What age for caffeinated beverages?

[Globetrotter]

I think about 8th or 9th, but only occasionally to stay up to do excessive homework -ugh.

[MMMommy]

My girls, "young" teens, drink iced green tea boba drinks regularly. Their friends all do too. I think their friends alternate between the black tea or green tea boba drinks. Boba drinks are all the rage and everywhere here. Middle schoolers hang out at boba tea places too.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

I’m biased because I don’t drink coffee at all, so I dread being dependent on it the way so many people seem to be. For that reason, I wouldn’t let me child use that particular powder. They occasionally drink caffeinated sodas while out for dinner at a party but morning coffee everyday will have to wait until they’re old enough to live in their own place and pay for it themselves. I’m sure I’m out of the ordinary but I hate coffee so it’s an issue for me.


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Same here! I actually like coffee smell and taste but cannot have it (it makes me sick). Also I am sensitive to caffeine. I go for weeks sometimes months without having any caffeine at all (I only have it when I have a bad headache or need to stay awake for some critical thing).

I personally would only allow a 13yo to have caffeine on occasion (eg Can of soda during parties etc) - or for headaches as needed. I also worry about creating a dependency this early on. I see people at work drink 4+ cups of coffee a day like their lives depend on it . I think 1 cup a day is fine but if hesitate to get a teen started in the habit that early. I think for 16yos I’d be more willing to allow it for things like studying for finals etc.

Also 120 mg per serving is really high amount, IMO - r u sure that is correct? Doesn’t 1 cup of coffee have about 40 mg ? 120 mg is a lot. I personally feel strong effect when I drink 30 mg caffeine.

As a vegan I am also not a fan of whey protein but I realize I am in the minority

[DualvansMommy]

I drank a lot of tea (Irish people drink an insane amount of tea which has more caffeine) starting around 14/15. I only switched to coffee when I moved to the U.S since tea options was atrocious back in mid 90’s.

So I’m ok with one a day around that age. I didn’t become dependent on coffee until my mid 20’s to survive the constant late night outings with my friends and having to show up for work early next day. Started not to like how coffee made me feel after having my kids; so back to my 1 cup a day after 3 cups habit. Feel good on that amount, anything more I just switch to water or the like if I need to drink something.


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[NCGrandma]

ms.pacman;4334698].

Also 120 mg per serving is really high amount, IMO - r u sure that is correct? Doesn’t 1 cup of coffee have about 40 mg ? 120 mg is a lot. I personally feel strong effect when I drink 30 mg caffeine.

I think 40 mg/cup of coffee is really on the low side for typical coffee. This chart from Center for Science in the Public Interest shows 50-100 mg, on up, depending on the brand and size. Even decaf can be up to 25 mg/serving. Several coffee shop drinks are at the top, with an eye-popping 300 mg or more per serving!

https://cspinet.org/eating-healthy/i...caffeine-chart

ETA: scroll down past the coffee to see caffeine content of teas, soft drinks etc. You’ll see where the "energy" in energy drinks comes from. And I didn’t even know "caffeinated snack foods" were a thing!

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[nfceagles]

I also think there’s a difference between having a tea or Starbucks out with friends later in the day and having a caffeinated beverage every morning.


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[georgiegirl]

Thanks for the feedback. I think we will make our own with decaf and some sort of vegan protein powder.

[Kindra178]

This post is another example of how the board is so divergent from real life. I never knew people had so many strong feelings about people with coffee habits!

Op, I recommend Vega 1. I am sure there are others.

Coffee at 13 is probably better than anyone ever drinking caffeinated soda. Study after study established that coffee drinkers live longer, even if they are fat and smoke. There isn’t a product with that many anti oxidants in one place.

Op, why not try a half a cup of coffee for her?


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[marymoo86]

Thanks for the feedback. I think we will make our own with decaf and some sort of vegan protein powder.

Powdered almonds (if no allergies) are a great source as well as Grassfed beef liver powder. It has a great amount of B vitimans, needed Retinol, copper, iron - nearly perfect whole food. Throw in bee pollen for extra B vitamins!

I am not a fan of the commercial powders.

[almostmom]

My DD is 13 and over 5'6". She would love to be at her final height, or maybe one more inch (which is probably likely, but she might have a couple more inches to go as she's only had her period for a few months), so I'm fine with her drinking coffee a few times a week. She loves it. Not worried about stunting growth. And caffeine has no effect on me, and she seems to be the same - can drink it and go to sleep.