26th Nov 2009
How Much 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. Coffee is a sweet treat, and a happy little pick-me-up. It is no mystery that coffee contains caffeine, but does anyone know just how much? The question arises, who is consuming more caffeine? A coffee drinker, tea drinker, soda drinker or chocoholics? Let’s take a look at just how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee, and what that means.
Surprisingly, the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee can vary quite a bit. It depends on the type of coffee and the way it’s been brewed. For instance, ordinary drip-brewed coffee has about 150 milligrams of coffee per cup (that’s 7 ounces to a cup). Other types of brewing can produce a cup with anywhere from 80 to 175 milligrams per cup.
Instant coffee comes in between 65 and 100 milligrams per cup. Decaf coffee even has some traces of caffeine, and espresso shots are around 80 milligrams each. With only about 6 milligrams for brewed decaf and less than 3 for instant, it is quite negligible. Yet, it is there.
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. How much caffeine, really, is there in that morning cup of joe? It will depend upon how it is brewed and the particular beans you are using.
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