Is coffee safe for kids?
Lately, I’ve noticed some tweens and young teens hanging around the local coffee houses. While it’s great that they have a safe, relaxed atmosphere in which to hang out, I’m more curious about the stuff they’re drinking. I remember by my junior or senior year in high school, some students would slide coolly into first period with a Starbucks cup in hand—and even that seemed a little strange at the time (this, of course, spoken by someone who didn’t try coffee until her final year in college). But what about fourteen-year-olds? Twelve-year-olds? Kids even younger? With it’s high levels of caffeine, is coffee OK for them to drink?
No matter what your age, too much caffeine can negatively impact the body, causing things like jitteriness, upset stomach, headache, difficulty concentrating, and increased heart rate. While it would take most adults a couple of cups to feel coffee’s ill effects, kids’ bodies are smaller and less accustomed to that feeling of perkiness accompanied by a daily morning mug of joe.
There’s no official recommendation for caffeine intake for kids in the U.S., but the Canadian government puts the limit at 85mg for kids 10-12. To put that in perspective, the average cup of coffee (that’s 6-8 oz., which is considerably smaller than any of the cup sizes at most coffee shops) contains about 100mg of caffeine. In other words, java and kids don’t mix—at least not until they’ve reached their teens. According to a health care provider quoted at Parent Map, parents shouldn’t worry if their teenager has a cup of coffee each day. It doesn’t stunt growth, and as long as it’s drunk in moderation, won’t cause hyperactivity.
How to deal if your younger kid wants coffee? Let her drink decaf (it’s got only 6mg of caffeine) or antioxidant rich brews like green tea (35-70mg caffeine) or herbal tea (caffeine free).
-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer
3 comments
I do not see coffee as harmful as caffeinated sodas which add to the mix high levels of sugars from high fructose corn syrup, phosphoric acid, sodium or potassium benzonate and many different artficial colors and flavors. I have not reached that stage with my own kids, though my toddler tries very hard to steal a sip here and there. If given the choice of my teen drinking coffee or sodas, I’d choose coffee without hesitation.
There is a serious problem with adolescents and caffeine. It’s not that teens are drinking coffee, but they are the main consumers for high energy soft drinks that are loaded with caffeine. Actually no one really knows just how much caffeine they are consuming, particularly kids, because the stimulant drug is in everything — from energy drinks and cold medications to even potato chips, candy bars and chewing gum. Why? Because manufacturers know caffeine is addictive and they want customers to keep coming back for the kick they get. Ethic Soup blog has some of the best reporting on caffeine, including:
http://www.ethicsoup.com/2009/02/caffeine-is-in-everything-how-much-is-in-you.html#more
New research has found that there is a gender effect for caffeine among teenagers — caffeine is more addictive for boys than girls:
http://www.ethicsoup.com/2010/01/caffeine-gender-effect-caffeine-more-addictive-for-boys-than-girls.html
I agree with Flynngal. It’s difficult when your young one wants to have “everything like you” and keeps after you and tries to take your drink when you’re not looking. My solution is to make a caffe latte. Since I add cream to my coffee she sees this as just like me and is happy with it. I also agree with Flynngal that I’d much rather have my older kids drinking coffee than soda. Whether sugar-free or not, the carbination and/or sugar, high fructose corn syrup or chemical sweeteners are way more dangerous to their health than a little coffee mixed with a healthy addition of milk.
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