#Caffeine molecule mold drivers#

Many people feel as though they cannot function in the morning without a cup of coffee (and its caffeine-powered boost) to kick-start the day. Remember, though, that caffeine shares some traits of those much harder drugs - including the ability to cause addiction.

#Caffeine molecule mold drivers#

Likewise, drivers on long road trips often fill their cup holders with energy drinks or convenience-store coffees to help them push through to their destinations. Many former students can recall using strong coffee or caffeine pills to stay awake while cramming for finals. Today, caffeine is used much as it has been for generations: It provides a 'boost of energy' or a feeling of heightened alertness. Although coffee was often seen as a rare luxury for societies far removed from coffee-growing regions, foods and drinks made from other caffeine-containing plants were likely part of humankind's medical and nutritional arsenal since before recorded history.

African folklore sets the discovery of coffee's energizing properties around 800 A.D., European and Asian accounts indicate that coffee and tea were local staples as early as the 1400s. Caffeine has been an integral part of global culture for hundreds of years.