Introduction

Originating from Northern America in the 19th century, Root beer is one of the most favourite beverages in America and it is also very popular in different parts of the world.

Welcome to today’s article, we are going to talk about Root beer and Caffeine. Does root beer have caffeine? What is caffeine? Is caffeine good for your health?

Want to know the answers to these questions? Let’s dive in right away.

What Is Root Bear (A Short History of Root Beer)

Aboriginal Americans were the first producers of Root beer. This was many years before the Europeans sailed to the new world.

Root beer was traditionally made from the root bark of Sassafras trees, which serves for medicinal and traditional reasons.

In Northern America, Root beer became increasingly popular in the mid-1800s, and around the 1840s, they were already being sold in many Candy stores.

During the 1850s, sodas were already being mixed with Root beer, and by the 1860s, there were already documented recipes being made available for the production of various kinds of Root beer.

Why Is It Called Root Beer

While Root beer originally looks like real beer, in the sense that it has a thick and foamy head, it is usually a non-alcoholic drink, carbonated and sweet.

Also, it is well known that vanilla ice cream is usually added to most Root beer drinks to make them float.

So if Root beer is not a typical beer, why is it called “ROOT BEER”?

Charles Elma Hire successfully created the first commercially available Root beer brand. He was a teetotaler, he abstained from alcoholic drinks, so he created his Root beer brand and named it Root Tea.

Hence, Root tea became the first name Root beer was commercially known.

However, when Charles Hire wanted to market his tea to the working-class people, most specifically, Pennsylvania’s coal miners, he decided to choose a name that would resonate with them.

As a result, he changed the name from “Root Tea” to “Root Beer”.

What Is Caffeine: sources and effects of Caffeine

Around the world, over 80% of people consume caffeine.

In the United State alone, more than 90% of adults consume caffeinated products daily.

Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system. It is involved in making the consumer very awake in their mind, by increasing their reaction speed, their level of concentration, and their ability to focus.

How Does Caffeine Work

This is how caffeine works, it blocks the adenosine – which is a chemical in the brain that inhibits the central nervous system. It gets rid of brakes in the nervous system, making the body alert and ready to work.

Adenosine is a chemical that enables the body to sleep.  This is done by restraining the chatter between nerve cells and also increasing oxygen flow by widening the blood vessels.

The receptors on the brain cells’ surface cannot detect the difference between adenosine and caffeine.

So when you consume caffeinated products, the caffeine attaches itself to the receptors and shuts out the adenosine.

Since adenosine has been blocked, the body will not feel sleepy and the brain activities will perk up, making you more alert.

READ MORE… Consequences Of Too Much Alcohol

Benefits of Caffeine

• It increases dopamine temporarily
• It reduces the tendency to be depressed
• It enables the body to handle stress
• Caffeine combat fatigue
• Consumers become more attentive

Most people drink coffee – which is a caffeinated product – to bring their mood up and make them more alert than normal.

Nevertheless, too much intake of Caffeine can be very dangerous for your health. When not taken moderately, caffeine depletes your vitamin b1, calcium, and potassium.

Also, there are other side effects associated with the overuse of caffeine, many of which include, Headache, Insomnia, Nervousness, Irritability, Frequent urination, Muscle tremor, Fast heartbeat, etc.

Does Root Beer Have Caffeine

Generally, the majority of American Root beer brands are caffeine-free. Root beer, although typically considered to be a Soda, is not among the categories of sodas known as Cola.

For a drink to be considered cola, its ingredient must include some extracts of kola nut. And cola is a huge source of caffeine.

Root beer is caffeine-free, they do not contain any Kolanut extract.

How Do You Check If Your Favorite Root Beer Brand Has Caffeine

There are multiple ways to check if a Root beer has caffeine. A brand that produces drinks that are naturally caffeinated like coffee, tea, etc. does not include caffeine in the ingredient list as permitted by the law.

Although, if caffeine is artificially added to any beverage product – Root beer in this case – they are required to list it among the ingredients list.

Examples Of Popular Root Beer Brands That Are Caffeine–Free

Below I have listed some popular Root beer brands that are caffeine-free;

• A & W Root beer
• Mug Root beer
• Barg’s Root beer
• Diet Mug Root beer

Quit Alcohol With These Simple Steps

Bottom line

Everyone loves Root beer and it’s a popular treat in various foreign restaurants. Although, most of these modern Root beers no longer contain the root back of Sassafras trees.

According to research conducted in 1979 by the FDA, it was proved that Sassafras caused cancer in rats and could potentially cause cancer in humans, leading to the ban of Sassafras root bark for Root beer production. Various manufacturers started using artificial flavors. Most people think it tastes like Minty Wintergreen birch flavor.

As for caffeine, there are only a few brands that produce caffeinated Root beers. The majority of Root beers are free of caffeine and suitable for all ages.

So when last did you drink Root beer? Did you enjoy it?