Article: Many products that people consume in the morning contain caffeine. If you have decided to eliminate caffeine, you need to be able to identify products with caffeine. Common caffeine products are coffee, soda, caffeinated teas, energy drinks, and chocolate. Be careful not to consume products with hidden caffeine. This includes energy bars, non-cola sodas, decaffeinated coffee, coffee-flavored dairy products, and chocolate candy products. Caffeine can affect different people differently. Many of the effects of coffee are positive. Caffeine is a mild stimulant and has been linked to a number of benefits, including decreasing the risk of Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Moderate coffee drinking (about two to five cups a day) has also been linked to reducing the risk of gallstones, colon cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. Moderate coffee drinking can also help with cognitive and memory issues. Caffeine can interfere with sleep, which can cause insomnia or exacerbate pre-existing sleep problems. In addition, for some, caffeine can increase anxiety, nervousness, irritability, and depression.  Espresso can increase the blood level of cholesterol. In some people, coffee can slightly increase the risk of heart disease and increase the heart rate. These negative effects tend to occur in people who have excessive amounts of caffeine, such as more than five or six cups of coffee a day a day.

What is a summary?
Watch for caffeine in common products. Learn the positive side effects of caffeine. Recognize the negative side effects of caffeine.