GorillaOffTopic, Everything But Gorilla Trades

How often do you drink coffee? If you are like the Gorilla and many millions of other Americans, the answer could likely be daily. In fact, the Starbuck’s or Dunkin’ Donuts run each morning could very well be the “kick-off” to your day. American’s are having a love affair with coffee- there’s no doubting it. Some people drink it only every morning, but there are those who drink coffee two and three times a day. 

However, every individual who consumes this glorified beverage will want to pay attention to this next story. California health officials are looking into whether or not it is necessary to have warning labels put on the caffeine products we drink. These officials are looking into the health risks associated with the consumption of caffeine to find out if they are serious enough to warrant having the warning labels slapped on them. The labels would fall in line with Proposition 65, which was passed in order to inform the public that they have a right to know whether materials they are consuming are potentially dangerous or possibly toxic when consumed. The labels would list the potential adverse health effects that may occur to the individual consuming the product- much like the ones we find on cigarettes and alcohol. If it passes, then caffeine could be listed as a toxic substance, just like mercury or lead. (This is just unbelievable to the Gorilla!). 

The California EPA says that there’s evidence that consuming large amounts of caffeine could possibly be linked to low birth weights in babies. But is it really “toxic?” The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has done their own studies, and concluded that the low birth weights were only in cases in which the mothers consumed extremely large amounts of caffeine daily, while pregnant. Actually, the ACO endorses caffeine in pregnant mothers as long as it is no more than 6-7 sodas per day. (Obviously, coffee is much higher in caffeine, so the endorsement was specific to soda.) Dr. Carrie Peterson, a California OBGYN, claims that the benefits of consuming coffee and caffeine in general, (of course in moderate amounts) far outweighs the risks, and she adamantly disagrees with the California EPA’s findings. (So does the Gorilla!). She states that studies have shown that caffeine can be used to treat all kinds of health issues such as migraines and cavity prevention, and can even improve diabetic control.

All the Gorilla knows is that waking up to a wonderful smelling cup of java just makes his day better. And, if the health risks are minimal (which they appear to be), then why not enjoy this wonderful little treasure? Obviously moderation is always the key to consuming anything, and common sense must come into play, as with anything in life! But to list our beloved coffee as “toxic?” That would be a total buzz-kill!