Organisations which research public health thought it too. They're concerned about the addition of caffeine to products such as waffles, energy drinks and chewing gum. Lynne Goldman, dean of the George Washington University School of Public Health, says that many people don't know how much caffeine they are taking. As a result they could have insomnia, indigestion or high blood pressure.
I don't want to have any of that but I must say that when I can't have any coffee I feel a bit tired, have a mild headache and find it difficult to concentrate. Scientists say that these must be the withdrawal symptoms of caffeine - because coffee can cause an addiction.
But if you are a coffee lover like me, you shouldn't be afraid because in moderation, caffeine may have some positive effects. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition linked drinking coffee and tea with a lower risk of diabetes.
There is an interesting story behind the use of coffee. Stephen Braun, author of Buzz: The Science and Lore of Alcohol and Caffeine, says that the substance became popular in Europe with the industrial revolution. There was a race for productivity during that time.
And some famous people believed that coffee has creative powers. French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac and German composer Ludwig van Beethoven are said to have liked it a lot.
American film-maker David Lynch ate at the same Los Angeles diner every day for seven years. He drank up to seven cups of coffee with lots of sugar every time, which he said would guarantee him "lots of ideas".
What about you: Does coffee fill you with ideas? Is it an important part of your social life?
Quiz 測驗 1. How many people in the US are believed to consume caffeine daily?
90% of adults.
2. Is this statement true or false? Coffee drinkers might get insomnia if they don't have their usual cup.
False. People might get insomnia if they drink too much coffee.
3. According to the article, when did coffee become popular?
During the industrial revolution.
4. Who liked sweetened coffee?
American film-maker David Lynch.
5. Which expression means 'something you do regularly as part of a routine'?
A ritual.
Glossary 词汇表 aroma(咖啡的)香味；芳香 a ritual習慣 Wake up and smell the coffee!認清事實 a stimulant興奮劑，刺激物 the caffeine咖啡因 a psychoactive drug精神藥物 an energy drink能量飲料 insomnia失眠症 indigestion消化不良 high blood pressure高血壓 a withdrawal symptom斷癮症狀 an addiction 上癮 in moderation適量，適度地 diabetes糖尿病 productivity生產力，生產率
