Cocoa beverage, caffeine

Three xanthines are pharmacologically important caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. All three alkaloids, which occur naturally in certain plants, are widely consumed in the form of beverages (infusions or decoctions) derived from these plants. Coffee primarily contains caffeine (about 100-150 mg per average cup) tea contains caffeine (30-40 mg per cup) and theophylline and cocoa contains caffeine (15-18 mg per cup) and theobromine. Cola drinks also contain significant amounts of caffeine (about 40 mg/12 oz). The CNS stimulation associated with these beverages is predominantly due to the caffeine. 

Schieberle, R The chemistry and technology of cocoa. In Caffeinated beverages. ACS Symposium Series 754, 262 (2000)... 

Caffeine was conceived for a wide range of readers interested in the effects on human health, nutrition, and physiological function of the methylxanthine beverages and foods—tea, coffee, mate, cola beverages, and cocoa and chocolate products. These products supply one or more of the dietary methylxanthines—caffeine, theobromine and theophylline— and are an integral part of the diet of many people in many countries. The interest in the health effects of both the methylxanthines in isolation and in the products containing them has grown rapidly in recent years. 

The methylxanthines of interest are caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine), theophylline (1,3-dimethylxanthine), and theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) and they occur in coffee, tea, mate, cocoa products, and cola beverages. This chapter is an introduction to their chemistry, isolation, and biosynthesis. While the class of methylxanthines is large and comprised of more members than these three, this chapter will essentially be limited to caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. 

This chapter defines the methylxanthine composition of raw and processed cocoa, as well as various chocolate foods and beverages. Patterns of consumption for cocoa and chocolate products are discussed and dietary intakes of caffeine from chocolate products are reported. 

The combination of ground cocoa beans and sugar produces a very hard substance with an unpleasant mouthfeel. However, the addition of extra cocoa butter results in a product that melts easily in the mouth. Additionally, the production of cocoa butter results in a lower fat cocoa powder which can be used more readily in both beverages and foods. As the amounts of cocoa butter and other fats, milk solids, sugar, and other ingredients increase, the amount of theobromine and caffeine in the final product decreases. 

Two chocolate beverages made from unsweetened cocoa contained 228 and 284 mg theobromine per serving 32 Burg reported 272 mg theobromine and 6 mg caffeine per cup of beverage made from African cocoa, and 232 mg theobromine and 42 mg caffeine for a similar beverage made with South American cocoa.34 Both beverages were prepared according to manufacturer s directions. 

Bunker and McWilliams found that two beverages prepared from instant cocoa (with Dutch process cocoa) contained 10 to 17 mg caffeine per cup.37 Table 7 lists the theobromine and caffeine concentration of hot cocoa and chocolate milk prepared from instant mixes. Zoumas et al. analyzed five commercial hot cocoa mixes and reported an average of 65 mg per serving of theobromine and 4 mg per serving of caffeine.28 Similar results were reported by Blauch and Tarka.36... 

Chocolate milk samples prepared from sweetened cocoa powders averaged 58 mg per serving of theobromine and 5 mg per serving of caffeine.28 Analysis of a "home-style" recipe resulted in higher methylxanthine values — 94 mg theobromine and 10 mg caffeine per serving. However, the authors noted that this recipe also had a stronger chocolate flavor. The lower values reported by Zoumas et al. and Blauch and Tarka compared to others was attributed to the inability of older methods to separate theobromine and caffeine, and the lack of precision and accuracy of the older methods. A compendium of theobromine and caffeine values reported for chocolate beverages from both published and unpublished studies has been compiled in Table 8. 

This chapter has compiled and evaluated information on the methylxanthine composition of cocoa and various chocolate foods and beverages, as well as the consumption pattern for these commodities. Cacao is the major natural source of the xanthine base theobromine. Small amounts of caffeine are present in the bean along with trace amounts of theophylline. Numerous factors, including varietal type and fermentation process, influence the methylxanthine content of beans. 

Significant scientific attention has focused on caffeine and its health effects. However, limited data is available for the actual dietary consumption of caffeine or theobromine from individual foods. Even less data exists on the contribution of cocoa and chocolate foods to methylxanthine intake. In children and teenagers, the major dietary source of caffeine was found to be tea, followed by soft drinks and coffee, respectively. Although chocolate foods and beverages ranked the lowest of these dietary sources to provide caffeine, they do constitute the major source of dietary theobromine. In order to gain a better insight into the amount of methylxanthines consumed via the diet, more studies on the methylxanthine content of chocolate foods, as well as beverages, are needed. 

