Wake Up and Inhale the Coffee

The days of drinking coffee may soon be over. Now, to get a caffeine fix, all you have to do is breathe. On March 11, ArtSciences Labs released Le Whif, the first ever “coffee inhaler.”

Le Whif works like any other inhaler: Put the tiny tube to your mouth, breathe in, and experience a cup of coffee in a different way.

Le Whif is a line of sugar free, organic, and calorie free “breathable foods” created by ArtSciences Labs founder and Harvard biomedical engineering professor David Edwards and a team of students, designers, and engineers. The line also features three chocolate inhalers.

“It seemed to us that eating was tending towards breathing, so, with a mix of culinary art and aerosol science, we’ve helped move eating habits to their logical conclusion,” Edwards told the *Telegraph* in April 2009.

Le Whif uses particle engineering to turn natural food substances into food particles small enough to be airborne, but too big to enter the lungs. The biodegradable lipstick-like tube sends the particles into the mouth through tiny holes in the mouthpiece.

The inhaler can easily be used as a diet tool. Every puff provides enough flavor to equate a bite or sip without any calories. ArtScience Labs agree: “If taste is driving you to eat more than you wish to eat, Le Whif can help,” reads the Le Whif website.

Le Whif doesn’t just taste like coffee. Each whiff releases about 100 mg of caffeine into the body, the equivalent of a small espresso. A five-ounce serving of coffee contains 60 to 180 mg of caffeine, depending on the blend, while Starbucks drinks contains anywhere from 30 to 415 mg of caffeine. The tubes contain enough powder for eight to nine whiffs. Be careful not to puff it away in one sitting, though. According to the International Coffee Organization, a healthy dose of caffeine is 300 mg per day.

Caffeine improves alertness by stimulating the central nervous system. Ingesting too much leads to irritability, nausea, jitters, and insomnia, so keep the whiffs to a minimum.

Coffee and chocolate inhalers are just the beginning. This year, Le Whif plans to revolutionize food consumption with more flavors and a three course breathable meal.