Nov26
The Amount of Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee
Many of us just can’t get through the day without our morning cup of java, whether it comes from the home drip machine, the corner coffee shop, or a coffee pod machine at the office. It’s a great pick-me-up, and if the coffee is good quality, a great-tasting treat, too. We are all aware that caffeine is a big part of coffee, but do we really know how much we are putting in our bodies with each cup? Are coffee drinkers consuming more or less than tea drinkers, soda drinkers, energy drink junkies and chocoholics? Let’s take a look at just how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee, and what that means.
It may surprise you to know that the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee can vary depending on various factors. It depends on the type of coffee and the way it’s been brewed. For example, in a 7 ounce cup, ordinary drip-brewed coffee (which is the most common) has about 150 milligrams per cup. Other types of brewing can produce a cup with anywhere from 80 to 175 milligrams per cup.
Instant coffee, though, comes in somewhere between 65 to 100 milligrams. Decaf coffee even has some traces of caffeine, and espresso shots are around 80 milligrams each. This is actually quite negligible - only about 6 milligrams for brewed decaf and less than 3 for instant. However, it is present.
But what does that mean in relation to other foods? It would be difficult to get an accurate idea of how much caffeine is actually in a cup of coffee without some scale on which to judge it. Twelve ounces of iced tea contains about 70 milligrams of caffeine, with hot brewed tea usually having between 40 and 60 milligrams. Also, instant tea has about 30 milligrams. 8 ounces of cocoa could be between 3 and 30 milligrams of caffeine, while a caffeinated soft drink might be anywhere between 20 and 40. From milk to dark chocolate, the amount of caffeine varies considerably. Interestingly, a caffeinated cold medication measures about 30 milligrams of caffeine while caffeine pills range between 100 and 200 milligrams each.
Of course, there’s a wide range for every cup, since even the same person using the same ingredients and equipment every day is going to produce a cup of coffee or tea with vastly different caffeine content. While coffee does pack a punch of caffeine, it’s not the only source out there or even the most potent one. So, just how much caffeine is in your cup of coffee? It all depends on how it’s made and the particular cup you’re drinking.
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