专家提醒花生酱含咖啡因不适合孩子

Critics: Peanut Butter With Caffeine Unfit for Kids 专家提醒花生酱含咖啡因不适合孩子

Americans love peanut butter.

The average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before he or she graduates high school, according to the U.S.-based National Peanut Board.

But there is a dispute over a new peanut butter.

It is called S-T-E-E-M, or STEEM Peanut Butter. This peanut butter adds a new ingredient: caffeine.

Caffeine is a stimulant¹ that helps people become more awake or energetic. Coffee is a popular morning drink because it has caffeine and gives people energy in the morning.

But medical experts worry about adults who rely too heavily on caffeine. Even small amounts of caffeine can be dangerous to children, says the American Academy of Pediatrics.

United States Senator Charles Schumer says he worries about the effects on children from a product never before associated with caffeine.  

“To think that peanut butter, one of the snacks most closely associated with children, might have to be stored in the medicine cabinet as opposed to the kitchen cabinet should serve as a jolt² to the FDA,” said Schumer, a New York Democrat³.

Schumer wants the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate. He noted⁴ that earlier the FDA blocked plans for a caffeinated chewing gum.

STEEM, the manufacturer, said it is selling the caffeinated peanut butter “all over the world.”

The manufacturer says two tablespoons has 150 mg of caffeine. A 12-ounce regular coffee has 250 mg. The product provides caffeine in an easily digestible way, the manufacturer says.

“Caffeinated foods have been sold in U.S. stores for well over a decade and are in no way a new idea,” the company said, in a statement to VOA.

The company says customers tell them they want to eat the caffeinated peanut butter so they don’t have to drink as much coffee or energy drinks. The company says it is not marketing⁵ the peanut butter for children.

But Schumer is not persuaded. Peanut butter has been a favorite of children for generations, he said.

Schumer continued: “Parents across the country shouldn’t have to worry about a scenario⁶ in which their child might unknowingly bite into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that contains more caffeine than two cups of coffee.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics says caffeine in small amounts can help the physical performance of adults.

But the academy urges parents not to allow children to take even small amounts of caffeine. It warns of caffeine’s possible negative impact on a child’s heart and brain development.

The biggest sales of peanut butter, by far, are in the United States and Canada. In Europe, the average person ate only about one tablespoon per year per person in 2012, according to the Peanut Council. The largest U.S. exports of peanut butter go to Canada, Germany, Mexico and Nigeria.

Peanut butter is a food paste made from roasted peanuts. Canadian Marcellus Gilmore Edson won the first patent for peanut butter in 1884.

Words in This Story

sandwiches -- n. two pieces of bread with something (such as meat, peanut butter, etc.) between them.

ingredient – n.  one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc.

caffeine – n.  a substance that is found especially in coffee and tea and that makes you feel more awake

stimulant – n.  something that makes you more active or gives you more energy

pediatrics – n.  a branch of medicine that deals with the development, care, and diseases of babies and children

scenario – n.  a description of what could possibly happen

jolt – n. to cause (something or someone) to move in a quick and sudden way

digestible – adj.  easy to eat and digest

1 stimulant   

n.刺激物，兴奋剂

参考例句：

• It is used in medicine for its stimulant quality.由于它有兴奋剂的特性而被应用于医学。
• Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。

2 jolt   

v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸

参考例句：

• We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。
• They were working frantically in the fear that an aftershock would jolt the house again.他们拼命地干着，担心余震可能会使房子再次受到震动。

3 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

6 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。