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Hamilton Middle School Article of the Week

Many popular drinks contain too much caffeine for teens to handle (910L)

Instructions: COMPLETE ALL QUESTIONS AND MARGIN NOTES using the CLOSE reading strategies practiced in class. This requires reading of the article three times.

Step 1: Skim the article using these symbols as you read:

(+) agree, (-) disagree, (*) important, (!) surprising, (?) wondering

Step 2: Number the paragraphs. Read the article carefully and make notes in the margin.

Notes should include:

o Comments that show that you understand the article. (A summary or statement of the main idea of important sections may serve this purpose.)

o Questions you have that show what you are wondering about as you read.

o Notes that differentiate between fact and opinion.

o Observations about how the writer’s strategies (organization, word choice, perspective, support) and choices affect the article.

Step 3: A final quick read noting anything you may have missed during the first two reads.

Your margin notes are part of your score for this assessment. Answer the questions carefully in complete sentences unless otherwise instructed.

Student ____________________________Class Period__________________

Many popular drinks contain too much caffeine for teens to handle

By Casey Seidenberg, Washington Post, adapted by Newsela staff

This article is for all of the teenagers out there.

Society regularly expects you to act like an adult, even though developmentally you are years from being fully grown. Yes, you are mature in many ways: You can break down the paradoxes in "Beowulf," many of you drive and do so quite safely, you handle schedules that would overwhelm many adults. Yet your bodies are still growing, and your brains are still fine-tuning their neural connections that make up the network of your mind. Because of this, you probably cannot process caffeine as seamlessly as your parents can.

This must be news to all of you. Why?

Because adolescents are among the fastest-growing consumers of caffeine. I understand an iced vanilla latte tastes like dessert, a caffeinated drink is as accessible as a bottle of water, and it feels grown-up to be rocking a Starbucks cup. But all of this caffeine could be affecting you in other ways. Caffeine can amplify your anxiety, compromise tonight's sleep, and make performing well in school tomorrow difficult. It can also inhibit your body from absorbing important nutrients, dehydrate your cells, and when mixed with alcohol, causes real trouble.

Let's look at the evidence.

Caffeine Is A Powerful Drug, Not A Nutrient

Caffeine is widely considered a drug. It's a chemical that changes brain function. It affects mood, cognition (thinking) or behavior. It might be a drug that is socially acceptable, universally, or widely, used, even cool, but it still causes withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and a lack of attention when removed from the diet.

Caffeine is not a nutrient; you do not need it to be healthy. In fact, it can leave you lacking nutrients because it has been shown to prevent the body from absorbing calcium. Caffeine is also a diuretic, so it can cause the body to want to urinate. Not to mention the fact that the more caffeinated drinks you consume, the less likely you are to drink water and the more likely you will become dehydrated.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that adolescents should not consume more than 100 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day. That is less than the amount found in a Starbucks grande latte. Some experts say that any drink with caffeine should not be consumed by children or adolescents. 

Caffeine's Drawbacks

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 60 percent of middle-schoolers and more than 70 percent of high-schoolers do not get enough sleep on school nights. Caffeine can cause some of those sleep problems. The drug can remain in the body for seven hours after consumption, blocking the neurochemical that triggers sleepiness, preventing you from realizing you are tired. The result: teens who lack sleep perform worse the next day.

Sleep is important for teens in other ways. Getting enough sleep contributes to proper growth and brain development. During childhood and adolescence, the brain goes through a period called synaptic pruning. This brain cleanse only happens during sleep. Also, most of an adolescent's growth hormone is secreted throughout the body during sleep.

Caffeine is also bad for your heart. It can cause anxiety and decrease impulse control. After an initial morning rush of caffeine, you might find yourself lagging through class because your body is craving more. This pattern could be hard to break as an adult because eating habits and taste preferences are cemented in adolescence. 

