Main description:

The most popular drug in the world is a white powder. No, not that powder. This is caffeine in its most essential state. Caffeinated reveals the little-known truth about this addictive, largely unregulated drug found in coffee, energy drinks, teas, colas, chocolate, and even pain relievers. We'll learn why caffeine has such a powerful effect on everything from boosting our mood to improving our athletic performance as well as how - and why - brands such as Coca-Cola have ducked regulatory efforts for decades. We learn the differences in the various ways caffeine is delivered to the body, how it is quietly used to reinforce our buying patterns, and how it can play a role in promoting surprising health problems like obesity and anxiety. Drawing on the latest research, Caffeinated brings us the inside perspective of the additive that Salt Sugar Fat overlooked. Carpenter's story takes us from the coffee farms of central Guatemala to the world's largest synthetic caffeine factory in China to an energy shot bottler in New Jersey, and beyond.