******************************************** Hot News from Soup Central at E.D. Foods August 20th, 2004 ******************************************** Over a MILLION site visitors Over 80,000 subscribers to this newsletter TABLE OF CONTENTS: For All you wanted to know (And some you didn't) About Caffeine How many of you have had a cup of coffee today? How about a soft drink? Chocolate? An Excedrin? All of the above products have one thing in common: They all contain caffeine. As the world's most consumed drug, caffeine is an integral part of most people's daily lives. What most people don't realize is how much caffeine they consume. With serving sizes on the rise (super sized soft drinks, extra tall lattes, king sized chocolate bars), it's no wonder that more and more people are developing serious dependencies on this drug. If you don't believe me, try to go an entire day without caffeine. No coffee, soda, chocolate, etc. When the headache hits, and the jitters begin, grab yourself a large coffee (you'll find out why quitting cold turkey isn't the best option later on), and have a read through this edition of Soup Central News. A. Monthly specials B. The World's Most Popular Drug C. The Ups and Downs of Your Morning Coffee D. Caffeine Schmaffeine: How to Kick the Habit E. My Caffeine-Cutting Efforts F. Caffeine-Free Recipes Hot Apple Cider Cranberry Tea Italian Cream Soda Orange Glorious Lemonade G. Caffeinated Sites H. People Pleasing Soups and More I. Caffeine-Free Customer Feedback J. Customer's recipes corner K. Short and to the Point L. Quote of the Month M. You Know You're Drinking too Much Coffee When... ********************** A. Monthly specials ********************** please follow this link: http://www.ed-foods.com/special.html ************************************* B. The World's Most Popular Drug ************************************* Caffeine is an odorless, bitter tasting drug that comes from coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts and cacao pods. Not too long ago, the only way to get your caffeine fix would have been directly through these sources. Then, one glorious day in 1820, they successfully isolated caffeine from coffee, and a whole new world of caffeinated possibilities was born (and decaf coffee, which was the result of this process). We consume caffeine in coffee, tea, cocoa, cola, and certain drugs, such as No Doz, Excedrin and Dextrim. Today, 120,000 tons of caffeine is consumed each year in various foods, drugs and beverages, with 80% of all adults in the US consuming caffeine every single day. Coffee is still the most popular caffeinated product, with a world consumption that is second only to oil, and this number is steadily on the rise! This isn't too hard to believe when you consider that the average coffee-drinking American drinks 2.6 cups of coffee per day. There's that first cup of coffee in the morning, a couple of mid-day coffee breaks, a soda for lunch, and then meeting a friend for coffee after work. And to make matters worse, coffee shops seem to be continually increasing their cup sizes (The extra large is now about the size of my head). Caffeine, as tasty as it is in some of our favorite treats, is still a drug, and as such, it can create real physical and psychological dependencies. ************************************************** C. The Ups and Downs of Your Morning Coffee ************************************************** There are varying beliefs on how much caffeine can safely be consumed each day. It ranges from 100mg to 300mg - equivalent to approximately 1-4 cups of coffee. For specific caffeine levels in various foods and beverages, see the caffeinated links section below. I'm not going to say that caffeine is all, because it isn't! You can have a cup of coffee, and still be a healthy, happy individual. It's just a matter of knowing the facts and consuming caffeine in moderation. That's where I come in! So, without further ado, let's get into the good, the bad and the very ugly sides of caffeine. Okay, I lied. One last little ado - "Caffeine sensitivity" is the amount of caffeine that will produce an effect in someone. As this amount is different from person to person, it is important that you be aware of your own caffeine sensitivity. One person may be able to have a cup of coffee at 10pm and still sleep; another may have one at 2pm and be up all night! The Good Headaches - As a headache sufferer myself, I can tell you that this is probably the best thing caffeine has going for it! Caffeine increases the power of painkillers by 40%, and if you're a no-painkiller kind of person, caffeine also works by itself. So the next time you have a headache