National Caffeine Awareness Month

Who doesn’t like a nice cup of coffee to start the day or a soda with their lunch? While caffeine can provide an often necessary boost of energy, it’s important to remember that it is a stimulant, not a nutrient, and that too much caffeine is unhealthy.

March is National Caffeine Awareness Month and serves as good reminder to always be careful of how much caffeine you are consuming per day. If you’re on a first-name basis with your local barista, it may be time to rethink your daily intake!

According to the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for America, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most of the caffeine consumed in the United States comes from coffee, tea and soda.

About 400 milligrams of caffeine a day – or about four cups of coffee – is considered safe for most healthy adults, though you should always keep in mind that caffeine content in beverages varies widely and that caffeine affects each of us differently.

Mixing caffeine with alcohol should always be avoided. Mixing the two may lead to drinking more alcohol and becoming more intoxicated than you realize, increasing the risk of alcohol-related adverse events.

In general, a good rule of thumb is, if you feel jittery or overly restless after drinking a caffeinated beverage, you should stop. Too much caffeine may lead to sleep problems, migraines and other health issues – not to mention coffee breath!