Are you a soft drink drinker? According to a Gallup poll in July 2012, 48% of us drink at least one soda a day, with 20% drinking more than one a day.
If you also drink coffee or energy drinks, be sure to read to the end.
Back in 2009 when I first found out that I had to watch my blood pressure, I was monitoring it every whipstitch because of being so afraid of the numbers going up again.
MY EXPERIMENT
So one day, I decided to take my blood pressure before I drank a soda, and then again after I drank a soda. I wasn’t doing anything else at the time except for relaxing and watching tv. |
| My addiction Recycled! |
To my surprise and sadness, I found that my blood pressure after enjoying the soda was a full 10 points above the first measurement. Because I was so paranoid about any rise in bp, I decided to quit. I hated the headaches, but I was addicted to the caffeine so what could I expect?
A study in May 2002 was presented to the American Society of Hypertension in New York City that basically agreed with what I found.
It said that after giving the study participants a caffeine pill with 250 mg of caffeine in it, their arteries became stiffer within 30 minutes with a blood pressure spike of about 11 point systolic and 8 points diastolic.
What I do is pour half of my can of soda into an ice-filled glass, and drink just half at a time. Usually, the first one is early afternoon, and I finish it in the evening. It’s just enough soda to enjoy, but a whole lot fewer calories and less caffeine. The fizz is still there later, too.
So that also shows how the amount of soda in half a can of soda is enough to make a difference in how well you sleep at night.
After a few weeks of doing what I should have been doing to lower blood pressure, my blood pressure was under control. So I started drinking sodas again – slowly at first but eventually got up to 3 a day.
CUTTING BACK ON CAFFEINE ALSO SAVES MONEY
As a way of saving money, I recently started cutting back – this time slowly. This may be a way for you to try also because it has pretty much eliminated any headaches from withdrawal from soda caffeine. You can cut back 1/2 a can a day to make it easier.
CUTTING BACK ON CAFFEINE ALSO SAVES MONEY
As a way of saving money, I recently started cutting back – this time slowly. This may be a way for you to try also because it has pretty much eliminated any headaches from withdrawal from soda caffeine. You can cut back 1/2 a can a day to make it easier.
What I do is pour half of my can of soda into an ice-filled glass, and drink just half at a time. Usually, the first one is early afternoon, and I finish it in the evening. It’s just enough soda to enjoy, but a whole lot fewer calories and less caffeine. The fizz is still there later, too.
ACTUAL AMOUNTS OF CAFFEINE IN SODA PER 12 OZ
· Dr. Pepper 36 mg
· Coke Classic 30-35 mg
· Coca-Cola Zero 35 mg
· Diet Coke 38-47 mg
· Diet Pepsi 27-37 mg
· Pepsi 32-39 mg
· Mountain Dew 46-55 mg
· Sprite 0 mg
· 7UP 0 mg
· Barq’s Root Beer 18 mg
· A & W Root Beer 0 mg
ADDED BENEFIT OF LESS CAFFEINE
An added side benefit I’ve noticed is that in the evening, it is a WHOLE lot easier to go to sleep! Actually, if I’ve not yet finished my can from earlier, I find myself falling asleep while watching tv. So I finish my can to stay awake a little longer.ADDED BENEFIT OF LESS CAFFEINE
So that also shows how the amount of soda in half a can of soda is enough to make a difference in how well you sleep at night.
Have you had trouble falling asleep? If you don’t want to cut back on sodas, try at least changing the time you drink them to no later than early afternoon.
EASY WAY TO CUT BACK
Another way that makes it easier to cut back is to make a choice beforehand to get rid of the craving with a few swallows of water. It doesn’t sound like it would work, but it works for me almost every time. Then when I let myself have my 1/2 can of soda, it’s like a reward.
FOR COFFEE DRINKERS
This blog was about sodas, but if you are a coffee drinker, the amount of caffeine in brewed coffee is at least 3 times as much as soda, with a minimum of 95 mg and up. Starbucks latte has 150 mg. Even decaffeinated coffee has from 0 – 25 mg, depending on the brand.
Another way that makes it easier to cut back is to make a choice beforehand to get rid of the craving with a few swallows of water. It doesn’t sound like it would work, but it works for me almost every time. Then when I let myself have my 1/2 can of soda, it’s like a reward.
MY PAYOFF
The payoff was last week when I last took my blood pressure it was 107/76 and I’ve lost 2 pounds. Yea! Not a lot of weight loss, but after a while, it might add up. Mainly I love the bp numbers!FOR COFFEE DRINKERS
This blog was about sodas, but if you are a coffee drinker, the amount of caffeine in brewed coffee is at least 3 times as much as soda, with a minimum of 95 mg and up. Starbucks latte has 150 mg. Even decaffeinated coffee has from 0 – 25 mg, depending on the brand.
ABOUT ENERGY DRINKS
Energy drinks get their boost of energy from caffeine. That being said, Consumer Reports did a study of 27 different energy drinks.
The result of the report showed that five of the energy drinks had 20% MORE caffeine than the label said. Eleven of the energy drinks didn't even bother to list the caffeine amount. And one drink had the gall to claim 70% less than was actually in the drink.
You would think that a decaf drink would have no caffeine, but it actually did have 6 mg in it.
I'll give you a few to give you an idea of what you are getting when you enjoy those energy drinks.
- 5-Hour Energy Decaf 6 mg
- Amp Energy 71 mg
- Nestle Jamba 98 mg
- Red Bull 83 mg
- ClifShot Turbo Energy Gel 133 mg
- 5-Hour Energy 215 mg
- 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength 242 mg
So there you have it! You can now take all the info here and see how it may be affecting your blood pressure.
If you think it could possibly be playing with your numbers, then figure how you want to lower the amount of caffeine you are consuming daily.
It doesn't have to be all at one time. I know those caffeine headaches can REALLY be annoying! The easiest way is just lower a little at a time...slowly but surely.
Good luck!
REFERENCES:
Daniel J. DeNoon. 'How Much Caffeine Is In Your Energy
Drink?
November 10, 2015.
Consumer Reports. "The Buzz on Energy Drink Caffeine."