Just because I’m curious, what’s your favorite source of caffeine? Or do you drink it at all? My favorite is Coke Zero, which I’m not proud to admit I drink in greater volume than water some days. I gave it up for Lent last year, and it was hard. Every. single. day. I tried it again this year and after one day I couldn’t remember how I benefitted from doing it last time, other than proving it to myself that I could. So I thought well, I climbed that mountain and once was enough. And bought myself a Coke.
Coke Zero…I’m with you all the way!
My only source of caffeine is chocolate – love chocolate. Used to drink diet Pepsi, but all that dye going through my kidneys had me worried – not that chocolate is any better I suppose.
why is chocolate not one of the choices?!
I like Pepsi Max, but I prefer those little Crystal Light packets that are mixed with bottled water. They are pleasantly engorged with caffeine and guarana (sp?). There’s as much caffeine in there as a cup of coffee, but I can still feel all spiritual and everything. Oh, and to make me feel like I’m getting away with something, I like Werther’s coffee flavored hard candies. Gives me the coffee breath and everything.
Diet Dr. Pepper all the way. Unfortunately or fortunately, I don’t think I’m feeling the effects of the caffeine. I can drink this all day long up until bedtime and fall asleep quickly and I can easily go without.
I do like bitter food and drink though, and caffeinated soda definitely tastes better to me.
Caramel coloring and the acidity (kidneys and teeth) are my main concerns.
I drink coffee regularly, but I also used to drink diet cola daily (over ten years). I did get to the point where I could taste the difference between my brand and other brands.
I tried to give up the diet cola without success (I had headaches, etc.). Then, my dentist told me of the harm it was doing to my teeth. And I heard about the studies that increased the risk of stroke, etc. for people who drank it regularly.
So I switched a few years ago to unsweetened iced tea (and lemonade). So far it’s gone well. The diet cola tastes differently now when I drink it; there is a different aftertaste.
Some day I want to do the experiment with Coke, Pepsi and a third cola. Evidently people can usually tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi, but when there is a third cola it’s more difficult.
Chai tea lattes. Mmm….
So much more delicious than the Word of Wisdom is wise. Okay, that’s a little sacrilegious, but seriously, so tasty.
I have never been a big fan of soft drinks (don’t like the fizz), but I did like the caffeine once in awhile. I have recently started drinking black tea, which obviously is not for anyone wanting to keep a TR, but it is so much healthier than the sodas and the flavors of the many varieties are just amazing. I can keep a thermos bottle of it at my desk and sip it all day long without feeling the negative (at least for me) effects of the caffeine. I find it much more satisfying than a cola drink.
Neither. I can’t stand to drink any kind of pop, caffeinated or not. The most I can handle is sparkling water mixed with pure fruit juice–and even that is rather too sugary for me. I use caffeine as a medication when I’m on long road trips and need to stay awake, maybe once or twice a year. I’ll usually buy some energy water or 5-hour energy drink for that purpose.
Caffeine makes me hallucinate, so I avoid it. But I do love the taste of Dr Pepper. I wish I could get the caffeine free variety in CA. I buy a case or two when I’m in Utah.
I don’t drink it except for medicinal reasons like migraines. But since I haven’t had a migraine since my first pregnancy, I haven’t really had caffeine since then, other than chocolate. I’m dairy-free right now, so even most chocolate is off the table.
Coke people. Ugh. There’s your problem right there.
But Pepsi isn’t much better. People in western culture just don’t respect their bodies.
My dad actually use to work for Pepsi Co. but, now as an adult, i’m a coke girl.
@ Aerin
There is a difference, Coke has a more peppery flavor while, Pepsi is more sweet
I thought that caffeine was one of those food/beverage items that LDS are not supposed to partake of? Alcohol, nicotine, etc.? Since when is it ok to have caffeine? And how can it be ok to partake of a beverage that is so full of high fructose corn syrup or aspartame? not to mention phosphoric acid, which causes calcium loss from bones and teeth. I understand that LDS own Pepsi, but really. Have you read the studies of aspartame, and how the drug companies got it to fly by the FDA without testing? Why would you have a poll about something so unapproved by LDS? What is next, what kind of alcohol do you drink with dinner? What brand of cigarettes do you smoke? I am so disappointed in this blog. I was investigating LDS, for the third time, and actually would like to know how many of you ladies use anti-anxiety drugs such as Valium, or Ativan, or Xanax on a regular basis?
Janie,
Where do I even begin. First of all, you are calling people’s righteousness into question and that is not your place. You might want to do some reading, for example, Deseret News which puts out information from church headquarters on current thinking and teaching from Prophets. In fact a few months ago they have put out a statement because there has been such misconceptions from people that the Word of Wisdom prohibits people from drinking Coke. It does not.
Secondly, You are slamming people who have mental health disorders of which I am one. I am on permanent disability for Depression/ anxiety and panic attacks. Who are you to shame someone who has such a disorder because they have to take medication. I am not, nor will I ever be ashamed at having to take medication to help me with a medical condition that I have no control over, the same as if you were to take medication if you had a serious illness. Again, I say to you please do a little reading and educate yourself.