This chapter will cover the production of coffee, tea, and cocoa, which comprise the primary crops that account for the majority of worldwide caffeine consumption. Caffeine-containing crops and products comprise a large share of the international market and are primary commodities for many national economies.3 4 Trade of such products is also important in the understanding of availability, market demand, and overall exposure to caffeine from various sources. Information is presented to a lesser degree for soft drinks, many of which do contain caffeine and are consumed primarily in the industrialized nations. Another source of caffeine exposure which contributes less than any beverages and foods under consideration are prescription and non-prescription medications, which are described in lesser detail. 

Other dietary factors that may influence overall caffeine consumption include foods that contain cocoa or chocolate, such as candies and sweets. These products do not contribute as much caffeine as either coffee or tea however, their contribution to caffeine exposure should be recognized. Caffeine may also be in foods and beverages as an additive, which the Food and Drug Administration monitors and requires to be labeled on the product. 

After the nucleic acid purines adenine and guanine, the next most prominent purine in our everyday lives is probably caffeine. Caffeine, in the form of beverages such as tea, coffee, and cola, is one of the most widely consumed and socially accepted natural stimulants. Closely related structurally are theobromine and theophylline. Theobromine is a major constituent of cocoa, and related chocolate products. Caffeine is also used medicinally,... 

It has been estimated that beverage consumption may provide the following amounts of caffeine per cup or average measure coffee, 30-150 mg (average 60-80 mg) instant coffee, 20-100 mg (average 40-60 mg) decaffeinated coffee, 2-4 mg tea, 10-100 mg (average 40 mg) cocoa, 2-50 mg (average 5 mg) cola drink, 25-60 mg. The maximal daily intake should not exceed about 1 g to avoid unpleasant side effects, e.g. headaches, restlessness. An acute lethal dose is about 5-10 g. 

The three important methylxanthines are theophylline, theobromine, and caffeine. Their major source is beverages (tea, cocoa, and coffee, respectively). The importance of theophylline as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of asthma has waned as the greater effectiveness of inhaled adrenoceptor agents for acute asthma and of inhaled anti-inflammatory agents for chronic asthma has been established, but theophylline s very low cost is an important advantage for economically disadvantaged patients in societies in which health care resources are limited. 

The xanthines caffeine (40 R1 = R2 = R3 = Me), theophylline (40 R1 = R2 = Me, R3 = H) and theobromine (40 R1 = R3 = Me, R2 = H), which are the stimulants present in tea, coffee, cocoa and many other beverages, have a number of therapeutic uses. They were formerly used as diuretics, theophylline being the most potent, and caffeine is a powerful CNS stimulant useful in treating cases of poisoning by CNS depressants. Caffeine has also been... 

Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance found in the leaves, seeds, or fruits of more than 60 plants. These include coffee and cocoa beans, kola nuts, tea leaves, guarana (Paulinia cupana) and Paraguay tea. Thus it is present naturally in many beverages, such as coffee, tea, and cola drinks, or is added in small amounts (up to 200 ppm) in some soft drinks and in foods such as chocolate. Caffeine is obtained by solvent or supercritical fluid extraction from green coffee beans, mainly during the preparation of decaffeinated coffee. 

The purine alkaloids caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline (Figure 6.135) are all methyl derivatives of xanthine and they commonly co-occur in a particular plant. The major sources of these compounds are the beverage materials such as tea, coffee, cocoa, and cola, which owe their stimulant properties to these water-soluble alkaloids. They competitively inhibit phosphodiesterase, resulting in an increase in cyclic AMP and subsequent release of adrenaline. This leads to a stimulation of the CNS, a relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle, and induction of diuresis, as major effects. These effects vary in the three compounds. Caffeine is the best CNS stimulant, and has weak diuretic action. Theobromine has little stimulant action, but has more diuretic activity and also muscle relaxant properties. Theophylline also has low stimulant action and is an effective diuretic, but it relaxes smooth muscle better than caffeine or theobromine. 

Chocolate has antioxidant properties for low-density lipoproteins and hence could prevent heart disease. Foods and beverages derived from cocoa beans have been consumed by humans since 460 a.d. Cocoa pods from the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao) are harvested and the beans removed and fermented. Dried and roasted beans contain about 300 chemicals including caffeine, theobromine, and phenethylamine. Chocolate liquor is prepared by finely grinding the nib of the cocoa bean and is the basis for all chocolate products. Cocoa powder is made by removing part of the cocoabutter from the liquor. Bittersweet chocolate, sometimes called dark chocolate, contains between 15 and 60% chocolate liquor, the remainder being cocoa butter, sugar, and other additives. Milk chocolate is the predominant form of chocolate consumed in the U.S. and typically contains 10 to 12% chocolate liquor. 

