3000: How Much Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee? A Detailed Guide by Adda Bjarnadottir with Healthline

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[00:00:55] This is Optimal Health Daily. How Much Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee? A Detailed Guide. By Ada Bjornadotter with Healthline.com. And I'm Dr. Neil. A happy Monday to you and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily or welcome for the first time if you're new here. This is the podcast where I act as your very own personal narrator and read to you from some of the most popular health and fitness blogs online. Today's article is from Healthline, a very popular and trusted site because they back up their posts with research.

[00:01:25] And you know I'm a huge fan of backing up whatever you say with research. Now today's topic is on caffeine, which is super perfect timing because just a couple of weeks ago I was a guest lecturer at a large state school where I presented on this very topic. So while it's still fresh in my mind, let's get right to it and start optimizing your life.

[00:01:50] How Much Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee? A Detailed Guide by Ada Bjornadotter with Healthline.com. Coffee is the biggest dietary source of caffeine. You can expect to get around 95 milligrams of caffeine from an average cup of coffee. However, this amount varies between different coffee drinks and can range from almost zero to over 500 milligrams. So I'm about to present a detailed guide to the caffeine content of different types and brands of coffee.

[00:02:21] What factors affect caffeine content? The caffeine content of coffee depends on many factors, such as the type of coffee beans. There are many varieties of coffee beans available which may naturally contain different amounts of caffeine. Also, roasting. Lighter roasts have more caffeine than darker roasts, although the darker roasts have a deeper flavor. However, the type of coffee can also make a difference.

[00:02:44] The caffeine content can vary significantly between brewed coffee, espresso, instant coffee, and of course decaf coffee. And lastly, serving size. One cup of coffee can range anywhere between 30 to 700 milliliters or 1 to 24 fluid ounces, which can greatly affect the total caffeine content. Bottom line. Caffeine content is affected by the type of coffee bean, roast style, how the coffee is prepared, and the serving size.

[00:03:13] How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee? The main determinant of caffeine content is the type of coffee you are drinking. Brewed coffee. Brewing is the most common way to make coffee in the U.S. and in Europe. Also known as regular coffee, brewed coffee is made by pouring hot or boiling water over ground coffee beans, usually contained in a filter.

[00:03:35] One cup of brewed coffee, which is about 8 fluid ounces, contains about 70 to 140 milligrams of caffeine, or about 95 milligrams on average. Espresso. Espresso is made by forcing a small amount of hot water or steam through finely ground coffee beans. Although espresso has more caffeine per volume than regular coffee, it usually contains less per serving, since espresso servings tend to be small.

[00:04:01] One shot of espresso is generally about 30 to 50 milliliters, or between 1 and 1 and 3 quarters fluid ounces, and contains about 63 milligrams of caffeine. A double shot of espresso, therefore, contains roughly 125 milligrams of caffeine. Espresso-based drinks. Many popular coffee drinks are made from espresso shots mixed with varying types and amounts of milk. These include lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and americanos.

[00:04:30] Since the milk does not contain any additional caffeine, these drinks contain the same amount of caffeine as straight espresso. A single, or small, contains about 63 milligrams of caffeine on average, and a double, or a large, contains about 125 milligrams of caffeine. Instant coffee. Instant coffee is made from brewed coffee that has been freeze-dried or spray-dried. It is generally in large, dry pieces, which dissolve in water.

[00:04:57] To prepare instant coffee, simply mix 1 or 2 teaspoons of dried coffee with hot water. There's no need for any brewing. Instant coffee usually contains less caffeine than regular coffee, with 1 cup containing roughly 30 to 90 milligrams of caffeine. Decaf. Although the name may be deceiving, decaf coffee is not entirely caffeine-free. It may contain varying amounts of caffeine, ranging from 0 to 7 milligrams per cup, with the average cup containing about 3 milligrams.

[00:05:28] However, some varieties may contain even higher amounts of caffeine depending on the type of coffee, method of decaffeination, and cup size. Bottom line. The average caffeine content of an 8-ounce brewed cup of coffee is 95 milligrams. A single espresso, or espresso-based drink, contains about 63 milligrams, and decaf coffee contains about 3 milligrams of caffeine on average. Are commercial brands more caffeinated?

[00:05:56] Some commercial coffee brands contain more caffeine than regular, home-brewed coffee. Coffee shops are also notorious for their large cup sizes, which can range up to 700 milliliters, or about 24 fluid ounces. The amount of coffee in these cups is equivalent to about 3 to 5 regular-sized cups of coffee. Starbucks. Starbucks is probably the best-known coffee shop in the world. It also offers some of the most caffeinated coffee available. The caffeine content of brewed coffee at Starbucks is as follows.

[00:06:25] A short, which is about 8 fluid ounces, contains about 180 milligrams of caffeine. A tall, which is about 12 fluid ounces, contains about 260 milligrams of caffeine. A grande, which is about 16 fluid ounces, contains about 330 milligrams of caffeine. And a venti, or 20 fluid ounces, contains about 415 milligrams of caffeine. Furthermore, one shot of espresso at Starbucks contains about 75 milligrams of caffeine.

