How Much Caffeine is in a Cup of Coffee vs. Other Drinks?

As you get older, you become more dependent on caffeine consumption to jump start your day and keep you functioning the whole day. Caffeine can be found in a ton of different drinks but do you know how much caffeine is actually in your favorite drinks? 

Most adults are able to consume up to 400 milligrams daily, but keep in mind that tolerance to caffeine can differ from person to person. However, headaches, restlessness or anxiety may occur if you take too much caffeine. If this happens, try reassessing your daily intake to see what works best for you. It is important to note that breastfeeding women, pregnant women or women who are attempting to become pregnant are advised to limit their use of caffeine.

Understand that the caffeine content of a cup of coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks can vary quite a bit. For coffee and tea, variables like processing and brewing time will affect the caffeine level. To keep track of the amount of caffeine content in popular beverages, use this as a comprehensive guide. Check out our Coffee Clubs page to compare and read more reviews of our favorite coffee clubs.

Caffeine Content in Drinks

Coffee Drinks

• Espresso: 1 oz., 64 mg caffeine
• Cappuccino: 12 oz., 154 mg
• Latte: 8 oz., 64 mg
• Mocha: 3.4 oz., 37 mg
• Macchiato: 2 oz., 85 mg
• Breve: 8 oz., 80 mg

Coffee Beans

• Arabica Coffee Beans: 8 oz., 95 mg
• Robusta Coffee Beans: 8 oz., 265 mg
• Excelsa Coffee Beans: 8 oz., 60 mg
• Liberica Coffee Beans: 8 oz., 90 mg

Teas

• Green Tea: 8 oz., 28 mg
• Black Tea: 8 oz., 47 mg
• Oolong Tea: 8 oz., 37 mg
• White Tea: 8 oz., 28 mg
• Matcha Tea: 8 oz., 64 mg
• Masala Chai: 8 oz., 50 mg
• Earl Grey Tea: 8 oz., 55 mg
• Jasmine Tea: 8 oz., 25 mg

Sodas

• Coca Cola: 12 oz., 34 mg
• Diet Coke: 12 oz., 46 mg
• Dr. Pepper: 12 oz., 42 mg
• Fanta: 12 oz., 0 mg
• Pepsi: 12 oz., 38 mg
• Sprite: 12 oz., 0 mg
• 7-Up: 12 oz., 0 mg
• Mountain Dew: 12 oz., 54 mg

Energy Drink

• Red Bull: 16 oz., 148 mg
• Monster: 16 oz., 160 mg
• NOS: 16 oz., 160 mg
• Bang Energy: 16 oz., 300 mg
• Celsius Energy: 16 oz., 200 mg
• Rockstar: 16 oz., 160 mg
• C4: 16 oz., 200 mg
• GFuel: 16 oz., 300 mg

Energy Shots

• 5 Hour Energy Shot: 1.9 oz., 200 mg
• Advocare Slam Energy Shot: 2 oz., 120 mg
• Bang Shot: 3 oz., 300 mg
• Tweaker Shot: 2 oz., 275 mg

What is Too Much Caffeine?

Caffeine intake of up to 400 milligrams (mg) per day appears to be safe for most individuals. Anything over that might be considered “too much” caffeine. Again, this might not be the case all the time because of caffeine sensitivity. 400 mg of caffeine is the approximate equivalent of four cups of brewed coffee, 10 cans of cola or two "energy shot" drinks. Keep in mind that the actual caffeine content in beverages varies widely, especially with energy drinks.

Caffeine can be found in forms of powder or liquid. However, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, it can provide toxic levels of caffeine. A teaspoon of powdered caffeine is equivalent to around 28 cups of coffee. Caffeine levels this high can cause major health issues and even death.

Caffeine consumption is acceptable for adults, but it is not recommended for kids. Caffeine should be avoided by adolescents and young adults, as should the use of caffeine with alcohol and other drugs.

Women who are pregnant or attempting to get pregnant, as well as those who are breast-feeding, should see their doctors about reducing caffeine consumption to fewer than 200 mg per day.

Excessive caffeine use might lead to negative side effects. Caffeine may also be harmful to persons who are hypersensitive to it or who are taking certain drugs.

Factors that Affect the Amount of Caffeine In a Cup of Coffee

There is a big difference between a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea than a premade, prepackaged bottle or can. It is important to understand that the level of caffeine can be altered by factors like brewing method, brewing time and amount of coffee grounds. The biggest factor would be the type of coffee bean being brewed. Most obviously, the serving size of your coffee will affect the caffeine content. Although we usually say “cups” of coffee, many servings of coffee can range anywhere from 30–700 ml (1–24 oz). 

