What happens when peanut butter manufacturers decide to combine your favorite sandwich spread with your cup of coffee? You get Steem, a peanut butter whose single serving packs as much jolting caffeine as two cups of coffee.
What seems like a good idea comes with so many health risks that New York Sen. Charles Schumer recently called for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to look into the caffeinated peanut butter. He stressed the dangers of consuming that large an amount of caffeine in a single serving.
A single 2-tablespoon serving of Steem contains 170 milligrams of caffeine, the same amount you can find in five cans of Coca-Cola or 2 cups of coffee, and more than twice as much caffeine as found in an 8.4-ounce serving of Red Bull, according to the press release and Steem's website.
"The FDA does not require the amount of caffeine to be listed on food labels. So this stuff and other snacks can have a lot of caffeine and the consumer wouldn't even know," said Schumer. The senator added that if the FDA allows this, the practice can spread to other food items including candy, which could pose harm to children. High levels of caffeine do not only cause jitters but also palpitations and increased blood pressure.
Schumer added that the FDA should be more guarded in the addition of caffeine in other food products and how such products can be harmful to consumers. What are the hidden dangers of this much caffeine on pregnant women and children?
A recent study published in the journal Human Reproduction looked into the effects of caffeine consumption among pregnant women. The Danish study involved 5,132 Danish women aged 18 to 40 years old who belonged in a steady relationship with a male partner and conceived naturally from 2007 to 2010. The women answered questionnaires about their caffeine consumption before and during pregnancy. The researchers estimated dangerous caffeine ratios that could result in spontaneous abortion.
About 14.3 percent (732 women) were recognized as having spontaneous abortion or miscarriage. Prior to conceiving, caffeine consumption is not seen as miscarriage risk; however, during early pregnancy, caffeine consumption of 100 to more than 300 milligrams (.003-.01 ounces) per day was identified as hazardous, compared with caffeine consumption of less than 100 milligrams daily.
"The results indicate that caffeine consumption in early pregnancy may be associated with a small increase in risk of miscarriage," said lead study author Kristen Hahn.
Another study showed caffeine intake during pregnancy can double childhood obesity. Researchers from the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute in California found that in-utero caffeine exposure can increase the unborn child's obesity risk by 87 percent. The researchers arrived at this data after factoring in potential cofounders.
Steem Peanut Butter Creators Not Worried
The company behind the product is quite vocal about sticking with the recommended serving, but if children and pregnant women consume the product, it could lead to health problems. Peanut butter is a popular sandwich ingredient; parents shouldn't have to fear that their children might be biting into a PB&J sandwich heavily laced with caffeine.
In addition, the creators also stressed that the peanut butter isn't marketed toward children but to adults, particularly athletes who want to combine the energy boost from coffee with the protein content in peanuts. Moreover, since peanut butter is slower to digest compared with regular, drinkable coffee, the caffeine content in Steem is released gradually.
Creators Keith Barnofski, Andrew Brach and Chris Pettazzoni said they are amenable to the FDA reviewing their product. They are convinced the authorities would conclude that the product is safe for consumption as long as the serving suggestion, detailed on the label, is followed.
