Time and time again I run into the debate over the caffeine content in various beverages.

For some reason a lot of people believe that brewed tea contains more caffeine than brewed coffee. Here’s the reason why – tea, in it’s dry leaf form does have higher levels of caffeine per ounce than ground roasted coffee beans. But since tea is prepared with a higher ratio of water, its caffeine count is much lower.

Think you’re getting a huge jolt from that shot of espresso? Not so. Espresso comes from very dark roasted beans. Since the roasting process reduces the bean’s caffeine content the darker the roast, the lower the caffeine . This holds true for other brews of coffee, meaning that your medium Tim Hortons* “Double Double” has more caffeine than the stronger tasting Starbucks “Tall Bold”.

Below is a list of beverages and their caffeine content. All figures are approximate.

So, here’s hoping the caffeine controversy has been laid to rest. Or at the very least, the next time someone challenges me when I tell them that espresso is less caffeinated than a Tim Horton’s coffee I can lead them to this article.

*for my American readers, Tim Horton’s coffee is similar to Dunkin’ Donuts.

I love this recipe! I have been making these pancakes for over 6 years now and have never looked back. This is my personal adaptation of a couple of recipes. Try it out – I guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Serves 2

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
8 egg whites (or 1 cup of liquid egg whites)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Process the oatmeal, cottage cheese, egg whites, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a blender until smooth.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes. Spray skillet with cooking spray, or melt a scant amount of Olivina* brand margarine into the skillet. Add the batter and cook over medium heat. Cook on one side until lightly browned, flip over and brown the other side.

Extras: Add blueberries or dark chocolate chips to the batter before cooking. Yum!

Serve with pure maple syrup or low sugar fruit compote.

Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 288
Protein: 28 g
Carbohydrates: 32g
Fat: 4 g (1 g saturated)
Fibre: 5 g

Prevention is Key – Top 5 Natural Immune Boosters

1. Get your Z’s!
While the relationship between the immune system and sleep is not yet fully understood, studies have shown that those who are sleep-deprived have a weakened immune system and a higher risk of becoming sick. Chronic sleep deprivation is, not surprisingly the most damaging to the immune system. The ideal amount of sleep varies from individual to individual and even depends on the stage of growth – teenagers for example need more sleep than adults. Seven to eight hours is ideal, but the key is to have quality, restful sleep.

2. De-stress and Disconnect every day.
Like most of you reading this I used to come home after a long stressful day at the office and “veg out” in front of the television convinced I was allowing myself to “de-stress”. Boy was I wrong! Contrary to popular belief, watching television is not relaxing. Our minds receive many different kinds of stimuli from watching television. Our brains process information, and respond emotionally to what is displayed on the screen.

Having trouble sleeping? I recommend Deepak Chopra’s book “Restful Sleep: The Complete Mind/Body Program for Overcoming Insomnia”

My number one choice for de-stressing is meditation. I find guided meditation CDs very helpful. There are several available from iTunes. My favourite is Living Meditation, Vol. 2: Guided Meditations With David Harshada Wagner.

If meditation is not your thing here are some other ideas:

• go for a walk or jog
• do a yoga class
• read a book
• listen to some uplifting music
• call a friend you’ve been meaning to get in touch with (but have been too busy watching television)

3. Eat a whole foods diet.
A whole foods diet simply means choosing foods that are as close to their original state as possible; unrefined and unprocessed. For example – chose real oatmeal over the instant varieties. I prepare enough oatmeal to last a couple of days and take it to the office in plastic containers. When I get to the office, I add a bit of hot water, some cinnamon and dried cranberries and you’ve got yourself a quick, delicious “whole foods” breakfast!

Choose from a wide array of vegetables, fruits and lean protein sources. Try Brussels sprouts again – you may be surprised to find out that you actually like them as an adult!

I also recommend to chose organic foods as much as the budget allows. Eating a diet that consists as much as possible of whole and organic foods ensures you are getting the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals as nature intended them to be delivered and also protects us from ingesting harmful, cancer causing pesticides. Also, you will find that eating a whole foods diet will do wonders for your digestion, your skin and your energy levels!

4. Supplement Your Diet.
In the cold winter months it is essential to supplement your diet. Vegetables and fruit are picked off the trees and vines early and allowed to ripen on their long journey from Mexico or Florida. Produce picked early does not have the full saturation of vitamins and minerals as produce consumed right off the vine.

Multi-Vitamin – Visit your local health food store and speak to a representative for their recommendations. I like Sisu line. But there are many brands and types to suit everyone’s individual needs.

Greens Supplement – My top recommendation is VegeGreens
Other varieties such as Greens Plus and Greens Force are also very good choices.
Sea vegetables such as seaweed and kelp have an alkalizing effect on the blood. A strong and healthy body should be slightly alkaline, or basic.

Vitamin C and Zinc – A time release vitamin C supplement will ensure you’re not eliminating this water-soluble vitamin before it gets properly absorbed. Increase your zinc intake when you feel run down or when you start to feel the beginnings of a cold. Be careful though, most health practitioners do not recommend a dose greater than 30 mg per day.

5. Limit Your Caffeine
Caffeine elevates stress hormones, cortisol and epinephrine. Over secretion of these hormones can over time lead to lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body. Limit yourself to one cup of coffee a day.

Green tea does have some caffeine, but in much lower doses than coffee, and you get added benefits of powerful anti-oxidants.

Try Holy Basil Tea – studies have shown that among many other healing benefits it reduces cortisol levels in the body!

See my “Caffeine Roll Call” for additional info on smart caffeine choices.

Do you have other suggestions for holistic methods to increase immune resistance? I’d love to hear them!