Caffeine Labeling

It is difficult to determine how much caffeine is in some products. That's because caffeine does not have to be listed on the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels because it is not a nutrient. It might be listed as an ingredient, but the amount is not required. Caffeine is now added to foods such as gum, mints, candy and water. It's even found in makeup and beauty products that promise to reduce swelling and cellulite.

There are alternative ways to boost energy that may not taste as sweet as that frappuccino but are much healthier. Eat a diet of whole foods that is high in complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and B vitamins. Get regular exercise, drink a lot of water and get at least nine hours of sleep every night. If you do all of these things, you might actually master "adulting" better than many adults.

Caffeine In Popular Drinks

The amount of caffeine in some of these drinks might surprise you. Next time you feel like you need a coffee, check out this list:

Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee (medium, 24-ounce, 297 mg), Starbucks Pike Place Roast (small, 12-ounce, 235 mg), Starbucks iced coffee (medium, Grande, 16-ounce, 165 mg), McDonald's iced latte (medium, 16-ounce, 142 mg). 

Non-coffee drinks can also contain lots of caffeine. Here is another list to consult: 5-hour energy shot (200 mg), Monster energy drink (16-ounce, 160 mg), Mountain Dew (12-ounce, 54 mg), Snapple iced tea (16-ounce, 42 mg), Pepsi (12-ounce, 39 mg), Coca-Cola (12-ounce, 34 mg).

Casey Seidenberg is a co-founder of Nourish Schools, a nutrition education company. She is also the co-author of "Super Food Cards," which is a book of cards with healthy recipes and advice.

Notes on my thoughts, reactions and questions as I read:

Hamilton Middle School Article of the Week

Many popular drinks contain too much caffeine for teens to handle (910L)

Notes on my thoughts, reactions and questions as I read:

Hamilton Middle School Article of the Week

Many popular drinks contain too much caffeine for teens to handle (910L)

 such as gum, mints, candy and water. It's even found in some makeup and beauty products.

There are alternative ways to boost energy that might not taste as sweet as that frappuccino. They are much healthier, though. Eat a diet of whole foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and B vitamins. Get regular exercise, drink lots of water and get at least nine hours of sleep every night.

Checking Caffeine In Popular Drinks

The amount of caffeine in some of these popular drinks might surprise you. A medium Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee has 297 mg of coffee. A 5-hour energy shot contains 200 mg of caffeine. On the low end, a glass of Coca-Cola contains 34 mg of caffeine.

Casey Seidenberg is a co-founder of Nourish Schools, a nutrition education company. She is also the co-author of "Super Food Cards," which is a book of cards with healthy recipes and advice.

Notes on my thoughts, reactions and questions as I read:

Hamilton Middle School Article of the Week

Many popular drinks contain too much caffeine for teens to handle (910L)

Comprehension questions – answers may be in phrases.

1. Who says that adolescents should not consume more than 100 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day?

2. Define fatigue as used in the article. Use a dictionary if needed.

3. How many milligrams of caffeine does a 5-hour energy shot contain?

4. During childhood and adolescence, when does a brain cleanse occur?

2. Answer each question in one or more complete sentences (Use R.A.C.E strategies to help you-Restate, Answer, Cite, and Explain).

1. Which paragraph from the text best describes the drawbacks of consuming caffeine?

2. Using what we’ve learned in our grammar lessons, explain why "Beowulf" is in quotation marks.

Standards

Hamilton Middle School Article of the Week

Many popular drinks contain too much caffeine for teens to handle (910L)

3. According to the text, Caffeine is widely considered a drug. Do you agree with this claim? Use evidence from the text to support your answer (Answers should be in paragraph form- Step-Up Paragraph).

Remember, each one of these colors represents ONE COMPLETE sentence!

Topic Sentence:

Main Idea 1 Sentence:

Supporting Detail Sentence:

Conclusion Sentence:

Standards

4. How many Coca-Colas would you have to drink to equal the amount of caffeine in one Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee? Show your work and answer in a complete sentence.

Standards

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