A can of Optimal Native caffeine pouches

How much caffeine is in coffee? Filter, espresso, instant and decaf

Updated

A 200 ml cup of filter or instant coffee contains about 90 mg of caffeine, a single espresso (60 ml) about 80 mg and a 200 ml cup of decaf about 4 mg. The real amount in your cup can be quite different, because it depends on the beans, how the coffee is made and the size of the cup.

Key points
• Filter and instant coffee: about 90 mg per 200 ml cup.
• Espresso: about 80 mg per single shot.
• Decaf: about 4 mg per 200 ml cup.
• EFSA: up to 400 mg of caffeine a day from all sources does not raise safety concerns for healthy adults.

Contents

Caffeine in coffee: the figures

Drink Serving Caffeine
Filter coffee 200 ml about 90 mg
Instant coffee 200 ml about 90 mg
Espresso 60 ml (single) about 80 mg
Decaffeinated coffee 200 ml about 4 mg
Black tea (for comparison) 250 ml about 55 mg
Energy drink (for comparison) 250 ml about 80 mg

Work out your own total: caffeine calculator.

Source: EUFIC.

Why the amount varies

  • Beans: different coffee beans contain different amounts of caffeine.
  • Brewing: the method, the amount of coffee and the brewing time all change the result.
  • Cup size: a large takeaway coffee can hold two or three times as much as a 200 ml cup.
  • Café coffee: one study of single espressos bought from 20 coffee shops found between 51 mg and 322 mg of caffeine per shot (Crozier et al., Food & Function, 2012).

How many cups of coffee a day?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day does not raise safety concerns for healthy adults, and up to 200 mg a day for pregnant and breast-feeding women (EFSA, 2015). At about 90 mg per 200 ml cup, that is roughly four cups a day for adults and two in pregnancy. All caffeine counts: tea, cola, energy drinks and caffeine pouches too. More: How much caffeine a day?

Coffee compared with caffeine pouches

  • Amount: a caffeine pouch states its caffeine on the label. Optimal Native Morning Energy contains 200 mg per pouch (about two cups of filter coffee), Daily Flow 75 mg and Evening Relax none.
  • Sugar: café drinks often come with sugar and syrups. Optimal Native pouches are sugar-free.
  • Format: nothing to brew. A pouch sits under your upper lip for 20–40 minutes.

Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women. More: Caffeine pouches: what they are.

FAQ

Does espresso have more caffeine than filter coffee?
Per millilitre, yes. Per cup, a 200 ml filter coffee (about 90 mg) contains a little more than a single espresso (about 80 mg).

Does decaf contain caffeine?
A little: about 4 mg per 200 ml cup.

Does milk reduce the caffeine?
No. A latte or cappuccino contains the caffeine of the espresso in it.

How much caffeine is in a large coffee?
Check the size: a 400 ml filter coffee contains roughly twice as much as a 200 ml cup.

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