As for the type of coffee bean used, there are so many different variants that are available that they could naturally contain more or less amounts of caffeine. Additionally, the coffee roast sort of plays a role in caffeine content in a way. However, this depends on the grinds used to make the coffee. Roasts fall into one of four color categories, light, medium, medium-dark and dark. There is a myth going around that lighter roasts typically produce more caffeine than darker roasts but that has been debunked. 

Another factor would be the type of coffee used, whether it is regularly brewed coffee, espresso, instant coffee and decaf coffee. Brewed coffee is the most common way to make coffee. It is made by pouring boiling water over ground coffee beans through a filter. One cup or 8 oz of brewed coffee can contain about 70–140 mg of caffeine. Espresso is prepared by passing finely ground coffee beans through a little amount of hot water, or steam. One shot of espresso is around 30-50 mL (1-1.75 oz) and contains approximately 63 mg of caffeine. Instant coffee is created from freeze-dried or spray-dried brewed coffee. It is usually in huge, dry chunks that dissolve in water. Simply combine one or two tablespoons of dry coffee with hot water, no need to brew anything. Caffeine content in instant coffee is often lower than that of normal coffee, with one cup containing about 30-90 mg.

Decaffeination, or decaf for short, is the process of removing caffeine from coffee beans, cocoa, tea leaves, and other caffeine-containing products. Don’t be fooled by the name “decaf coffee”. Decaf coffee is not entirely caffeine free. It may contain varying amounts of caffeine, with the average cup containing 3 mg. This all depends on the type of coffee, method of decaffeination and cup size.

As for affecting caffeine levels in tea, factors such as climate, geographic location, preparation, blends, and environmental changes, harvesting times during peak season or out of season, and ways of storage. Tea that has been dried and kept for six months has a greater caffeine concentration than newly made tea. To increase the amount of caffeine, add more tea leaves in your cup. Tea bags provide a normal amount of tea leaves, but if you use loose leaf tea, you may add extra to the pot to boost caffeine levels. The longer tea leaves are steeped in hot water, the more caffeine is produced.

How to Tell if You Consumed Too Much Caffeine?

Overconsumption of caffeine can have effects on your body over time. These effects can include heartburn, elevated blood pressure, decreased bone density, and muscle twitching. With continued caffeine consumption, your body may go through withdrawal if caffeine is discontinued. Withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, anxiety, and irritability, insomnia, jitters, anxiousness, fast heart rate, upset stomach, nausea, a feeling of unhappiness, etc.

Benefits and Risks of Caffeine

A balanced intake is a rule of thumb when it comes to your health. A moderate intake of coffee may enhance weight loss, cognitive function, and alertness.

Caffeine, in moderation, has also been demonstrated in studies to have positive outcomes.  Regular coffee drinkers had a lower chance of acquiring Alzheimer's and dementia, some cancers, strokes, Parkinson's, and a 45% lower risk of suicide. Caffeine has been found in tests to improve focus and memory on a daily basis. Coffee drinking has been related to a number of different health benefits, including protection against heart disease and diabetes, enhancement of exercise performance, boosts metabolism and fat burning, and improves mood and brain function. 

Some other benefits include liver protection, longevity, decreased cancer risk, skin protection, reduced multiple sclerosis risk, gout prevention, and gut health. Coffee has been shown to minimize the chances of liver problems by up to 84%. It has the potential to halt disease progression, increase therapy responsiveness, and reduce the risk of early death. Coffee consumption may reduce the risk of early mortality by up to 30%, particularly for women and those with diabetes. A daily consumption of four or more cups of caffeinated coffee may reduce the incidence of skin cancer by 20%. Coffee consumers may be up to 30% less likely to acquire multiple sclerosis (MS). However, not all studies agree that consuming four cups of coffee per day reduces the incidence of gout by 40% in men and 57% in women. Drinking three cups of coffee every day for three weeks may improve the number and activity of good gut flora.

Keep in mind that coffee includes other health-promoting chemicals. Some of the above-mentioned advantages might be attributed to substances other than caffeine.

On the other hand, if you intake too much caffeine, it can lead to further health problems, such as restlessness and shakiness, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, fast heart rate, dehydration, anxiety, and dependency. High caffeine doses can cause irregular heartbeat and seizures, and possibly lead to hormonal imbalances.

