Let us take an intermission from coronavirus news and politics for a brief moment and shift the topic to a beverage that we all love: Starbucks Frappuccinos. A Frappuccino is blended coffee combined with flavored syrups. Consumers can either purchase their fresh Frappuccino by going to Starbucks, or they can buy a packaged Frappuccino in a bottle that is sold at any local grocery store—and at Saint Ignatius. Are these caffeinated beverages detrimental to teens’ health? Is it a good idea to start drinking them in high school since students’ workload is high? There are benefits as well as disadvantages to these drinks, with its amount of caffeine, sugar, and the time of consumption all playing significant roles in affecting students’ well-being.

Some parents stress about their teens’ caffeine intake, but they might want to loosen up after learning that, according to Time.com, “coffee consumption may lower a person’s risk for heart disease and early death.” If caffeine is so marvelous for people, they should drink excessively and students at Ignatius should take advantage of the Frappuccinos that are available at lunch, right? Caffeine does have its benefits, but Time magazine recommends a 100 milligram limit for people under 18, since anxiety-related behaviors during adulthood can develop. That being said, the bottled Frappuccinos at lunch have 90 milligrams of caffeine, so as long as students only drink one bottle, they should not have any problems. 

Although caffeine is a major component of the beverage, sugar is just as important when calculating its health benefits. The American Heart Associations suggests people 18 and younger to limit their sugar consumption to 25 grams per day. Unsurprisingly, the sweet drink of the vanilla Frappuccino from Starbucks has 31 grams of sugar. Drinking a large number of Frappuccinos every day over a long period of time could lead to risks for cognitive development issues or diabetes, but the key word is risks (Time.com). Having one a couple times a week or month will not be as harmless as drinking several daily over a long period of time. 

While not an ingredient like caffeine and sugar, time of intake also affects students. If the Frappuccino is consumed towards the end of the day or at nighttime, it may affect people’s sleep. Children under 18 need about 8-10 hours of sleep, so as long students drink their Frappuccinos in the morning, there should be no issue (cdc.gov).

Overall, buying one Frappuccino at the concession stand from Quest in the morning is not as harmful as one may think. As long as students are not buying out the lunch lady’s whole Frappuccino stock, they are good to go; however, the stress and anxiety of the present, especially with all the news of 2021, may cause people to want to feel more awake. Therefore, to maintain your health, stay attuned to your surroundings as well as yourself.