The best known source of caffeine is coffee. People drink coffee because they love the taste, for better health, or to relieve drowsiness and improve cognitive performance. Too much caffeine can cause sleep disruption or anxiety, so knowing how much you are drinking can be very useful.
In this article, we will take a look at the amount of caffeine in different types of coffee drinks and compare them to other popular beverages such as tea.
How much caffeine is in Espresso?
Espresso is a concentrated coffee drink that is made by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee. It's a strong and flavorful drink that's often consumed in small portions, or mixed with milk to create larger drinks. A single shot of espresso contains approximately 60 milligrams of caffeine, but in North America people normally consume a double shot of espresso, so this would be 120mg of caffeine.
Because most espresso based drinks are made with a double shot, the caffeine content stays the same when making a macchiato, cortado, cappuccino, latte, americano, or anything with milk or water added to espresso.
How much caffeine is in Drip Coffee?
Drip coffee is made by pouring hot water over medium ground coffee in a filter. The water drips through the coffee grounds and into a carafe, producing a smooth, flavorful and rich coffee. The caffeine content of drip coffee can vary widely depending on the strength of the brew and the type of coffee beans used. On average, a 8-ounce cup of drip coffee contains around 95 milligrams of caffeine, so slightly less than (double) espresso based drinks.
How much caffeine is in Cold Brew?
Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for 18-24 hours. This produces a very smooth and less acidic coffee that is often consumed over ice. Cold brew coffee tends to have a higher caffeine content than other types of coffee due to the amount of time the grounds are in contact with the water. An 8-ounce cup of cold brew coffee contains around 200 milligrams of caffeine.
Is there any caffeine is in Decaf?
Decaffeinated coffee is made by removing most of the caffeine from the coffee beans prior to roasting, using a chemical solvent or a water-based process. Decaf coffee still contains a very small amount of caffeine, usually around 2-5 milligrams per 8-ounce cup.
How much caffeine is in Tea?
Tea is another popular drink that contains caffeine. Green tea, black tea, and matcha tea are all made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant, the final colour depending on how much the leaves oxidize during the drying process. The caffeine content of tea can vary depending on the type of tea and how it's brewed. On average, an 8-ounce cup of green tea contains around 30-40 milligrams of caffeine, while an 8-ounce cup of black tea contains around 50-80 milligrams of caffeine.
Matcha tea, which is made from ground tea leaves, contains around 30-60 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. Matcha is very high in antioxidants and other plant based compounds. This combined with the low amount of caffeine makes it a perfectly healthy drink day or night.
Is there caffeine in Chocolate?
Surprisingly, dark chocolate also contains a significant amount of caffeine. The amount of caffeine in dark chocolate can vary depending on the brand and the percentage of cocoa used. On average, a 100g bar of dark chocolate will contains around 80mg of caffeine, nearly as much as a cup of drip coffee. Milk chocolate only contains a small amount of caffeine.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the amount of caffeine in coffee can vary depending on the type of coffee and the brewing method used. Robusta beans contain about double the amount of caffeine as Arabica, but the vast majority of specialty coffee is arabica, due to the higher quality and better flavour.
Cold brew contains the most amount of caffeine due to the longer brewing time. Then comes drip, and then espresso. Albeit, most people in Canada drink a double shot of espresso in their drinks so these can contain more caffeine than a drip coffee. Black tea tends to have more caffeine than green tea. Fruit and herbal based teas usually contain no caffeine. Dark chocolate contains caffeine, but in smaller amounts compared to coffee, as long as you don't eat the whole bar in one go.
The generally regarded safe limit is 400mg per day for adults, so consume caffeine wisely.
And remember, roast colour does not equal caffeine content!