How Much Caffeine is in Coffee and Espresso?

Author: Melissa Collins

Updated: October 19, 2022

A lot of us drink coffee simply because it tastes so good. For some, coffee provides a much-needed caffeine boost. After all, it’s easier to face the day once you’ve had your morning cup of coffee.

Something that everyone needs to keep in mind is that caffeine is a stimulant. Too much of it can harm your health. So how much caffeine is in coffee and espresso?

Caffeine Levels of Popular Coffee Drinks

Here’s the deal: How much caffeine is in coffee depends on a variety of factors, including the brewing method (drip or pressed), type of coffee bean (Arabica or Robusta), which brand you bought from, and more.

The good news is that there are some general numbers of caffeine in popular coffee drinks. If you need to keep track of your caffeine consumption, these estimates can help guide your decisions:

Drip-brewed coffee with Robusta beans (6 ounces): 140-200 milligrams
Drip-brewed coffee with Arabica beans (6 ounces): 80-130 milligrams
French Press coffee (8 ounces): 80-135 milligrams
Instant coffee (8 ounces): 65-90 milligrams
Dunkin Donuts coffee (16 ounces): 143-206 milligrams
Einstein Bros. coffee (16 ounces): 206 milligrams
McDonald’s McCafe coffee (16 ounces): 145 milligrams
Starbucks Pike’s Place Roast (Tall): 260 milligrams

How Much Caffeine Is In Espresso?

The important factor to consider for espresso is that it is served in a smaller volume than coffee. You’ll be able to get 16 ounces of coffee from a cafe, but if you ask for an espresso, they’ll serve it to you as just one ounce of liquid.

When it comes to espresso, it’s more effective to measure caffeine concentration per ounce. Just one ounce of espresso has 30-50 milligrams of caffeine. This isn’t as much as your cup of coffee, but keep in mind that you’ll be getting a higher concentration of caffeine. This is why people typically take “espresso shots” but will sip at their brewed coffee for a while.

Like coffee, the amount of caffeine in espresso will vary according to certain factors. The blend, bean type, and even temperature of the water can all impact how much caffeine you get from your espresso shot.

How Much Caffeine Is In Decaf Coffee?

If you’re trying to reduce your caffeine intake, decaf coffee is a great option–but despite its name, decaf coffee does indeed contain caffeine. This is especially important to note for people who are caffeine-sensitive or are otherwise reducing caffeine for medical reasons.

Here is a breakdown of the amount of caffeine in popular decaf coffee products (at 16 ounces each):

Decaf drip-brewed coffee: 9-11 milligrams
Decaf instant coffee: 4.4-5 milligrams
Starbucks Decaf Pike’s Place Roast: 25 milligrams
Dunkin’ Donuts decaf coffee: 10 milligrams
McDonald’s McCafe decaf coffee: 11 milligrams

It’s perfectly safe for you to consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine each day. This means you can have about four cups of brewed copopular coffee drinksffee.

If you’re a coffee-lover, it’s a good idea to be mindful of how much caffeine you are getting even if you order decaf or an espresso shot. Caffeine perks us up, but you should regulate your consumption so you stay safe!

Ever asked yourself, how much caffeine in a cup of coffee is good for me and how much is bad?

Well first lets dive into some small facts as to caffeine and how this relates to coffee and other foods.

Caffeine is a stimulant drug that’s found in a variety of foods and drinks. Most people get their daily dose of caffeine from coffee, whether it’s their steaming mug of coffee each morning or the iced coffee that they pick up on their way to work.

While there are many benefits to drinking coffee, it’s important to be aware that caffeine is a drug and to stay conscientious of your consumption of it throughout the day.

What Factors Affect Caffeine Content?

Keeping track of your caffeine consumption depends on a variety of factors when it comes to your coffee. The caffeine content of the coffee you consume will vary, depending on:

The kind of coffee beans. There are two kinds of coffee beans, Robusta and Arabica. Robusta beans have a higher amount of caffeine.
The type of roast. Darker roasts have a more robust and deep flavor, but the caffeine you get from your coffee will depend on whether it’s a lighter or darker roast.

The serving size. Coffee lovers are well aware that they can order anything from one ounce of espresso to an extra-large cup. Typically, the bigger the serving size, the more caffeine your coffee will contain.

The type of coffee. Caffeine can vary between drip coffee, instant coffee, and more.

Caffeine Content By Coffee Type

The amount of caffeine in your cup of coffee also varies widely depending on what kind of coffee you get.

If you need to regulate your caffeine intake, you should be aware of how much caffeine you’re getting, whether you are grabbing a cup of cold brew or making instant coffee.

The caffeine amount in an 8-ounce cup of some common coffee types include:

Drip coffee, 95 mg of caffeine.

Espresso coffee, 65 mg (in a 1oz serving size; espresso is the exception, as it is served in smaller amounts).

Cold brew coffee, 150 mg.

Instant coffee, 62 mg.
Decaffeinated coffee, 2 mg.

It’s important to be aware that even in decaf coffee, there will be a small amount of caffeine, as it’s impossible to entirely take all of the caffeine in coffee out.

How Much Caffeine In a Cup of Coffee Is Too Much?