Hi, Janie, you sound like a brave investigator. I salute you! Mormons can have caffeine. We just can’t have coffee and tea. It sounds weird because it is weird, but it makes a bit more sense if we remember that caffeine wasn’t a substance anyone knew about in the 19th century when the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine & Covenants 89) was revealed.
If you want a source on caffeine, here’s a place to start (you have to scroll through a bit to get to the caffeine part):
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormonism-news–getting-it-right-august-29
Very best wishes to you, wherever your path takes you.
Hi Janie,
The LDS church does not own Pepsi or Coke. HFCS and aspartame are not part of the Word of Wisdom–I imagine that these items are things we can make up our own minds about.
Re: anti-anxiety or any other psychotropic meds–if LDS are on them more than the general population (which is under debate, and a bit of a threadjack), it is probably because we don’t mask our emotions with alcohol or drugs, and instead try to treat the problem with therapy (including drug therapy). Or not.
Not all LDS are the same, not all of us believe the same, yet all LDS are LDS (if that makes any sense).
I also want to echo the good luck wishes to you on your faith journey.
Okay people, here’s what you gotta try. Twelve ounces of Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi mixed with 1-2 ounces of Welch’s grape juice. The grape juice successfully masks the diet taste without adding a significant number of calories. And, since Diet Pepsi has about 30% less caffeine than Diet Coke, you can have an extra one each day! I usually consume about four.
Trust me on this. If you try my recipe, you’ll be hooked. Hey, can anyone tell me if I can get this patented or something?
I thought that this article from the Ensign presented a balanced view
http://www.lds.org/ensign/2008/12/the-energy-drink-epidemic?lang=eng
It got me thinking: Since I am a petite woman of Irish origin, I am at high risk for bone loss. I switched to Moutain Dew because it does not have phosphoric acid. I also only drink one 12-oz. can a day at lunch, on the days I even drink it, diluted with lots of ice and followed by water.
Using a straw has been shown to cut down on damage to teeth.
Our nearest temple is a 2-hour drive, and we wouldn’t dare drive home without some diet Dew!
Also, I love herbal fruit infusions, and even at high tea several spots in England they have always been able to accommodate us. The red bush tea (rooibus) so loved by Precious Ramotswe (of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency) is naturally free of caffeine, and makes a very nice latte.
I don’t like soda in any form, but since I’m a Westerner who does not respect her body I am therefore forced to be creative in defiling it. Chocolate is my preferred sin.
Diet coke and diet Dr. Pepper are my beverages of choice. I’m becoming a bit disturbed by how much I love them. I usually drink 12-24oz a day, which doesn’t seem like much (that’s not much, right?) but cracking one open is one of the first things I do in the morning, and I think about drinking them throughout the day. Wish I had one right now, in fact.
During my third pregnancy, Diet Coke gave me horrible heartburn. I gave it up while I was pregnant, ready to return when I was done because I had always had heartburn during pregnancies. It always ended the second that baby popped out.
Two years since #3 came out, I still can’t drink Diet Coke (or Diet Dr. Pepper or even diet Root Beer, which would do in a pinch), and I miss it terribly.
The sacrifices of motherhood no one thinks to tell you about.
Hope you are having your reflux issues watched by a health care professional. This can be more than mere inconvenience.
One of my surgeries to repair the damage from childbirth was a lap Nissen fundoplication to redo the top of my stomach. I had some 8 pound babies, which along with the vomiting ripped open my diaphragm. When I was done with the last pregnancy, I didn’t have heartburn, but I had horrible insomnia and laryngitis, which turned out to be from acid reflux (and I had serious esophagitis, which could have led to cancer). I have my voice mostly back after the surgery, but permanent scarring to the larynx.
I would urge any mother (who has health insurance) to get the reflux evaluated. On standardized quality of life scores, patients with severe reflux score lower than those with congestive heart failure. I agree, it is an unappreciated side effect of pregnancy.
I apologize if I sounded preachy about the reflux. Of course you will do whatever is best for you.
I just try to raise awareness of the post-pregnancy complication because I (and my doctors) had no clue, and was so miserable for so many years.
When I opted to forgo temple recommends by choice (for oh, so many reasons other than the WOW), there was no longer a reason for me to forgo my beloved coffee. It makes the day start right, like opening the blinds and letting the sunshine in, and with a splash of vanilla powder and a touch of cinnamon with a squirt of almond milk, life is alright. A nice black tea chai latte from time to time is my indulgence. I used to be seriously addicted to Diet Pepsi, so much so that I could easily have been hooked up to a 24/7 I.V. of the stuff (since I worked night shift as a nurse, that’s pretty much what I did to stay awake anyway on the slow nights). But thanks to a less-than-pleasant dental visit, I walked away from it. However, on a hot summer day out here in the desert, I have to admit, an ice cold glass of bubbly caramel-colored, aspartame-laden goodness sounds so delightful.
In order my favorites are: Dr. Pepper, Coke, Pepsi. And if I can find Throwback Pepsi it goes right to the #1 spot.
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