Caffeine

[helwen]

I do differ with the site I posted earlier (list of inflammatory foodstuffs), which claims that caffeine is inflammatory. Perhaps in large quantities, and/or a lot at one time, but in fact caffeine is an anti-inflammatory -- and darn useful for folks with asthma or achey muscles. Of course, what form of caffeine is perhaps a better question.

Black tea can be hard on you in large quantities (damaging to the liver I think?) and should be balanced with drinking other fluids. Coffee I have no idea except that I personally cannot drink it in the morning because it makes me nauseous. Caffeine is also in some anti-inflammatory medications, btw....

My personal choice is green tea. I have a cup in the morning, and sometimes one later in the day. I try not to have it too close to going to bed, as it can make me rather a bit warmer than I like. It doesn't keep me up at night, perhaps because I don't have a lot of it.

Comments

Dunno if you can have it

[bytchearse.livejournal.com]

But homemade hot cocoa also has some caffeine, and cocoa powder (or melted dark chocolate; get baronadhemar's recipe) has the whole dark chocolate benefit. Add a couple pinches of cayenne per pot and you add to the anti-inflammatory benefit

Re: Dunno if you can have it

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

Cayenne is a nightshade, highly inflammatory for rheumatoid arthritis.
I'd love that recipe =)

[chrisilin.livejournal.com]

Caffeine isn't strictly anti-inflammatory, in that it doesn't act directly on the chemical pathways that cause inflammation. What it does is help constrict blood vessels, which limits the amount of inflammatory mediators in the inflamed area, and therefore limits inflammation as a secondary effect.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Thanks :) I also got a correction on this from my niece B, that it's a vasoconstrictor, not anti-inflammatory. Cool to know more about this!

The site still incorrect in saying it's an inflammatory (across the board, as opposed to possibly being one for some people, which I can't speak to). Food is complicated!

[freya46.livejournal.com]

I have a cup of green tea with brown rice every day, usually just after I get up.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Green tea is good :)

[baavgai.livejournal.com]

Love the caffeine. For certain times of the year, when I start to feel like a Sudafed junkie, caffeine is a gentler adjunct.

Caffeine is a complex little beastie. As it is metabolized, it does have some vasoconstrictor properties. However, it also dilates blood vessels (theobromine) as part of the breakdown. The big reason it helps with my sinus pressure.

That breakdown includes theophylline which relaxes bronchial muscle and is considered to have anti-inflammatory properties.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Wow, that _is_ complex! Thanks for the additional info.