Caffeine - found in tea, coffee, maté, cola beverages, cocoa, and chocolate products - is an integral part of the diet of many people. This book answers questions for a broad range of readers interested in the effects beverages and foods containing this dietary methylxanthine have on human health, nutrition, and physiological functioning. The composition, processing, consumption, health effects, and epidemiological correlations of caffeine are examined in detail. TOC:Introduction to the Chemistry, Isolation, and Biosynthesis of Methylxanthines.- Analytical Methods for the Quantitation of Methylxanthines.- Tea: The Plant and Its Manufacture, Chemistry and Consumption of the Beverage.- Tea in China.- The Coffee Plant and Its Processing.- The Chemical Components of Coffee.- Methylxanthine Composition and Consumption Patterns of Cocoa and Chocolate Products.- Caffeine Consumption.- Basic Metabolism and Physiological Effects of the Methylxanthines.- Caffeine as an Ergogenic Aid.- Caffeine: Effects on Psychological Functioning and Performance. Coffee, Caffeine, and Serum Cholesterol. Coffee, Tea, Methylxanthines, Human Cancer and Fibrocystic Breast Disease. Caffeine, Calcium, and Bone Health. Caffeine and Reproduction. Caffeine Content of Some Cola Beverages.- Index.