Where did someone get the idea that apples contain caffeine?

Question

A response recently said that apples contain a lot of caffeine. I don't think they contain any.

Answer 1

uhhhh, someone really stupid believed another stupid person.

Answer 2

whoever said that is an idiot!

Answer 3

I read somewhere that eating an apple with give you the same energy boost as a cup of coffee in the morning.  Maybe that's where they got the idea?

Answer 4

Apples contain cyanide (the seeds) not caffeine.

Answer 5

apples do not contain caffeine...where did you hear this?

Answer 6

Maybe you heard that apples can give you a pretty good energy boost. A medium-sized apple averages 20 grams of carbohydrates -- not nearly as much as in a sugary snack, but the apple would certainly be a more nutritious choice than, say, a candy bar. And this year, you could get even a bigger boost from locally grown apples: The Midwest's dry summer decreased apples' moisture content, which concentrates the sugars in each fruit, making them delightfully sweet. Who wouldn't feel refreshed munching on a crisp, sweet apple?

Still, that's not the same kind of boost people get from caffeine. They work in totally different ways.

Simply put, food boosts your energy by helping form ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Cells use ATP whenever they need energy, whether it's chemical energy to store for later use; mechanical energy used in muscle movement; electrical energy for nerve transmissions; or osmotic energy to balance sodium, potassium and other ions within the cell. When ATP is tapped for use, it breaks down. It's in that breakdown that energy is released, from the bonds that hold ATP together. ATP continually is broken down and re-formed in the body.

Coincidentally, adenosine (the "A" in ATP) also shows up in the explanation for how caffeine works. Again, simply put: When adenosine binds to receptors in the brain -- as cyclic adenosine monophosphate, or cAMP, it calms nerve cell activity and makes us drowsy. Caffeine happens to be structured very much like cAMP and can bind to those receptors. When it does, it blocks cAMP and keeps us from getting tired. Other factors also play a role, but already you can see that caffeine and carbs play very different roles in energy balances in the body.

Answer 7

It probably came from the myth that "apples can wake you up better than a cup of coffee"

Apples do not have caffeine in them, simply sugars