Are there teens at your house who need a little caffeine jump start in the morning? I get it—I LOVE my morning cup of coffee and am pretty sluggish without it.  Teens who may (or may not) have been keeping what I call “Vampire Hours” all summer need to shift gears and rise long before the crack of noon to head off to a new school year. The transition back to an early wake up can be rough.  Often teens like a zippy drink like Red Bull or Celcius to get going.  Or maybe, like me, they’re pretty committed to their morning cup of joe! 

According to Health Day 3 out of 4 of teens drink a caffeinated beverage every morning. Most parents aren’t really sure how much is too much for kids and teens.  Estimating how much your teen drinks can be tricky, especially if these drinks are available in the school cafeteria. The upper limit of caffeine for adults is 400 mg (the equivalent of 4-5 cups of regular coffee) but there’s no such upper limit for teens because there’s too little scientific evidence to support a recommendation. A Celcius drink has on average 200 mg (but some can be more), Monster  can contain up to 180 mg and Red Bull has 80 mg. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no caffeine for children and teens and they warn of other potential ingredients in energy drinks, which are not regulated by the FDA.  Best bet for teens wanting a caffeinated boost? A single cup of coffee, hot chocolate or tea. 

Snack idea: Lettuce & cheese rolls ups. Roll iceberg or bibb lettuce with a slice of cheese & enjoy. Dip in mustard, hummus or ranch for an extra zing!