that just won't quit, try drinking a nice cup of hot caffeinated tea or a cold soda (But keep in mind that if you have too much caffeine it will actually make your headache worse - or could even be the cause of it!). Problem Solving - Caffeine can speed up reaction time and improve automatic processing skills. However, caffeine does not make you smarter, and it actually decreases your ability to do complicated tasks, such as complex word problems (I guess the coffee and crossword pairing should be reconsidered). Miscellaneous - Caffeine, in moderation, can be used as a cardiac stimulant, a mild diuretic (it increases urine production), to increase alertness, and can even be used to help asthmatics (it relaxes the air passages which improves breathing). The Bad Calcium Loss - The more coffee we drink, the more calcium is lost. The amount is around 5mg of calcium for every 6oz of coffee or 2 cans of cola. A good way to counter this is to drink 2 tbsp of milk for each cup of coffee you drink. Infertility - Studies have shown that women who drink coffee regularly (usually 3 or more cups per day) are half as likely to become pregnant than those who drink moderate amounts of caffeine (or none at all!) Heart Disease - I'm not going to go into this too much, as it is less of a problem now. Just make sure that if you are drinking coffee, you drink either instant or filtered drip coffee. (See www.cspinet.org/nah/caffeine.htm) Sleep - A person's caffeine sensitivity has a lot to do with caffeine consumption will affect their sleep, but here are some general effects that caffeine have on sleep: It's harder to get to sleep, you sleep for a shorter time, you have less deep sleep, and although you have more REM sleep at first, you have less overall. A proper amount of deep sleep and REM are essential for a good night's sleep. Diabetes - Coffee has been shown to disturb the body's ability to metabolize sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, causing an increase in glucose and insulin levels. Miscellaneous - Small amounts of caffeine - heart beats faster, body temperature rises and your digestive system produces more acid. -Large amounts of caffeine / Long term consumption - headaches, restlessness, nervousness, depression, ulcers and upset stomach, just to name a few. The Very Ugly There are two very ugly end results that are possible when taking any drug: dependence and overdose. Caffeine can cause both of these. Dependence: Not everyone who consumes caffeine is caffeine- dependent. There are many ways to judge if you are dependent on caffeine such as: You want to cut back but can't or you find caffeine taking up many of your thoughts, emotions and activities. If you are dependent on caffeine, you will experience certain withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop. These symptoms can include fatigue, irritability, a headache you won't soon forget (usually lasting between 1 to 5 days), lack of concentration, nervousness and in some cases, nausea. Overdose: 10 grams of caffeine is considered the average fatal dose. This is equivalent to chain-drinking 80-100 cups of coffee (The record is held by one person who ingested 24 grams of caffeine and surviving. Do not try that at home!) However, it is possible to overdose without getting anywhere close to this fatal amount. For more information on the symptoms and treatments for caffeine overdose, see the links section. So, you've finished reading this section and you're ready to kick the caffeine habit. There are ways to go about it that will allow you to gradually decrease your intake, rather than just quitting cold turkey (take it from me, your chances of success if you just stop abruptly are not very good. If nothing else gets you, the headache will!). Read on to find out how YOU can take the first steps to becoming caffeine-free! ************************************************** D. Caffeine Schmaffeine: How to Kick the Habit ************************************************** Everyone's different, and will probably have their own ideas on how to cut down their caffeine intake. These are just some basic steps that will allow you to successfully decrease your caffeine consumption, while sparing you the pain of caffeine withdrawal. Feel free to substitute your own food, beverage, drug and activity replacements that are mentioned below! 1. Keep track of your caffeine consumption for one week (make sure to include the weekend, as your intake and activities will be different). Look for patterns and determine your 'caffeine times' (i.e. your morning coffee). Now rate these according to which you believe to be the most 'necessary'. For example, you might rate your morning coffee as crucial, but not your mid-morning soft drink. 