You should limit or avoid caffeine especially if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding, since caffeine can be passed along to your baby. Stay away from caffeine if you have sleep disorders, have migraines or other chronic headaches, have anxiety, have GERD or ulcers, have arrhythmia, have high blood pressure, or take certain medications, including stimulants, certain antibiotics, asthma medicines, and heart medicines. 

How to Cut Back on Caffeine Intake

If you are looking to cut back on caffeine intake because of those risks or simply tired of spending money on coffee or energy drinks, cutting back on caffeine can be difficult. A complete abstinence of caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms such headaches, anxiety, and fatigue, irritability, and difficulty focusing on tasks. Fortunately, these symptoms are often moderate and resolve within a few days. The best way is to gradually slow down until you no longer need that caffeine high. 

Some helpful tips to cut back on caffeine would be to:

• Start keeping track of how much caffeine you consume through foods and beverages, especially energy drinks. Read labels thoroughly. However, keep in mind that your estimate may be a bit low because certain caffeine-containing meals and beverages do not identify it.
• Drink one fewer can of soda or a smaller cup of coffee each day, for example. Alternatively, avoid drinking caffeinated beverages later in the day. This will aid your body to adjust to the decreased caffeine levels and reduce the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms.
• The majority of decaffeinated beverages appear and taste nearly identical to their caffeinated versions.
• Brew tea for a shorter period of time. This reduces the caffeine content. Alternatively, consider caffeine-free herbal teas.
• Check the bottle. Some over-the-counter pain relievers contain caffeine. Look for caffeine-free pain relievers instead

A moderate intake of coffee may enhance weight loss, cognitive function, and alertness. Caffeine may have a negative impact on pregnancy, fertility, glucose control, and other aspects of health.

Caffeine withdrawal, unlike narcotic or alcohol withdrawal, is not considered harmful, but it can be irritating to deal with. If you feel like it is not something you can do, you may want to talk to a specialist to see if they can help you cut back.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does 200mg of caffeine last?

Caffeine's half-life can range from 3 to 7 hours. If you consume 200 mg of caffeine, you will still have 100 mg in your system after five hours and a quarter of it after ten hours. For caffeine to completely exit your system, it could take up to 12 hours.

Is 500 mg a lot of caffeine?

Caffeine use is considered a substantial health concern when it exceeds 500 mg per day. Caffeine use exceeding 400 mg per day can induce sleeplessness, respiratory difficulties, diarrhea, dizziness, fever, and increased thirst and urination.

Is 2 cups of caffeine a lot?

For healthy individuals, 400 milligrams per day—roughly four or five cups of coffee—is not commonly associated with harmful or negative consequences.

Is 100 mg of caffeine a lot?

Teens should minimize their caffeine use to less than 100 mg per day (equivalent to one 8-ounce cup of coffee or two cans of cola). Overall, 100 mg of caffeine is a safe and sensible quantity.

How much caffeine will wake you up?

Depending on your body weight and caffeine tolerance, most people require 100 to 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine.

Does water flush out caffeine?

Flushing your system with water is an efficient technique to relieve those caffeine jitters. Caffeine's effects will be reduced in a reasonably short period of time by drinking water. However, it could take up to 10 hours to clear out of your system completely.

Does exercise flush out caffeine?

In short, exercise does not flush out caffeine. Your liver enzymes metabolize caffeine and there is no way to speed that process up. However, exercise will decrease energy levels from caffeine.

Is 1000 mg of caffeine too much?

1,000 mg of caffeine is considered an extremely high daily intake level. People who consume this much caffeine have symptoms of anxiety, jitteriness, and more.

Is 700 mg of caffeine too much?

In a 150-pound adult, 700 mg is adequate to cause toxicity, and 10,000 mg is required for caffeine to be deadly. Even while caffeine is unlikely to kill you, consuming eight cups of coffee in a single day is clearly excessive.

How much caffeine is in a 5 hour energy?

A 5 hour energy contains 200mg of caffeine, which is around half of the daily recommended amount for adults.

What does 200 mg of caffeine look like?

200 mg of caffeine could be reached with 2 bars of plain chocolate and one mug of filter coffee or 2 mugs of tea and one can of cola.

What drink has the most caffeine?

DynaPep contains the greatest caffeine level per fluid ounce of any beverage on the market, with 714.3 mg per fluid ounce.

How long will 1 cup of coffee keep you awake?

It has a half-life of 3 to 5 hours. The half-life is the time it takes for your body to eliminate half of the caffeine. The remaining caffeine can stay in your body for a long time.