[00:06:53] Consequently, all small espresso-based drinks also contain 75 milligrams of caffeine. This includes lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and Americanos, among others. Larger sizes, which are made with two or even three espresso shots, contain about 150 or 225 milligrams of caffeine. Decaf coffee from Starbucks contains anywhere from 15 to 30 milligrams of caffeine, depending on the size of the cup. Bottom line, an eight-fluid-ounce brewed coffee

[00:07:22] from Starbucks contains about 180 milligrams of caffeine. A single espresso and espresso-based drinks contain 75 milligrams, while an eight-fluid-ounce cup of decaf coffee contains about 15 milligrams of caffeine. McDonald's. McDonald's sells coffee all over the world, often under their McCafe brand. However, despite being one of the biggest fast food chains that sells coffee, they do not standardize or calculate the amount of caffeine in their coffee. As an estimate,

[00:07:51] the caffeine content of their brewed coffee is about, for a small, which is about 12 fluid ounces, 109 milligrams of caffeine. For a medium, which is about 16 fluid ounces, that would contain about 145 milligrams of caffeine. And for a large, which can vary between 21 and 24 fluid ounces, that might contain about 180 milligrams of caffeine. Their espresso contains 71 milligrams per serving, and decaf contains 8 to 14 milligrams, depending on the size of the cup.

[00:08:20] Bottom line. McDonald's doesn't standardize the amount of caffeine in their coffee. As an estimate, a small cup of brewed coffee contains 109 milligrams of caffeine. Espresso contains about 71 milligrams, and their decaf has about 8 milligrams. Dunkin' Donuts. Dunkin' Donuts is another chain of coffee and donut shops that are very popular worldwide. The caffeine content of their brewed coffee is as follows. A small, which would be 10 fluid ounces in this case,

[00:08:49] contains about 215 milligrams. A medium, which is about 16 fluid ounces, likely contains about 300 to 302 milligrams. A large, which is 20 fluid ounces, contains about 431 milligrams. And an extra large, or a 24 fluid ounce serving, contains about 517 milligrams of caffeine. Their single espresso shot contains about 75 milligrams of caffeine, which is also how much you can expect to get from their espresso-based drinks.

[00:09:19] Decaf coffee from Dunkin' Donuts may also contain quite a bit of caffeine. According to one source, a small cup, or 10 fluid ounces, has about 53 milligrams of caffeine, and a large contains about 128 milligrams. That's almost as much caffeine as you would find in other varieties of regular coffee. Bottom line. A small cup of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts contains about 215 milligrams of caffeine, while a single espresso contains about 75 milligrams.

[00:09:47] Interestingly, their decaf coffee may contain as much as 53 to 128 milligrams of caffeine. So, is caffeine something to worry about? Coffee is actually high in antioxidants, and many studies show that it is good for your health. However, getting too much caffeine is linked to adverse effects like anxiety, sleep disruptions, heart palpitations, and restlessness. Consuming 400 to 600 milligrams of caffeine per day is generally not associated

[00:10:15] with adverse effects in most people. This would be about 6 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram body weight, or about 3 milligrams per pound of body weight. Or, if you want to translate that to cups of coffee, that'd be about 4 to 6 cups of coffee per day. That being said, caffeine affects people very differently. Some are very sensitive to it, while others find themselves unaffected by large amounts. This is largely due to genetic differences. You'll just have to experiment and see what amounts suit you best.

[00:10:48] You just listened to the post titled, How Much Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee? A Detailed Guide. By Ada Bjornadotter with Healthline.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. Oikos presents 15 Seconds of Strength. Here we go. Steve's got a trunk full of groceries and no one to help him. Oh, that's tough, Jim. Looks like a five-trip load at least. He grabs the first bag. The second. Bob, it looks like he's trying to do it on one trip. He shimmies the door open, steps over the dog. Oh, and he stumbles.

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[00:12:14] Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash OHD. Go to shopify.com slash OHD. Shopify.com slash OHD. So as you just heard, that depending on the brand especially, there can be so much variety in the amount of caffeine you're getting from your average cup of coffee. But the real important thing is, is caffeine harmful?

[00:12:44] And again, what we're finding is it's really not for most people. But the one thing we need to make sure we understand is that most of these studies on caffeine were done using coffee or tea. Now, coffee and tea have other compounds in them like helpful antioxidants, which may also lead to these wonderful health effects. So any conclusions that we make about the health effects of caffeine were probably done from studies using coffee and tea as the source of caffeine.

[00:13:14] But as I just mentioned, caffeine for most people isn't harmful. It's actually quite beneficial. The most recent dietary guidelines for Americans say that most healthy adults should not consume any more than about 400 milligrams of caffeine each day. Well, technically, a grande has about 330 milligrams, so you could add maybe one espresso shot to that and then you'd be right at your limit. Now, for those with other underlying health conditions, those with maybe gastric ulcers or ulcers that are found in the stomach,

[00:13:44] or those with irritable bowel syndrome, or inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, caffeine may actually aggravate those conditions. The same thing may happen if you suffer from heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease, same thing. For some of those folks, caffeine may make their symptoms worse. For ladies that are pregnant, the jury's still out. Depending on which source you look at, some may say that you really should consume zero caffeine.

[00:14:12] Others say, no, it's fine to get that 300 to 400 milligrams per day. So I would suggest you talk to your obstetrician to really find out where they stand on this. Oh, and I haven't mentioned, well, what are some of the potential health benefits of consuming caffeine? Well, we're finding it may prevent some chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. It may also prevent Parkinson's disease and some forms of cancer. Oh, and when I guest lectured on this topic a couple of weeks ago, students found something really interesting that I mentioned.

[00:14:42] I got some questions afterwards via email. If you brew your coffee, it's best to send it through a paper filter. The reason for that is coffee does have this compound called cafestol. Cafestol may actually increase our LDL cholesterol or our lousy or lethal or bad cholesterol. But if you send the coffee through a paper filter, it tends to catch that cafestol and therefore won't negatively impact your bad cholesterol levels.

[00:15:11] So if you French press your coffee, yes, there's still cafestol in it. So it might be a good idea to after you French press your coffee, go ahead and pour it through a paper filter into another cup. Okay, I love talking about caffeine and its health effects, but I'm going to stop there. I hope you have a wonderful start to your week. Thank you as always for listening. I'll be back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.