2. At the start of the next week, gradually cut out 1/2 cup of coffee per day, or 2-5 cups per week. The amount and method will depend on how much coffee you are currently drinking, and what you feel comfortable with. Try replacing it with a caffeine-free tea or coffee alternative (if you can, stay away from decaf coffee, as it contains some caffeine and is thought to still be addictive). Another great substitute is water, but you may find that for the first few weeks, you need something a little closer to what you're used to drinking. Also be aware of activities that you couple with caffeine consumption, such as reading your morning newspaper at your kitchen table or smoking (it has been shown that coffee drinkers are more likely to smoke cigarettes, and for them, the two often go together). These activities might trigger a craving for your usual caffeinated treat. 3. Find alternative (and natural) ways to boost your energy levels, such as taking a brisk walk, eating regular, healthy meals and getting a good night's sleep. ******************************* E. My Caffeine-Cutting Efforts ******************************* When I first started researching this topic, I decided that my own caffeine-aholic lifestyle could use some cutting back as I was up to 4-5 cups of coffee and no less than 3 diet cokes a day (which isn't counting food or medication). I kept track of my caffeine intake, and it didn't take long for me to find patterns, especially during the week. Now, I'm not the type to preach what I don't practice, so I decided to give our Caf-Lib a try. I have to admit though, when I first heard about our coffee alternative, I was a little skeptical...okay, very skeptical. It's made out of chicory, barley and rye, how much like coffee could it be? But nothing ventured, nothing gained. So, on my first day of cutting back, I had my usual morning coffee (I had decided that the morning coffee was one I wasn't letting go of just yet), and instead of my second mid-morning coffee, I tried the Caf-Lib. I have to say I was completely wrong. It was really good (and I promise I'm not just saying this because I work here =). Over the next week, I slowly began to substitute other beverages, such as juice, water and caffeine-free teas for my usual caffeinated drinks (I'm actually drinking OJ right now instead of the Pepsi that would usually be in front of me). My favorite teas so far are Strawberry/Mandarin and Ginkgo Biloba tea (an added bonus - Ginkgo Biloba is a herb that has many naturally energizing properties, and it's combined with refreshing peppermint that really gives a mid-day boost). I found that when I slowly replaced coffee and soft drinks with other drinks that were just as tasty and satisfying, it wasn't as difficult as I had thought. I'm currently down to 1-2 cups of coffee and no more than 2 diet cokes a day. Its important to remember though, that it took you more than one day to develop your dependency on caffeine, and it will take more than one day to break it. If you try to cut too much out, too fast, the symptoms you'll experience will drive you back to your old habits and could discourage you from trying again. ***************************** F. Caffeine-Free Recipes ***************************** Okay, in honor of this caffeine-free newsletter, the recipe section is going to be a little different than usual. Instead of different meal ideas, we're going to dedicate this section to various alternatives to common caffeinated beverages. So, let's get creative and enjoy ****************** Hot Apple Cider ****************** 6 cups apple cider 1/4 cup real maple syrup 2 cinnamon sticks 6 whole cloves 6 whole allspice berries 1 orange peel, cut into strips 1 lemon peel, cut into strips 1. Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan. 2. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange peel and lemon peel in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cheesecloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with a length of kitchen string. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture. 3. Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling. 4. Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired. Recipe Variations: -If you can't find them, or don't like them, you can take out the berries and cloves -If you have a sweet tooth, you can add some brown sugar too **************** Cranberry Tea **************** 3 teaspoons instant caffeine-free tea powder 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 6 cups boiling water 1 (3 ounce) package cherry flavored gelatin 1 cup orange juice 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 quart cranberry juice 1. Place the instant tea, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bag and steep in the boiling water for 5 minutes. 