Coffee is the biggest source when it comes to caffeine and you wouldn’t be surprised to see 95 mg of caffeine in an average cup of coffee.
However, caffeine levels are different depending on the type of roast, grades of beans, version of beans you drink(instant coffee, brewed, espresso, etc.), the weather conditions, the origin of the bean, and the size of cup you drink from.
Factors That Affect Caffeine Content In Coffee.
1. Roasting.
Roasted types of coffee as an example, cause chemical changes to take place as the beans are rapidly brought to a very high temperature. Furthermore, on roasting, dark roasted beans tend to have a deeper flavor and lower caffeine as compared to lighter roasting beans, which would contain more caffeine.
2. Type of Coffee and Beans.
There are several kinds of coffee beans containing different amounts of caffeine and it may also vary depending on brewed, instant, and decaf coffee.
3. The size of the Cup you Drink From.
A cup of coffee can range from 30-700 ml which affects the total caffeine content.
Then How Much Caffeine Is In A Cup of Coffee?
The only way to determine the amount of caffeine you have depends on the size of the coffee you are drinking.
Espresso Coffee.
Espresso Coffee is a made-to-order hot beverage that consists of pure coffee without or with milk and is extracted using an expresso machine. Mostly, it is made by forcing a small amount of hot water through fine coffee beans. Espresso coffee type contains about 64 mg of caffeine, so a double would contain 126 mg of caffeine.
Expresso-Based Drinks.
Popular Espresso drinks include latte, cappuccino, ristretto, americano, mocha, red eye and macchiato. Ristretto contains a single shot of espresso and a single shot of espresso generally has about 64 mg of caffeine.
Instant Coffee.
Instant Coffees are made from brewed coffee. They are dry pieces that can dissolve in water. It is mostly prepared by simply mixing one or two teaspoons of dried coffee with hot water. Instant coffee contains less caffeine compared to regular coffee.
Decaf Coffee/ Decaffeinated Coffee.
The decaffeination of coffee refers to a method used to extract the caffeine content from coffee beans. This process uses processes of several stages that help to create a product that’s free from caffeine content but note that decaffeinated coffee is not completely free from caffeine. An average cup contains 3 mg of caffeine.
We could assume that:
- The caffeine content of a Cup of filter coffee is 90mg
- The caffeine content of a Standard energy drink is 80mg
- The caffeine content of an Espresso is 80mg
- The caffeine content of a Cup of tea is 50mg
- The caffeine content of a Can of cola is 40mg
- The caffeine content of a Bar of dark chocolate is 25mg
- The caffeine content of a Bar of milk chocolate is 10mg
Is Caffeine A Problem?
Based on studies, coffee has high antioxidants which are good for health but getting more caffeine in the body can affect health.
Here are some side effects of too much caffeine on health.
- Too much caffeine intake can temporarily raise your heart rate.
- It increases blood pressure.
- Caffeine is diuretic and can result in the excess loss of body fluid and salt through urine. It may then casue hypokalemia.
- Caffeine is a stimulant, and excess of it can lead to insomnia and, in worse cases, cause depression.
- Caffeinated drinks can lead to an increased risk of obesity.
- It increases the frequency of urination causing dehydration in the body.
- It results in digestive and kidney diseases.
- It causes blood clotting problems.
- Failure to get the maximum amount of sleep can result in excessive daytime sleepiness and headaches.
- Mood disorders.
Can Caffeine Kill?
Caffeine in excess is toxic, and rare for adults to die if it is an overdose or too much. A gram of coffee can kill a child. A News dropped by from BBC.com in 2017 about a healthy teenager(Davis Crpe) in the US, South Carolina, who died under two hours after drinking several highly-caffeinated drinks quickly.
How much caffeine should you drink?
Reports from EFSA(European Food Safety Authority) assumed 400 mg a day for healthy adults has no health problem, but should not overdose.
We hope you have learned a lot about coffee and caffeine usage in your daily lives, stay safe, stay happy and feel the happiest life given.