How Much Caffeine In A Cup Of Coffee? A Detailed Guide - Healthline

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Evidence BasedHow Much Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee? A Detailed Guide

Medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN — Written by Adda Bjarnadottir, MS, RDN (Ice) — Updated on October 14, 2024

Amount by type
Popular brands
Factors of influence
Safety
Coffee benefits
Takeaway

The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee can vary based on the type, serving size, method of preparation, and bean variety, among other factors.

Coffee is the biggest dietary source of caffeine. However, this amount varies between different coffee drinks.

This is a detailed guide to the caffeine content of different types and brands of coffee.

How much caffeine is in a normal cup of coffee?

The main determinant of caffeine content is the type of coffee you are drinking.

Brewed Coffee

Brewing is the most common way to make coffee in the US and Europe.

Also known as regular coffee, brewed coffee is made by pouring hot or boiling water over ground coffee beans, usually contained in a filter.

A 12-ounce (oz) cup of brewed coffee may contain 113 to 247 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, whereas a smaller 8-ounce cup can contain about 95 to 200 mg.

The exact amount can also depend on the variety of coffee you use. In a 2020 study, researchers found that the average amount was around 150.5 mg.

Espresso

Espresso is made by forcing a small amount of hot water, or steam, through finely ground coffee beans.

Although espresso has more caffeine per volume than regular coffee, it usually contains less per serving since espresso servings tend to be small.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one shot of espresso is generally about 2 oz and contains about 127 mg of caffeine. But, the average amount is around 108.3 mg. A double shot of espresso, therefore, can contain 200 to 300 mg of caffeine.

Many popular coffee drinks are made from espresso shots mixed with varying types and amounts of milk. These include lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos and Americanos.

Since the milk does not contain any additional caffeine, these drinks contain the same amount of caffeine as straight espresso.

Instant Coffee

Instant coffee is made from brewed coffee that has been freeze-dried or spray-dried. It is generally in large, dry pieces, which dissolve in water.

To prepare instant coffee, simply mix one or two teaspoons of dried coffee with hot water. There is no need to brew.

Research shows that instant coffee usually contains less caffeine than regular coffee. One 6 oz cup contains roughly 45 mg or an average of about 57.1 mg.

Decaf Coffee

Although the name may be deceiving, decaf coffee is not entirely caffeine-free. It may contain varying amounts of caffeine, ranging from 2 to 15 mg per 8-oz cup.

However, some varieties may contain even higher amounts of caffeine, depending on the type of coffee, where it’s sourced from, the method of decaffeination, and cup size.

Are commercial brands more caffeinated?

Some commercial coffee brands contain more caffeine than regular, home-brewed coffee.

Coffee shops are also notorious for their large cup sizes. The amount of coffee in such cups is equivalent to about 3 to 5 regular-sized cups.

The following chart shows the approximate amount of caffeine in different sizes of brewed coffee drinks from Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, two popular coffee shop chains.

Starbucks	Dunkin Donuts
tall/Small	260 mg	180 mg
grande/medium	330 mg	210 mg
venti/large	410 mg	330 mg

The exact amount will vary depending on the type of roast or a different coffee preparation, such as espresso. Other coffee shops will have other coffee varieties with different caffeine amounts.

What factors affect caffeine content?

The caffeine content of coffee depends on many factors, such as:

Type of coffee beans: There are many varieties of coffee beans available, which may naturally contain different amounts of caffeine.
Roasting: Lighter roasts have more caffeine than darker roasts, although the darker roasts have a deeper flavor.
Type of coffee: The caffeine content of regularly brewed coffee, espresso, instant coffee, and decaf coffee can vary significantly.
Serving size: The size of your drink will affect how much caffeine you consume.
Water temperature and pressure: Cooler water temperatures may result in a slower release of caffeine during brewing, and the brewing method can also impact caffeine levels due to factors like pressure.

Is caffeine something to worry about?

Coffee is high in antioxidants, and many studies show that it is good for your health.

However, getting too much caffeine is linked to adverse effects like anxiety, sleep disruptions, heart palpitations, and restlessness.

Evidence shows consuming about 400 mg of caffeine per day, or less is generally not associated with adverse effects in most people. That said, some people need to consume less, such as pregnant people.

That being said, caffeine affects people very differently. Some are very sensitive to caffeine, while others are unaffected by large amounts and may even develop higher tolerance the more they consume. This is largely due to genetic differences.

You’ll just have to experiment and see what amount suits you best.

Surprising benefits of coffee

Coffee may provide some health benefits for people who drink the recommended amount of 400 mg per day or less.

Takeaway

Out of all the foods and drinks we consume, coffee contains the highest amount of caffeine. But, the specific amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee can differ depending on multiple factors.

These include the type of coffee used, the serving size, water temperature, and the variety of beans. The way the coffee is grown, roasted, or ground may also affect this.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Caffeine. (n.d.).https://medlineplus.gov/caffeine.html
Dunkin’ answers your top coffee questions. (n.d.).https://news.dunkindonuts.com/blog/top-coffee-questions-national-coffee-day
Dunkin’ classics & new favorites. (n.d.).https://www.dunkindonuts.com/en/menu
Food Data Central. (2024).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174130/nutrients
Nutrition by the cup. (2011).https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2019/01/nutrition-1.pdf
Olechno E, et al. (2021). Influence of various factors on caffeine content in coffee brews.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8228209/
Petrović S.M, et al. Benefits and risks of commercially available coffee beverages from Western Balkan. (2020).https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11696-019-00916-5#citeas
Spilling the beans: how much caffeine is too much? (2024).https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much
Wikoff D, et al. (2017). Systematic review of the potential adverse effects of caffeine consumption in healthy adults, pregnant women, adolescents, and children.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691517301709
Zou Y, et al. (2022). Distinguishing between decaffeinated and regular coffee by HS-SPME-GC×GC-TOFMS, chemometrics, and machine learning.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8948847/

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Medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN — Written by Adda Bjarnadottir, MS, RDN (Ice) — Updated on October 14, 2024

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How much caffeine is in a normal cup of coffee?

Brewed Coffee

Espresso

Instant Coffee

Decaf Coffee

Are commercial brands more caffeinated?

What factors affect caffeine content?

Is caffeine something to worry about?

Surprising benefits of coffee

Takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

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