RAB Source Entry 1- Kaiulani Perez

Research Question 

My research question is: What are the positive and negative effects of caffeine? This topic interests me because coffee has always been a staple drink in my family. It was a way for all of us to come together whether it be in the morning or night. Ever since I was younger everyone in my family would sit and have a cup of coffee whether they had the time or not. This also interests me because I have heard many good and bad things about coffee. I already know that people use coffee to give them energy and wake themselves up. I know that coffee has caffeine which is a stimulant drug and can become very addictive. I also know that millions of people of all ages drink coffee every day. Some points I plan to explore and find out more about are the positive effects that coffee can have on people’s everyday life. I would also like to find out the negative effects coffee has on everyday life as well as the suggested about of coffee consumption. 

Source Entry #1 

Part 1: MLA Citation  

Callahan, Alice. “How Much Coffee Is Too Much Coffee?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 Sept. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/09/26/well/eat/coffee-benefits-caffeine-risks.html?searchResultPosition=3. 

Part 2: Summary  

In the featured article “How Much Coffee Is Too Much Coffee?”, Alice Callahan tells us the importance of knowing your limits and how your body reacts because it’s connected to the positive and negative effects of caffeine. According to the to the writer, there are studies done to show the positive health benefits from drinking coffee to lower the risk of diseases and health conditions. Callahan gives an example by Jennifer Temple, professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the University of Buffalo, who says coffee can give you negative effects and symptoms based on your intake. Dr. Temple says too much coffee can cause jitteriness, anxiousness, and trouble sleeping. The author mentions the importance of knowing your limits and keeping in mind that people break down caffeine and clear caffeine from their blood at different rates depending on genetics. Callahan concludes with quotes from Jennifer Temple saying you need to listen to your body and when you need to cut back. 

Part 3: Reflection  

“If you fall on the longer end of the spectrum, a midafternoon espresso may lead to trouble sleeping, whereas if you metabolize caffeine faster, you may not be bothered.” 

This quote was significant to me because I drink multiple cups of coffee a day and have learned that my tolerance is different than my friends. Growing up I was always surrounded by coffee. My parents and grandparents drank multiple cups of coffee every day and I started drinking with them at a young age. Even now my mom and I drink a cup of coffee with my grandparents every night at 10:00pm. I tell this to my friends, and they think that it’s crazy that we can go to sleep after drinking coffee because coffee makes them too anxious to sleep. I agree that knowing your limit is important and the way caffeine affects me may not be the same for everyone and keeping that in mind when think about the positives and negatives of coffee is important.  

Part 4: Rhetorical Analysis 

This is a featured piece by Alice Callahan. Callhan holds a PhD in nutritional biology from the University of California. Her purpose for writing this article is to inform the public about the positive and negative risks of coffee. Her writing style is factual and direct because she provides evidence and studies to prove her point. Callahan recently wrote this article earlier this year because people drink coffee or any form of caffeine daily. She uses the rhetorical appeal of logos and uses proof and evidence to educate the reader with facts and research. This source has a strong credibility and was published by the New York Times, a worldwide readership and won 132 Pulitzer Prizes.  

Part 5: Quotables  

“Studies suggest for instance, that coffee drinkers live longer and have lower risks of Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular conditions and some cancers.” 

“Having too much caffeine can cause a racing heart, jitteriness, anxiousness, nausea or trouble sleeping, said Jennifer Temple, a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the University at Buffalo.” 

“Caffeine can cause a short-term increase in your blood pressure and heart rate, particularly if you don’t consume it regularly, she said. But this isn’t usually harmful.” 

“Depending on your genetics, Dr. Cornelis said, it could take anywhere from two to 10 hours to clear half of a dose of caffeine from your blood.” 

“At the end of the day, “you just kind of have to listen to your body,” Dr. Temple said. “If you’re starting to feel nauseous or jittery or anxious, maybe cut back,” she said. “If it’s affecting your sleep, cut back.”