Consuming a cup (or more) of coffee is a common morning ritual for many individuals; some people consume additional caffeine in the form of coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks throughout the day to keep their energy going. "Coffee Shots" are a product offered by the company Stok that lets you add extra caffeine to your regular coffee.
What They Are
Coffee Shots are a shot of black coffee containing 40 mg of caffeine. According to Stok, that is approximately the caffeine equivalent of a shot of espresso, though the U.S. Department of Agriculture value for espresso is 64 mg of caffeine per ounce, and may be higher depending on preparation. Coffee Shots are packaged in individually sized creamer containers. All you do is peel the container's foil top back and pour it into your coffee, just like you would with creamer. Coffee Shots are unsweetened, do not contain dairy and do not need to be refrigerated. Stok originally offered black and sweetened flavors, but, as of the time of publication, the sweetened Coffee Shots have been discontinued.
What They Do
Coffee Shots simply add caffeine via the form of black coffee to your beverage to make you feel awake, energetic or alert. Caffeine is a stimulant that speeds up the central nervous system, including the brain. While moderate amounts of caffeine can make you more alert, if you have too much, you may experience negative side effects.
Warnings
The Coffee Shots website warns consumers that the product is high in caffeine and "not for use by children under age 18, pregnant women or the caffeine-sensitive." It also advertises a two-per-day limit. Consuming too much caffeine can result in a fast heartbeat, tremors, jitters, headache or upset stomach. A massive dose can be fatal; however, an adult would have to consume over 5,000 mg of caffeine, or 125 Coffee Shots, in a short time to risk death.
Buying
As of the time of publication, Coffee Shots are available in boxes of 50, 100 or 200 through the official Stok website or online at Amazon. They can also be found in many convenience stores for free with the creamers and coffee. They retail for about $40 for 200 servings, $25 for 100 servings or $14 for 50 servings on the Stok website store.