffeinated drinks to have at least one drink per day. And while coffee in moderation is healthy, over time, this can lead to becoming reliant on caffeine.

“Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. Caffeine consumption through coffee seems generally safe within usual intake,” said Dr. Seong-Ho Lee, associate professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Maryland.

“However, caffeine overconsumption and intoxication may have serious health effects,” Lee said. “Most well-known side effects are insomnia, anxiety, nervousness and other psychological disorders.”

There are many alternatives, such as chai and kombucha, that will help you feel fueled without over-consuming caffeine, according to Lee.

“There are a couple of suggested caffeine-free substitutes for coffee, mostly teas that contain lower caffeine than coffee,” Lee said. “The advantage of taking tea instead of coffee is its abundance in bioactive phytochemicals which possesses strong anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.”

Students don’t have to worry about giving up their daily coffee or tea orders, but even replacing one drink a week with a caffeine alternative will benefit your health and well-being both now and in the future.