How much caffeine is in your cup of coffee?
WHAT AFFECTS THE AMOUNT OF CAFFEINE IN COFFEE
Not only do coffee drinks vary in caffeine content from one another, but the amount of caffeine in the bean itself varies depending on the type of coffee. So what determines how much caffeine your coffee will have?
The caffeine content of coffee affects:
- the variety of coffee
- the method of preparation
- serving size
COFFEE VARIETIES AND CAFFEINE CONTENT
C8H10N4O2 or caffeine is found in every coffee plant. So-called decaffeinated coffees are coffees from which the caffeine has been removed by a specific technological process. The most well-known types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. They differ from each other not only in taste, but also and especially in caffeine content.
Robustacoffeehas roughly two to three times more caffeine than Arabica coffee. The different varieties also differ, albeit in small differences, in terms of caffeine. In the beans of the popular Mundo Novocoffee variety we can find 1.11% caffeine, in Typica 1.05% and in Catuai 1.34% caffeine, for example.
AMOUNT OF CAFFEINE BY TYPE OF COFFEE
In the preparation of coffee, hot water is used to extract the ingredients from the ground coffee. Among them, of course, is caffeine. The amount of caffeine in the coffee is influenced by the temperature of the water, the coarseness of the grind, the dose of coffee and the extraction time. The volume of coffee in the cup and the extraction time are the most important factors in terms of the final caffeine content of the coffee.
Espresso coffee is said to be a small but strong coffee. Yet the strength of espresso is primarily in the concentration of flavours and aromas, not in the amount of caffeine. The latter does not have time to be fully extracted during the espresso brewing time in the machine, which is about 25 to 30 seconds. At least not in the same way as, for example ,filter coffee.
The same way caffeine extraction works for the even smaller coffee drink, the ristretto. Such coffee has even less caffeine content than espresso.
CAFFEINE AND CUP SIZE
But the amount of caffeine in an espresso is also determined by its size - in this case, better said, the smallness or small volume of the drink. As we mentioned above, the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee is most affected by theextraction time and the volume of the coffee.
If we had a full cup of espresso (as we are used to with, say, dripcoffee ), the amount of caffeine would be very different. Similarly, the caffeine strength ratio would be different if we were measuring the caffeine content of a cup full of ristretto and a cup full of espresso.
THE AMOUNT OF CAFFEINE AND THE WAY THE COFFEE IS PREPARED
Theamount of caffeine in coffee using different alternative coffee preparation methods was compared in a German study. Among the usual types of coffee, if the same resulting volume of beverage were assumed, the most caffeinated coffee drink would be the ristretto.
But... who would drink a cup with 6 ristrettos at once? That's why we have one more comparison. This time without the same volume of drink. Thecoffees are ranked by the caffeine content in a typical volume of each type of coffee.
CAFFEINE AND EXTRACTION TIME
At the same time, caffeine is unevenly extracted overtime during coffee brewing . In the first few seconds, a significantly higher percentage of yield of this alkaloid can be observed. Up to 90% of the caffeine is extracted from the coffee in the first minute.
After that, the caffeine yield drops again and is still released into the coffee, but at a low percentage. We can therefore assume that our espresso will have a caffeine yield of around 75-80%. But the coffee from the French Press will contain more caffeine after the first minute of steeping.
DARK ROAST COFFEE = STRONGER COFFEE?
One of my favorite coffee myths is the connection between roasting and the amount of caffeine in coffee. It's true that certain chemical reactions take place in the bean during roasting. But longer roasting is not related to higher caffeine levels in coffee .
IS CAFFEINE GOOD?
Now you can have at least a rough estimate of how much caffeine you are getting from your coffee each day. If you want to keep an eye on your daily caffeine intake, remember thatthis "life enhancer" is not just in coffee. You can also find it in tea, cola drinks or your favorite energy drinks. It's also a common ingredient in beauty products and medications, such as migraine relief .
Caffeine is a good servant but a bad master. Itwill help with fatigue, get your blood flowing and help youconcentrate better at work. If you go over your personal limit with coffee drinking, caffeine can also have negative effects on you. It is generally recommended, as a daily coffee intake, about 3 cups (thought of as about 250 ml of filter coffee). Above all, however, monitor your own caffeine metabolizing abilities and adjust accordingly.
LETHAL DOSE OF CAFFEINE
If 3 cups of coffee on average are just right, where is the maximum limit? Or how much coffee would already put your life at risk? In the past, there have been a number of deaths associated with caffeine overdose leading to heart failure, for example.
In relation to caffeine intake, the European Food Safety Authority has issued an opinion that a single dose of caffeine can contain up to 200mg or 3g per kg of body weight (for an adult weighing approximately 70kg). It recommended a safe daily intake of caffeine of up to 400 mg. (4)
Exceeding this limit may not necessarily be fatal to you, however, at such concentrations the effects of caffeine canalready be significantly felt. In addition to nausea, dizziness, panic and nervousness, they can lead to life-threatening consequences in specific cases.