You probably are here because you are addicted to coffee, and you know what makes coffee addictive? Yes! It’s the caffeine content present inside the coffee beans.
According to studies, there are several benefits of caffeine. To name a few, it can improve your short-term memory, make you active, reduce fatigue, and help you lose weight.
Coffee is the most commonly consumed and one of the healthiest sources of caffeine.
But as we know, the famous proverb “Excess of everything is bad” caffeine also has some cons if consumed in excess.
Caffeine can cause dependency, high blood pressure, Insomnia, or heart-related diseases if you exaggerate its use.
And that’s why many people are concerned about how much caffeine is in the cup of their coffee.
Well, if you need a simple answer, an average 8 oz cup of coffee contains almost 80-120 mg of caffeine. But it depends on the drink you brew, the type of coffee bean, and the amount of coffee beans you use.
In this article, we will dive deep into the topic of coffee caffeine content and discuss How much caffeine is in each type of coffee.
How much caffeine is in different types of coffee drinks
The answer to how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee is not straightforward.
As it depends on so many factors, such as the type of beans you are using (Robusta beans have higher caffeine than Arabica) and the origin of coffee beans.
It also depends on whether or not you are using any type of filter while brewing.
And obviously, it also depends on how many coffee grounds you are using to brew your favorite coffee drink.
I have conducted research for 12 different most famous types of coffee drinks i-e Espresso, Drip coffee, Americano, long black, French Press, Latte, Cappuccino, Decaffeinated coffee, Cold Brew, Pour Over, Instant coffee, and Turkish coffee.
You can find the caffeine content of each of these famous coffee drinks in the table below.
| Drink type | Caffeine per serving | Size of cup | Caffeine per oz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso (single shot) | 60 – 72 | 1-1.25 oz | 60 – 70 |
| Espresso (double shot) | 120 – 133 | 2-2.25 oz | 60 – 70 |
| Drip coffee | 65 – 120 | 8 oz | 8 – 15 |
| Americano ( made with double-shot Espresso ) | 120 – 133 | 8 oz | 15 – 17 |
| long black ( made with double-shot Espresso ) | 120 – 133 | 6 oz | 20 – 22 |
| French Press | 100 – 137 | 8 oz | 13 – 17 |
| Latte ( made with double-shot Espresso ) | 120 – 133 | 12 oz | 10 – 11 |
| Cappuccino ( made with single-shot Espresso ) | 60 – 72 | 5 oz | 12 – 14 |
| Decaffeinated coffee | 2 – 3 | 8 oz | 0.25 – 0.37 |
| Cold Brew | 197- 213 | 16 oz | 12 – 13 |
| Pour Over | 90 – 160 | 8 oz | 12 – 20 |
| Instant coffee | 60 – 80 | 8 oz | 8 – 10 |
| Turkish Coffee | 150 – 165 | 2 oz | 75 – 85 |
Espresso: Espresso is a coffee brewing method in which a pressurized hot stream of water is passed over fine coffee grounds. Espresso has the most caffeine per ounce (around 60 to 70 mg).
Drip coffee: Hot water is dripped through a filter full of coarse coffee grounds in a drip coffee machine. The contact time between water and grounds is longer in drip machines than in espresso, but there is no pressure element. An 8 oz cup of drip coffee contains more caffeine than a single shot of espresso, which is around 65 – 120 mg.
Americano: Americano is usually prepared by pouring 4 to 6 ounces of water over a freshly brewed double shot of espresso. So, it has the same caffeine as the double shot (120-133 mg)
Long Black: Americano and Long Black are almost the same coffee drinks. In Americano, the water is poured over an Espresso shot, while in Long Black, espresso is poured over hot water.
French Press: French Press is a unique manual coffee brewing method in which water is allowed to steep through coarse grounds for 4 to 6 minutes. After that, the coffee grounds are separated by the metal filter of the French Press coffee maker. An 8 oz cup of French Press can contain 100 – 137 oz of caffeine depending on steeping time and the type of coffee beans.
Latte and Cappuccino: Latte and Cappuccino are similar drinks; both have a layer of espresso shot at the base and layers of steamed milk and foam at the top. The only difference is Cappuccino has a 1:1 of milk and Espresso while Latte has 2:1 of milk and espresso. As Cappuccino is denser, it has more caffeine content per ounce.
Decaffeinated coffee: Caffeine is eliminated from coffee beans using organic solvent and carbon dioxide. You can brew any type of coffee drink with decaffeinated coffee beans. Decaffeinated coffee beans will still have a small amount of caffeine, around 0.25-0.37 ounces.
Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee is brewed at room temperature for an extended period for more than 10 to 12 hours. It has smooth, less bitter, and chocolaty flavors. The usual serving size of cold brew is 16 oz which has a high amount of caffeine, up to 197-213 mg per serving.
Pour-over coffee: Pour coffee is a type of drip coffee prepared manually without any machine. Typically, the brewing process in a pour-over method is longer; that’s why it has more flavors and caffeine than coffee prepared through drip coffee machines.
Instant coffee: Instant coffee is made by brewing regular coffee beans in large containers. Then this brewed coffee is concentrated and condensed into small granules. Instant coffee is used to prepare coffee drinks quickly by dissolving the granules into water or milk. A typical 8-ounce cup of instant coffee can contain up to 60 to 80 mg of caffeine.