You know that you shouldn’t have more than a couple of cups of coffee per day, but how do you know once you’ve consumed too much?

As a rule of thumb, the FDA has recommended that healthy adults consume no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine each day, which is about equivalent to 4-5 servings of coffee.

The good news is, you can have several cups of coffee with no dangerous side effects. However, sensitivity to caffeine can differ from person to person, and it’s important to pay attention to how you are feeling as you drink coffee.

Many people need that first cup to jump start their day and may need a pick-me-up as the day goes on, but you should stop consuming caffeine if you:

Feel jittery
Experience an increase in anxiousness
Have trouble sleeping (insomnia)
Have an upset stomach or feel nauseous
Get headaches after drinking coffee
Experience an increase in heart rate

If you feel any of these symptoms, you’ve consumed too much caffeine. Otherwise, try to stick to no more than a few cups of coffee a day to stay under the FDA’s recommended amount of caffeine.

How Much Caffeine Is In A Cup Of Coffee?

The amount of caffeine in your cup of coffee depends on a variety of factors, but as a general rule, it’ll have 50-100mg. This is why it’s important to regulate your intake and be sure to have only a few cups of coffee each day.

Keep in mind that the amount of caffeine does vary widely, and remember to stop drinking coffee if you experience any negative side effects such as becoming nauseous or jittery.

FAQ

How much caffeine is in 1 cup of coffee?

There are several factors contributing to the caffeine content of a cup of coffee. These include size, type of bean, type of roast, and type of coffee. An “average cup” of coffee therefore can contain anywhere between 0 mg and 500 mg. In terms of averages, you can expect to take in about 95 mg of caffeine per cup.

How much caffeine is in 8 oz of coffee?

Entirely dependent on the type of coffee you’re drinking, the caffeine content varies in that context. An 8 oz cup of brewed coffee, for example, contains between 70 and 140 mg of caffeine with the average cup clocking in at 95 mg of caffeine.

How much caffeine is in 12 oz of coffee?

Typically, the caffeine content is measured per 8 and 16 oz cups, however, if you’re drinking an in-between amount, like say, 12 oz, then you’re looking at 141.6 mg of caffeine per 12 oz cup of brewed joe. Again, this varies depending on bean type and roast, but this is just the average amount of caffeine you’ll find in a 12 oz cup of coffee.

How much caffeine is in 16 oz of coffee?

The USDA has great information on the caffeine content of coffee per fluid ounce. While caffeine content varies based on the size of the cup, the roast, and the bean, the average amount of caffeine per 16 fl oz cuppa is 188.8 mg. Remember, it’s relative, all factors considered.

How much caffeine is in instant coffee?

Some people don’t consider instant coffee, ‘true coffee’. In fact, it is well and truly coffee in one of its many forms, and lots of people thoroughly enjoy it. With that said, the average amount of caffeine found in an 8 oz cup of instant coffee is 57 mg.

Ever asked yourself, how much caffeine in a cup of coffee is good for me and how much is bad?

Well first lets dive into some small facts as to caffeine and how this relates to coffee and other foods.

While there are many benefits to drinking coffee, it’s important to be aware that caffeine is a drug and to stay conscientious of your consumption of it throughout the day.

How much caffeine is in coffee?

The amount of caffeine depends on the type and volume of coffee you are consuming. An 8-ounce brewed cup of coffee contains 96 mg of caffeine whereas a similar quantity of instant coffee would have 62 mg of caffeine. These numbers are affected by processing and brewing times and are a rough estimate of caffeine content.

Does green tea have caffeine?

Green tea does contain caffeine; an 8-ounce cup of green tea has about 35 mg of caffeine, although this number can be between the range of 30 to 50mg. Green tea made from younger leaves has more caffeine as does bag tea compared with loose-leaf tea. Brew time also affects the amount of caffeine in your beverage.

How much caffeine is in a shot of espresso?

A shot of espresso is an ounce in volume and contains 64 mg of caffeine. When ordering multiple shots of espresso, it is important to keep in mind that the recommended amount of caffeine per day for an adult is 400mg. Given the presence of caffeine in other beverages such as soda, it might be a good idea to enjoy one shot of espresso at a time!

Does matcha have caffeine?

Matcha does contain caffeine; while it does not have as much caffeine as the amount found in black coffee, matcha has significantly more caffeine than green tea. An 8-ounce cup of matcha made with 1 teaspoon of matcha powder contains about 70 mg of caffeine, although this concentration changes depending on the amount of matcha powder used and the dilution.

How much caffeine is in decaf coffee?

An 8-ounce cup of brewed decaf coffee contains the same amount of caffeine as an 8-ounce cup of instant decaf coffee: 2 mg. This amount is negligible and is only trumped by the fact that a 1-ounce shot of decaf espresso contains 0 mg of caffeine.

Does black tea have caffeine?

Like green tea and matcha, black tea contains caffeine; an 8-ounce cup of tea will contain around 47 mg of caffeine although this amount will be affected by the amount of brew time and the type of black tea being used, as a cup of Darjeeling tea will typically contain about 14 mg of caffeine and a cup of Earl Grey will have between 24 and 47 mg of caffeine.