2. Stir in the cherry gelatin and let mixture cool. Add the orange juice, lemon juice, and cranberry juice. 3. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Serve warm, keep any extra in the refrigerator. Recipe Variation -For a sweeter tea, add 1/4 -1/2 cup of sugar ***************** Italian Cream Soda ***************** 8 fluid ounces carbonated water 3/4 fluid ounce passion fruit flavored syrup 3/4 fluid ounce watermelon flavored syrup 1 fluid ounce half-and-half cream 1.Fill a tall glass half full with ice. Fill to 2/3 with carbonated water. 2. Pour in watermelon and passion fruit flavored syrups, then float the half-and-half cream on top. Stir when ready to drink. ****************** Orange Glorious ****************** 1 cup milk 1 cup ice water 1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate 12 cubes ice 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 cup white sugar 1. In a blender combine milk, water, orange juice concentrate, ice cubes, vanilla and sugar. Blend until smooth. Pour into three 12 oz glasses and enjoy. Recipe Variations -For a breakfast smoothie, add some of your favorite fruit you may want to use less sugar though, as it may be too sweet -You can substitute soy or lactose-free milk ************ Lemonade ************ 1 3/4 cups white sugar 8 cups water 1 1/2 cups lemon juice 1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until chilled. 2. Remove seeds from lemon juice, but leave pulp. In pitcher, stir together chilled syrup, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups water. *********************** G. Caffeinated Sites *********************** There are so many sites out there that deal with caffeine that I couldn't even begin to list them all! So, here are just a few that I found particularly useful and/or fun. http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/caff.html This is a great site with both serious and fun facts, caffeine content charts, a caffeine-tracking page and more. http://coffeefaq.com/caffaq.htm For a more scientific look at caffeine and its effects, as well as more information on overdose symptoms http://www.koffeekorner.com An entire site dedicated to all that is coffee. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll have fun. Check it out. http://www.cspinet.org/nah/caffeine.htm Lots of info on the medical issues involved with caffeine http://home.howstuffworks.com/caffeine.htm This site is called 'How Stuff Works', and it has a caffeine section...need I say more? ****************************************** H. People Pleasing Soups and More ****************************************** "I've been on a low carb diet for over two years, and I usually have to skip the soup. But I was surprised to see that your chickeny noodle fit into my diet perfectly. It was over 90 degrees here the day the soup arrived, and I have to tell you, I sat in the air-conditioning and truely enjoyed myself!!" Mary Myers, MD "We adore your cheesy veggie soup and hollandaise sauce!! I recommend ED-Foods to all of my friends because everyone has something they love. My friends' favorite is the Potato Chowder - so on 'Soup Night' - they get a big pot of their favorite, and my husband and I get a big pot of ours!!" Rachyll Dempsey, OH "I tried the Simply Delicious Tomato Soup, thinking that tomato soup was tomato soup. Was I ever surprised. It was downright wonderful. I plan to take your products with me camping in Algonquins Interior" Bob Dupuis, ON ******************************************************** I. Caffeine-Free Customer Feedback (Fewer Typos =) ******************************************************** "I ordered the Caf-Lib as I always do and was so happy to see the samples of tea and soup!!! I haven't had anything from you that hasn't been excellent!! Thanks for the samples and for the order that came so fast!! Love you all and love the products!!" Terry Rawlinson, NV "I received a sample of Caf-Lib, tried it, and it was delicious! I have recently given up coffee and this was the closest thing to it that I've found. As soon as it was available, I placed an order for the large economy size and am anxiously awaiting its arrival! Thanks for making caffeine-free so delicious!" Barbara Berry, NC "I recently cut all caffeine out of my daily diet. My order of tea arrived just when I needed it. I find the flavor refreshing and it's the best tea I have ever had. Next time I need tea, I'm ordering from you. Thanks for the wonderful products. Also love the soups." Joan