Latest news with #BiniSuresh
Time of India
02-08-2025
- Health
- Time of India
What is the caffeine pouch trend going viral among teenagers in the US?: Here's what experts think
Whoever thought teenagers would be in need of an instant caffeine fix? Well, difficult times call for easier measures and to get their share of caffeine rush in a day, a growing number of American teenagers are using caffeine pouches. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now What are these? Well, these are small tea-bag-like pouches that they place between the lip and gum to get a quick caffeine hit that travels straight to the bloodstream. As is typical, the trend has been pushed by social media influencers who are recommending the caffeine pouches to gym goers for elevated performance and students for alertness for exams. TikTok Shop sells lots of brands and flavours that could appeal to young people, said Dr Rob van Dam from George Washington University to the BBC. However, with a single pouch containing as much caffeine as two cups of regular coffee, it could be easy to take too much and get bad side effects, warned the doctor. Many fans of the product have boasted online about the "buzzing" from using two pouches at once for an extra big caffeine rush. Additionally, the size of these pouches is small enough not to be detected if someone is carrying one in their mouth and hiding from parents and teachers. As the caffeine gets absorbed, the effects can begin within a few minutes and last up to hours, with levels going out of control. "Young people may have less tolerance to caffeine, and there's a chance they could end up in the emergency room if they have too much," added the doctor. What happens when you have too much caffeine? Image credits: Getty Images Caffeine makes you feel more alert due to the effects it has on the brain and central nervous system. However, excessive amounts of it can affect the cardiovascular system in terms of rapid heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms and even seizures. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Typically, around 400mg of coffee, which amounts to 4 cups of instant coffee, is safe to be consumed by most healthy adults. The coffee pouches not only provide an excessive caffeine hit to the body, but keeping them between the teeth and the lip can also cause irritation in the gums. "While caffeine may give a temporary boost, it can disrupt sleep and worsen fatigue over time, especially in children and teens who are more sensitive to its effects," said Bini Suresh, head of dietetics at the Cleveland Clinic, London and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. Additionally, according to the , some studies have suggested a link between caffeine consumption and longer-term behavioural problems in young people such as anger, violence, sleep disturbances and drug use. Researchers in Iceland surveyed 7,400 adolescents aged 14 and 15 years and found that most reported consuming caffeine on a typical day and reported daytime sleepiness and anger for both sexes.
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Less salt than bacon and lower in fat than salami: Why Spam is making a comeback
Bini Suresh, a media spokesperson for British Dietietic Association (BDA) says: 'We can't ignore Spam as a good source of protein, containing iron and B vitamins naturally found in pork. Plus it's gluten-free, low carb and fortified with sodium ascorbate (a form of vitamin C). Of course it's OK for someone to consume processed meats as part of a balanced diet, but frequency, portion size and what other foods you eat with it are key.' But that's not to say it hasn't had its fair share of ridicule or is one of the most healthy of processed meats around. Critics poke at its low nutritional value, deriding its bland, sweet and salty flavour ('porky with a bad ham taste', say some) and saying it's something only eaten by students and seniors. What is actually in Spam? An amusingly proud declaration by the manufacturers on the can boasts a 'minimum of 90 per cent meat'. It's true, Spam is primarily made up of pork (89 per cent), with a small percentage (2 per cent) of ham. Other ingredients include: starch, salt, water, sugar, stabiliser (triphosphates), a vague-sounding ''flavourings' and stabilisers, of which Eva Humphries, a clinical nutritionist at KYN care homes, is 'not so keen on'. There is research that suggests that 'triphosphates can also have a negative effect on gut and kidney health,' adds Humphries, 'which may disproportionately impact the elderly. Spam certainly doesn't win any prizes in nutritional value, being particularly high in saturated fat and salt. The Government recommends that saturated fat should provide no more than 10 per cent of our total calorie intake. This is about 30g per day for men and 20g per day for women. A tin of Spam is 340g, and every 100g (an average serving) contains 9.7g of saturated fat – nearly half our daily allowance. Scoff the whole tin, and you will be easily exceeding the recommended amount. At 292kcal per 100g, it's high in calories too. Nor does its salt levels fair well, with 2.4g per 100g, over a third of the daily recommended maximum of 6g. Data from the ongoing Global Burden of Disease study shows that diets high in sodium are one of the leading causes of death from cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) worldwide. Dell Stanford, a senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), explains: 'Too much salt makes your body hold on to water, which puts pressure on your blood vessels and kidneys. The majority of salt we eat comes from manufactured foods so it's important to read food labels and reduce the salt we add to food and cooking.' Spam is an ultra-processed food (UPF) which puts it in the category of foods linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes, 'but let's get this into perspective. High levels of consumption play a role; if you are eating UPFs occasionally, they will likely do you little harm,' says Stanford. Aisling Pigott, also a dietitian, agrees: 'All foods have their place, from Spam to sausage rolls and beyond. It's not a good idea to eat UPFs every day, nor would it be a good idea to eat only one type of vegetable. Variety is key, and sometimes we think too much about labelling foods as 'good' and 'bad' and not enough about diversity within our diets. This is not an everyday food, but a convenient protein option for those who want to enjoy it now and again.' How does Spam compare to other processed meats? The common link with processed meats is their high fat and salt content, so there is an eat-with-caution factor when choosing them. They also contain preservatives and stabilisers such as sodium nitrate which is highlighted as a Group 1 carcinogen by The World Health Organisation if consumed in high quantities over time. If you want to compare Spam with salami, the latter has more fat, saturates, salt and calories. Corned beef has a similar profile but generally less additives, while bacon has less calories and fat but more salt.
