Caffeine in 13 coffee drinks
The default serving and caffeine of each coffee drink in the WaterChamp app. The values sit close to the Mayo Clinic caffeine chart, which lists 96 mg for 8 oz of brewed coffee and about 63 mg for a 1 oz espresso.
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine | Per 100 ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Brew | 350 ml (12 fl oz) | 200 mg | 57 mg |
| Iced Coffee | 475 ml (16 fl oz) | 165 mg | 35 mg |
| Drip Coffee | 355 ml (12 fl oz) | 140 mg | 39 mg |
| Flat White | 160 ml (5.4 fl oz) | 126 mg | 79 mg |
| Black Coffee | 240 ml (8.1 fl oz) | 95 mg | 40 mg |
| White Coffee | 250 ml (8.5 fl oz) | 80 mg | 32 mg |
| Affogato | 150 ml (5.1 fl oz) | 63 mg | 42 mg |
| Americano | 240 ml (8.1 fl oz) | 63 mg | 26 mg |
| Cappuccino | 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) | 63 mg | 32 mg |
| Cortado | 120 ml (4.1 fl oz) | 63 mg | 53 mg |
| Espresso | 40 ml (1.4 fl oz) | 63 mg | 158 mg |
| Latte | 350 ml (12 fl oz) | 63 mg | 18 mg |
| Decaf Coffee | 240 ml (8.1 fl oz) | 3 mg | 1 mg |
Drinks made with espresso count by the shot, about 63 mg each. In the table, a latte, a cappuccino and an americano have one shot and a flat white has two, so a flat white carries twice the caffeine of a latte in a cup less than half the size.
Per ounce, espresso is the strongest
Espresso has about 47 mg of caffeine per fl oz, four times as much as brewed coffee at about 12 mg. A cup of brewed coffee is much bigger, so it still holds more caffeine in total than a single shot. A latte is the mildest per ounce, at about 5 mg, because one shot is spread through 12 oz of milk.
Why cold brew has so much
Cold brew is made by steeping coffee in cold water for many hours, with a lot of coffee for the amount of water, and it is often served in large cups. The 12 oz (350 ml) cold brew in the table has 200 mg, about 17 mg per fl oz. Concentrates sold for diluting are stronger before you add the water or milk.
What changes the caffeine in a cup
The numbers above are typical, and a real cup can be far off. In lab tests of specialty coffees, one serving held anywhere from 58 to 259 mg. The same drink from the same outlet, bought on six days in a row, ranged from 259 to 564 mg (McCusker, 2003).
Cup size changes it most directly: 16 oz of a brew holds twice the caffeine of 8 oz. When your drink has a label, the label's figure beats any chart.
How much caffeine is in decaf?
Decaf still has a little caffeine. The FDA says an 8 oz cup typically has 2 to 15 mg (FDA). In lab tests, 10 decaf coffees from different outlets held 0 to 13.9 mg per 16 oz serving, and Starbucks decaf espresso held 3.0 to 15.8 mg per shot (McCusker, 2006). The table counts 3 mg for an 8 oz cup. Five cups a day at the FDA's upper figure come to 75 mg, more than a shot of espresso.
How many cups is too much?
For most healthy adults, the FDA cites 400 mg a day, about two to three 12 oz cups of coffee, as an amount not generally associated with negative effects (FDA). See how much caffeine is too much for the limits for one dose and in pregnancy, and how long caffeine lasts for what is left at bedtime. To check your own day, use the caffeine calculator.
Questions
How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?
About 95 mg in an 8 oz (240 ml) cup of brewed coffee, and about 140 mg in a 12 oz cup.
How much caffeine is in a shot of espresso?
About 63 mg in a single shot and about 126 mg in a double.
Is cold brew stronger than regular coffee?
Per cup, usually yes. A 12 oz cold brew has about 200 mg, against about 140 mg in a 12 oz cup of brewed coffee.
Does a latte have more caffeine than coffee?
Usually less. A one-shot latte has about 63 mg, against about 95 mg in an 8 oz cup of brewed coffee. A latte with two shots has about 126 mg.