Swift, MN "I ordered the Caf-Lib packettes and couldn't get to the computer fast enough to order the jars of it...Fantastic alternative to Coffee! Best ever!! So Far, I havent had anything from you guys that wasn't great! Thanks for everything" Terry Rawlinson, NV ******************************* J. Customer's Recipes Corner ******************************* Share your recipe with us - just go to http://www.ed-foods.com/feedback.html Sandy's Dandys - another easy cookie recipe "Any flavor of boxed cake mix, 1 cup oatmeal, 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup oil and your choice of chocolate chips, raisins, etc. Put cake mix into a large bowl. Add the oatmeal, egg whites and oil and blend ingredients. Add chocolate chips, etc. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until done." Sandy Cornett "We just tried the cream of three mushroon soup. I needed a quick supper and thought we'd try this new arrival. I added some dried porchini mushroon tortellini as it simmered, and I also used evaporated milk to make it a bit richer. What a great meal. Thank you." Heidi Hall, CT Zucchini Salad "2 small-medium Zucchini, 1 small chopped onion, 1 chopped tomato, chopped celery, 2 tbsp parsley, 1/4-1/2 cup Italian dressing, 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, Salt and Pepper. Let this chill with the dressing for a few hours, and it makes a great summer salad." Karolen Hall, NE ****************************** K. Short and to the point! "You Guys are Great!" Jessica Swiergiel, IN "Quick, easy and delicious!" Jo Anne Anechiarico, NJ "Yum, yum, yummy!" Symantha Miller, ID "An awesome product" Darlene Thomas, TN *************************** L. Quote of the Month *************************** "You have the best of the best and make it the easiest of easiest to get it. Not bad for starters...Is this a recommendation of recommendations? It is, it is. Your stuff is so good, it's got me saying everything twice...Once just doesn't do it...Everything twice. Thanks...and, er...thanks." Larry Cole, CA M. ======== The Last Word ======= ==You Know You're Drinking too Much Coffee When... == -You haven't blinked since the last lunar eclipse -You can take a picture of yourself from ten feet away without using a timer -You spend every vacation visiting "Maxwell House" -You are employee of the month at the local coffeehouse and you don't even work there -All your kids are named "Joe" -You don't sweat, you percolate -You've worn out the handle on your favorite mug -You go to AA meetings just for the free coffee -You've built a miniature city out of little plastic stirrers -The Taster's Choice couple wants to adopt you -Starbucks owns the mortage on your house -Instant coffee takes too long -When someone says. "How are you?", you say, "Good to the last drop" -You want to come back as a coffee mug in your next life -You name your cats "Cream" and "Sugar" -Your Thermos is on wheels -You have a conniption over spilled milk -You don't tan, you roast -You don't get mad, you get steamed -You can't even remember your second cup -You introduce your spouse as your coffeemate -Your first-aid kit contains two pints of coffee with an I.V. hookup -Juan Valdez sends you a thank you card *** Bonus Joke: A man went to his psychiatrist and said "Everytime I drink my coffee, I get a stabbing pain in my right eye." The psychiatrist said "Well, have you tried taking the spoon out?"*** ======================================== If you enjoyed this newsletter - or ever just parts of the newsletter - of course we want you to send it on to your friends! That's what makes the internet so much fun! And don't forget to let them know which of our soups is your personal favorite! It's just too good not to share! Thanks again! Keep good things happening in your life, and we'll try to keep good things happening on our site! ************************************************************ Leslie, Barbara, Kelly, Denis (and all the other Folks at E.D. Foods) 1-800-267-3333 6200 Trans Canada Pte-Claire, QC H9R 1B9 Canada http://www.ed-foods.com mailto:edinfo@ed.ca ************************************************************ ===== Remove me from your list ============== ------------------------------------------------------------ If you don't want to receive any more of these newsletters, or want to change the email we're sending to - go to the site address at the very bottom and follow directions to unsubscribe/change address. It's fast, it's easy - and it works! We'll miss you - but we'll understand, we get too much email too! By the way, our list is for us only - I don't like it when someone gives my name away - so I won't ever give away yours!