Caffeine 101

Transcript

For morning coffee to afternoon tea, caffeine is so thoroughly entrenched in our daily routines and has become the worlds most widely used psychoactive substance.

Caffeine is a chemical compound that stimulate the central nervous system.

It accomplishes this by attaching itself to adenosine receptors in the brain.

In doing so, it blocks adenosine molecules, which are responsible for slowing down the central nervous system before we sleep.

The result?

Adenosine cannot regulate and neurons start firing.

This results in a person’s reduced fatigue and increased alertness and cognitive performance.

Side effects many seek by consuming caffeine.

Caffeine occurs naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao beans and some tree nuts.

People have been consuming it for centuries.

But daily consumption took off sporadically at different times in different places around the world.

Coffee became popular in the 15th and 16 centuries.

But Cacao was used among early Mesoamerican civilizations hundreds of years earlier.

Tea became popular by the 14th century in China during the Ming dynasty, but didn’t catch on in Britain until almost 400 years later.

Today, caffeine can be found nearly everywhere and more and more caffeine-infused products are hitting the shelves every day.

In the United States, nearly 90% of the population has at least one caffeinated beverage every day.

Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day or about four cups of coffee is considered safe for an adult.

Too much caffeine for any one person can cause side effects, such as migraines, insomnia, nervousness and muscle tremors.

One tablespoon of pure caffeine equivalent to drinking 75 cups of coffee at once can have lethal consequences.

Due to this risk of caffeine overdoses, in 2018, the United States Food and Drug Administration banned the bulk sale of products containing pure or highly concentrated caffeine.

While caffeine may provide great benefits, such as increased focus, alertness and energy, it comes with considerable risks just like any other substance.

Vocabulary List

thoroughly
(adverb) completely

entrenched
(adjective) established strongly

psychoactive
(adjective) affecting the mind or mood

substance
(noun) a type of solid, liquid or gas that has particular qualities

compound
(noun) a substance formed by the combination of two or more elements or ingredients

stimulate
(verb) to arouse the interest, attention, or curiosity

accomplish
(verb) to achieve or successfully complete something difficult or challenging

regulate
(verb) to control or maintain the rate, speed, or volume of something

fatigue
(noun) a state of tiredness

alertness
(noun) the state of being alert

cognitive
(adjective) relating to the mental processes involved in knowing, understanding, and learning

seek
(verb) to try to find or obtain something

occur
(verb) to happen or take place

take off
(verb) to become popular or successful

sporadically
(adverb) happening or done at irregular intervals

catch on
(verb) to become popular or fashionable

caffeine-infused
(adjective) containing caffeine

caffeinated
(adjective) containing caffeine

beverage
(noun) a drink, especially one other than water

tremor
(noun) an involuntary (suddenly and cannot be controlled), rhythmic shaking of a part of the body

lethal
(adjective) capable of causing death

bulk
(noun) a large amount or quantity

considerable
(adjective) large in amount or extent

Grammar Point

We will observe the countable nouns and uncountable nouns used in the video.

Remember:
– Countable nouns have a singular form and plural form.
– Uncountable nouns do not have a plural form.

– We use singular countable nouns with singular verbs.
– We use plural countable nouns with plural verbs.
– We use uncountable nouns with singular verbs.

– We must use singular nouns with a determiner (a/an/the/my etc.).
– We can use plural nouns with a determiner or not.

For morning coffee to afternoon tea, caffeine is so thoroughly entrenched in our daily routines and has become the worlds most widely used psychoactive substance.
caffeine = uncountable noun
We use uncountable nouns with singular verbs (in this case “is” and “has”).

Caffeine is a chemical compound that stimulate the central nervous system.
compound = countable noun
We use a singular noun with a determiner (in this case “a”)

It accomplishes this by attaching itself to adenosine receptors in the brain.
receptors = plural countable noun

In doing so, it blocks adenosine molecules, which are responsible for slowing down the central nervous system before we sleep.
molecules = plural countable noun

Adenosine cannot regulate and neurons start firing.
neurons = plural countable noun

Side effects many seek by consuming caffeine.
effects = plural countable noun

Caffeine occurs naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao beans and some tree nuts.
beans = plural countable noun
leaves = plural countable noun
nuts = plural countable noun

People have been consuming it for centuries.
centuries = plural countable noun

But daily consumption took off sporadically at different times in different places around the world.
consumption = uncountable noun
places = plural countable noun

But Cacao was used among early Mesoamerican civilizations hundreds of years earlier.
years = plural countable noun

Today, caffeine can be found nearly everywhere and more and more caffeine-infused products are hitting the shelves every day.
products = plural countable noun
shelves = plural countable noun

In the United States, nearly 90% of the population has at least one caffeinated beverage every day.
beverage = singular countable noun

Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day or about four cups of coffee is considered safe for an adult.
cups = plural countable noun
adult = singular countable noun

Too much caffeine for any one person can cause side effects, such as migraines, insomnia, nervousness and muscle tremors.
migraine = can be countable or countable noun
insomnia = uncountable noun
nervousness = uncountable noun
tremors = plural countable noun

One tablespoon of pure caffeine equivalent to drinking 75 cups of coffee at once can have lethal consequences.
tablespoon = singular countable noun
coffee = can be countable or uncountable noun
consequences = plural countable noun

Due to this risk of caffeine overdoses, in 2018, the United States Food and Drug Administration banned the bulk sale of products containing pure or highly concentrated caffeine.
risk = singular countable noun
overdoses = plural countable noun

While caffeine may provide great benefits, such as increased focus, alertness and energy, it comes with considerable risks just like any other substance.
benefit = singular countable noun
focus = singular countable noun
alertness = uncountable noun
energy = can be countable or uncountable noun

Common Expressions

in doing so
In doing so, it blocks adenosine molecules, which are responsible for slowing down the central nervous system before we sleep.

The phrase “in doing so” means “while doing that” or “as a result of doing that.” It is often used to introduce a consequence of an action. For example, you might say “I ran out the door, in doing so I slipped on the ice outside.” In this sentence, the phrase “in doing so” tells us that the speaker slipped on the ice while they were running out the door.

The phrase “in doing so” can also be used to emphasize the action that is being done. For example, you might say “I carefully climbed the ladder, in doing so I avoided falling.” In this sentence, the phrase “in doing so” emphasizes the speaker’s carefulness when climbing the ladder.

error: