I always wondered why some decaf drinkers looked addicted
I always wondered why some decaf drinkers looked addictedAs a non-user of caffeine I sometimes look down a bit on the crowds lining up patiently for their Starbucks fix. It might as well be a methadone clinic, I sometimes think. But what puzzles me most is the people in line who are waiting for decaf. They seem just as committed as some of the others.Here's a clue as to why. From MedPage Today ('Decaffeinated' Coffee May Be Anything But)
Caffeine-averse patients who think they're getting a free ride by drinking decaf at Starbucks, for instance, should know that it may be laden with the stimulant, claims not withstanding.Those who consume multiple cups of purportedly caffeine-free java should be aware that their cumulative daily consumption could easily add up to 85 mg of caffeine, the dose found in an average cup of the real stuff, the authors warned in the October issue of the Journal of Analytical Toxicity.
And here's the key line to show I wasn't simply imagining things:
So-called decaf coffee may also contain just enough of the psychostimulant to foster dependence in caffeine-sensitive people, the authors suggested.
Echoes of "The Non-Fat Yogurt" episode from Seinfeld?