If you are feeling sleepy during the work
hours you might go for a cup of coffee to
regain your alertness.The sudden outburst
of alertness that you get is due to effects
produced by caffeine which is the most popular
psychoactive drug
 
 
Caffeine is naturally produced in the leaves
and seeds of many plants, famous one being
cocoa and coffee beans, tea leaves, kola beens
and some less famous ones are Yerba mate and
Gaurana fruit.
It is also manufactured artificially.
This white orderless powdery substance is
also added to certain foods items like beverages,sodas,
flavored milk, sport drinks and chocolates
Caffeine is known to increase blood pressure,
changes body temperature and composition of
gastric juice.
But how does these caffeinated beverages
affect your kids?
Psychological and Physiological-
The brain of a child tend to be a little
bit more sensitive to caffeine`s effects than
brain of adults that explains why It's easier
for children to develop caffeine dependency.
Caffeine inhibits the neurotransmitter Adenosine,
which is responsible for sleep.
continuous uses of Caffeine can create sleep
problems.
That might cause kids to wake up most of the
night
Caffeine increases release of Adrenaline
and dopamine which make heart beat faster,
can make them to be hyperactive, nervous,
anxious.
It dilates the blood vessels making them
pee more that causes the body to excrete Calcium.
Nutritional Deficiency-
Beside decreasing appetite caffeinated beverages
often contain empty calories ( calories that
dont provide any nutrient) and kids who fill
up on them dont get the vitamins and minerals
they need, putting them at risk for nutritional
deficiencies.
Serving your baby coffee or tea with meals
can interfere with adequate absorption of
Calcium and iron. (which is fundamental to
growth of bones and teeth in kids.)
Dental Problem-
Drinking too much sweetened caffeinated drinks
could lead to dental cavities form the high
sugar content and the erosion of tooth enamel
from acidity.
So the little piece of advice is to keep your
kids away from soft drinks and switch yourself
to some healthy alternative sources like fruit
juice.