Turkish coffee: Turkish coffee is made in Cezve by dissolving fine coffee grounds into water and milk. This is an unfiltered type of coffee drink; that’s why it has the highest caffeine content, up to 165 mg of caffeine per serving.
How much caffeine in a coffee bean | Arabica vs Robusta
According to research, most coffee beans have almost 10-12 mg/g of caffeine. And there are 6 to 7 beans in a gram, so there is 1.4-2 mg of caffeine in a single coffee bean.
Robusta coffee beans are richer in caffeine than Arabica beans.
On average, Robusta beans have 18-20 mg/g of caffeine, while Arabica beans have 8-12 mg/g of caffeine.
If you are a caffeine lover, you might be tempted to buy Robusta beans next time you go shopping. But Robusta beans are not liked by coffee enthusiasts all around the World. The reason is too much bitter taste of these beans. And also, Robusta beans lack the balance and complex flavors of coffee.
That’s why most people prefer Arabica beans over Robusta.
Robusta beans are mainly used for preparing coffee blends because 100% Robusta beans can be very unpleasant to drink.
You can never estimate the amount of caffeine in your cup of coffee by the caffeine content in coffee beans because after the extraction; there is still a significant amount of caffeine in the used coffee grounds. That’s why unfiltered brewing methods yield the highest amount of caffeine.
What roast has the most caffeine | Dark Vs Medium Vs Light
Some people say there is more caffeine in dark roasts because they produce a stronger and more robust cup of coffee, while others may say that light roasts have more caffeine because the roasting process eliminates some caffeine.
Well, in actuality, both opinions are wrong. The caffeine in the coffee beans remains the same throughout the roasting process.
During the roasting process, because of the high temperature, most of the moisture content evaporates from the coffee beans, and the beans lose their weight and grow in size.
That’s why lightly roasted coffee beans have more caffeine content on a volumetric basis than dark roast because the same volume will occupy fewer coffee beans of darker roast than lighter roast.
And on a mass basis, the dark roast will have more caffeine because the same mass of both roasts will have more beans for the darker roast.
But if you measure all different roasts, bean to bean, there will be no difference in the amount of caffeine.
So, if you want to have more caffeine, there is one simple rule “Add more coffee beans to your cup”.
How much caffeine is too much?
For healthy adults, 400 mg of caffeine is considered safe; that is four regular 8 oz cups of drip coffee or three double shots of espresso.
400 mg of caffeine is only safe for healthy adults; that amount is not safe for teens or young children.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should also limit their caffeine usage to 200 mg per day.
Caffeine has benefits and there are many ways caffeine might be good for you. Such as it:
- Improves the energy level
- Reduces fatigue
- Improves short-term memory
- Increases the health of the brain
- Can lower the risk of diabetes
- Helps in weight loss
- Helps in fighting depression
But as we all know, “excess of everything is bad”. If taken in excess, caffeine can cause the following problems:
- Insomnia or difficulty in sleeping
- Anxiety
- Dehydration
- Blood pressure
- Addiction or dependency
- Irritation in stomach
If you are facing any of the symptoms above, you should immediately cut down on the amount of coffee you drink daily. Or, if you can’t live without coffee, you should try decaffeinated coffee beans.
FAQS
Is 200 mg of caffeine a lot?
Healthy adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine in a day. However, teenagers and pregnant women should avoid taking that much caffeine and limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg per day.
Does tea have more caffeine than coffee?
Tea leaves have more caffeine (3.7%) than unbrewed coffee beans (1.1-1.5%). But a brewed cup of coffee has more caffeine than a brewed cup of tea which is 90 to 120 mg in coffee and 40 to 60 mg in tea.
The reason is brewing process for coffee is longer, and more hot water is used. Moreover, coffee beans easily extract almost all the caffeine content, whereas extracting all the caffeine from tea leaves is not possible.
How long does caffeine stay in your system?
The level of caffeine peaks in your body one hour after having it and remains at the same level for 6 hours. It takes almost 10 to 12 hours to eliminate all the caffeine content from the body.
That’s why it is not recommended to have caffeine-based drinks after the evening as it can cause sleeping problems.
Does Arabica coffee have less caffeine?
Yes, Arabica Beans Are Less In Caffeine But More In Flavors Than Robusta Beans. On Average, Robusta Beans Have 18-20 Mg/G Of Caffeine, While Arabica Beans Have 8-12 Mg/G Of Caffeine.
Is espresso stronger than regular coffee?
Espresso Is The Strongest And Most Dense Type Of Coffee Drink. If You Compare A Single Shot Of Espresso ( 1 -1.25 Oz) With A Regular 8 Oz Cup Of Drip Coffee, Then There Will Be More Caffeine In Drip Coffee, But If You Compare On A Per Ounce Basis, Espresso Wins.
Which coffee has the Least caffeine?
Decaf coffee has the least amount of caffeine. Around 97.7% of the caffeine was removed from the coffee beans during the decaffeination process.
Which coffee has the most caffeine?
Well, it mainly depends on the type of beans and the number of beans you are using.
Turkish coffee has the highest amount of caffeine as there is no filter involved in the brewing process and the coffee grounds are completely dissolved into the water.
If you want to drink highly caffeinated coffee then use Robusta beans.
Is caffeine a drug?
Yes, caffeine is a drug. It is a natural stimulant that affects the central nervous system, making us feel more alert and awake.
Other Interesting Reads:
