Help me get caffinated!

[Kahuna Burger]

Cross posted many places….

I have begun to notice that on the days I take Excedrin for my headaches, I feel more focused and productive. As it is pretty much my only source of caffeine, this leads me to believe that maybe I need a very small supplement of this wondrous substance on a regular basis.

Unfortunately there’s a reason Excedrin is my only source of caffeine… I hate coffee (even the smell), I find tea weird and mildly unpleasant and commercial sodas are way too sugary compared to what I like to drink these days… Your average dose of Excedrin contains 130 mg of caffeine, and from my vague memories of checking labels I think no-doze or similar would be complete overkill. I remember reading once that someone had come out with caffeinated mints to appeal to the stereotypical sleepless geek, but I don’t know a brand name or if they ever really caught on.

So, suggestions? Comments? Mockery of my pickiness?

 

[Gulla]

Chocolate coated coffe beans. All you need. And even though it is usual to eat these with coffe and no-doze, it is not nescesary

Håkon

 

[Huw]

If the smell is putting you off, try adding syrup. Vanilla and hazelnut work really well in coffee, especially latte or americano.

You can also get pre-flavoured coffee beans and ground coffee.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Have you ever tried really good coffee? Not Starbucks - they have a reputation for over-roasting, which can be offputting for some. I'm just curious if you don't like coffee - or just don't like bad coffee. That kind of describes me. Going the latte (added hot milk) or americano route (added water), as Huw suggests might also be a tactic.

Do you have the same reaction to tea whether its black tea or green tea? I'm not fond of black tea, but quite like green tea.

There are also energy drinks out there that include caffeine. For that matter, I think there's a brand of caffeinated water out there.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Have you ever tried really good coffee? Not Starbucks - they have a reputation for over-roasting, which can be offputting for some. I'm just curious if you don't like coffee - or just don't like bad coffee.

I have brought back highly rated Kona coffee beans from Hawaii for friends... and had to wrap up the already sealed bags against the residual smell - I'm pretty sure I just don't like coffee.

Most teas seem to have more of an aftertaste than a taste to me, though my opinion on that may have changed since I started drinking less strong/sugary drinks. I used to like herbal teas when added to lemonade - don't know if that would work with green or black teas....

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Chocolate coated coffe beans. All you need. And even though it is usual to eat these with coffe and no-doze, it is not nescesary

Håkon

For the record, I would like to sleep... you know, ever again....

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

There are caffeinated flavored waters too.

A friend of mine gave me a 1kg bottle of pharmaceutical-grade powdered caffeine for my birthday a caouple years ago. I'm afraid to use it though.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

No-Doze maximum strength contains 200mg of caffeine. There used to be a 100mg version (regular strength), but I'm not sure if you can still find that on the market.

You mentioned mints These have 100mg of caffeine per mint.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

I drink Diet Cola. There's no sugar in it (you mentioned the commercially available sodas were too sugary) and it has just as much caffeine.

4 or 5 of those a day do me pretty well.

 

[Umbran]

I hate coffee (even the smell), I find tea weird and mildly unpleasant and commercial sodas are way too sugary compared to what I like to drink these days… Your average dose of Excedrin contains 130 mg of caffeine, and from my vague memories of checking labels I think no-doze or similar would be complete overkill.

Well, a few notes...

Excedrin (2 tablets) contains 130mg of caffeine
Coffee (typical, 8 oz): 135 mg
Coca-Cola Classic (12 oz): 34 mg
Mountain New (12 oz): 54.5 mg
Tea, black (typical, 8 oz): 50 mg
Caffeine tablet (typical): 100 to 200 mg.

So, to match your Excedrin, you'd need to drink several sodas or teas, one coffee or take one caffeine tablet.

Note that people generally become tolerant of caffeine very quickly, so that if you take it regularly, it can have much reduced effect.