Caffeine is present in coffee, tea, and chocolate. These plant-derived beverages and foods also contain the other methylxanthines, which some scientists say serve as defense chemicals for leaves and berries produced in climates where there is no winter to kill off chewing bugs. Tea contains mostly caffeine, with small amounts of theophylline and theobromine, but tea is a weaker plant extract than the stronger brew, coffee. Theobromine is the primary methylxanthine found in cocoa, which also contains a small amount of caffeine per cup. Caffeine content ranges from as little as 5 mg in a cup of hot cocoa to 300 mg in 6 oz (177 ml) of espresso. Colas have about 50 mg per 12 fl oz (355 ml). 

Of more than pure chemical interest is the recent report concerning the implications of consumption of caffeine in common beverages. Although tea and coffee contain approximately the same amount of caffeine (2—5%), the former also contains adenine, which is thought to neutralize the action of caffeine. The presumed reason that children are allowed to drink chocolate and cocoa is that these contain only 0.25% of caffeine The effects of certain precipitating agents and of variation of the pH during extraction procedures on caffeine and related alkaloids have been studied. ... 

One is contained in all the cups of tea, coffee, and cocoa which we consume. All of these beverages contain the stimulant caffeine. Whenever you take a cup of coffee, you are a drug user. We could go further. Whenever you crave a cup of coffee, you are a drug addict. Even kids are not immune. They get their caffeine shot from coke or pepsi. Whether you like it or not, caffeine is a drug. When you take it, you experience a change of mood or feeling. 

Quantitative det. of caffeine in beverages using CE Caffeine in coffee, tea, cola cocoa samples Drinks made according to instructions, diluted, filtered... 

Caffeine, theophylline and theobromine are the three important members of the xanthine diuretics, which are commonly foimd in the common beverages viz., coffee Coffee arabica), coca-cola Cola acuminata) and cocoa Theobroma cacao) contain caffeine tea Thea sinensis) contains caffeine and theophylline and cocoa Theobroma cacao) contains theobromine. 

The most common source of these xanthines is in the beverages coffee, tea, and cocoa, which are universally consumed mainly for their stimulant properties. A cup of coffee or tea contains between 60 and 85 mg of caffeine, and a cup of cocoa can have as much as 250 mg of theobromine. Caffeine frequently is added to cola drinks as well as to over-the-counter analgesics and stimulants. Theophylline is used for its bronchodilating effects in the treatment of asthma. Its importance has declined greatly since the development of the inhaled P2-adrenergic agonists and inhaled steroids and because its narrow therapeutic window requires close patient monitoring and periodic blood level determination to avoid serious side effects. 

Purines also occur in common beverages. For example, it is customary to drink tea, coffee, cocoa, mate, guarana, and other related stimulating drinks in many places in the world. Coffee, red tea, green tea, and cocoa are representative drinks that are widely appreciated all over the world. Among these, coffee is prepared from the seeds of Cqffea arabica or Coffea robusta (Rubiaceae), and red tea and green tea are prepared from the leaves of Camellia sinensis (Theaceae). Cocoa is prepared from the seeds of Theobroma cacao (Sterculiaceae). These drinks all contain purine derivatives, i.e., caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. The history of the research on caffeine and theophylline is old, and these alkaloids were isolated as long ago as 1820 by Pelletier and Caventou. Total syntheses of these alkaloids were attempted at the end of the nineteenth century [3,4]. 

These three alkaloids are well-known compounds, as they are present in everyday foods and beverages, such as cocoa, drinking chocolate, tea, and cola, as well as in pharmaceutical products. In cocoa products, theobromine is the major alkaloid, followed by caffeine, which is found in small quantities. Slight traces of theophylline have been identified therefore, it is not considered relevant and is not reviewed in the cocoa products [22,23], The range of methylxanthines also depends on variables such as the origin of the cocoa beans, the fermentation process, and the cocoa production process. Thus, for instance, defatted cocoa beans may contain about 4% and 0.2% of theobromine and caffeine, respectively [24], Regarding their physiological effects in humans, methylxanthines have been related to various body systems, mainly the central nervous system, but also the cardiovascular, renal, and respiratory systems [25,26],... 

Caffeine, 1,3,7-trimetkylxanlhine a purine derivative (see Methylated xanthines) found in coffee beans and leaves, tea leaves, cocoa beans and cola nuts. It is usually produced from tea leaves (1.5-3.5% caffeine content) and as a byproduct from the production of decaffeinated coffee. Due to its stimulatory effects on the central nervous system, C. and C.-containing beverages are used to stimulate the heart and eireula-tion. Its effects are mainly due to inhibition of the phosphodiesterase that degrades cyclic AMP to AMP in adrenalin-producing cells, thereby prolonging adrenalin action. 

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