Caffeine naturally occurs in many beverages and foods such as coffee, tea, chocolate, etc. If you are one of the many people who rely on caffeine’s stimulant to get yourself moving in the morning, you may have wondered how much is too much. To start, let’s take a look at what caffeine does in your body. Caffiene stimulates the central nervous system and stimulates the heart, dilates blood vessels, relaxes the bronchials, increases gastic acid production and slightly boosts metabolic rate (not enough to lead to a significant weight loss).
A dose of just 100-200 mg can lead to the following side effects;
Pros:
- Increased alertness and wakefulness
- Faster and clearer flow of thought
- Increased focus
- Better general body coordination
Cons:
- Restlessness
- Loss of fine motor control
- Headaches
- Dizziness
A higher dose of more than 500-600 mg per day can lead to more unpleasant side effects:
- Insomnia / Restlessness
- Agitation / Nervousness / Irritability
- Upset stomach
- Tremors
- Rapid Breathing or Rapid Heartbeat
Everyone responds to caffeine a little differently. Some people are very sensitive and notice the side effects with very little caffeine (this is especially true for people who consume very little caffeine), while some people seem to naturally have a higher tolerance for it or have built up their tolerance.
There are several circumstances where limiting/ avoiding caffeine is also important:
- During Pregnancy (or when trying to conceive): According to the March of Dimes, it is recommended that women drink no more than 200 mg per day. Some studies have found that higher levels of caffeine can contribute to fertility problems or miscarriages. Caffeine may also decrease blood flow to the baby which can cause harm.
- When Breastfeeding: It is recommended to drink no more than 2-3 cups of coffee per day as some caffeine does get into the breast milk and can make the baby irritable or have difficulty sleeping
- When having difficulty sleeping: Caffeine can lead to insomnia and interrupt sleep patterns. Caffeine’s half life is 3 ½ – 4 hours, so it does remain in your system for up to 8 hours. If you want a cup of coffee or tea and are having difficulty sleeping, it would be to your benefit to try decaf or only have caffeine in the morning.
- When you take medications that interact with caffeine: Some antibiotics, herbal supplements and medications that open the bronchial airways may interact with caffeine. Talk with your doctor to see if caffeine affects any medications you are taking.
The Following is a chart with the average caffeine content of many beverages and foods.
| Beverage | Portion size | Caffeine |
| Coffees | ||
| Espresso (restaurant-style) | 1 oz (30 ml) | 40-75 mg |
| Starbucks Espresso | 1 oz | 75 mg |
| Decaf Espresso (restaurant-style) | 1 oz | 0-15 mg |
| Generic Brewed Coffee | 8 oz (240 ml) | 95-200 mg |
| Mcdonald’s Coffee | 8 oz | 50 mg |
| Starbucks Pike Place Coffee | 8 oz | 165 mg |
| Dunkin Donuts Coffee | 8 oz | 103 mg |
| Generic Instant Coffee | 8 oz | 27-173 mg |
| Generic Decaf (Brewed or Instant) | 8 oz | 2-12 mg |
| Starbucks Pike place decaf | 8 oz | 12.5 mg |
| Starbucks Latte | 8 oz | 75 mg |
| Starbucks Frappuccino (average) | 9.5 oz | 115 mg |
| McDonald’s Mocha Frappe | 8 oz | 62.5 mg |
| Teas | ||
| Black Tea | 8 oz | 14-61 mg |
| Black Tea (Decaf) | 8 oz | 0-12 mg |
| Greet Tea | 8 oz | 24-40 mg |
| Brewed tea | 8 oz | 48 mg |
| Generic instant Iced Tea | 8 oz | 26-36 mg |
| Lipton Brisk Lemon Iced Tea | 8 oz | 5-7 mg |
| AriZona Iced Tea (lemon) | 8 oz | 11 mg |
| Snapple (lemon, peach, raspberry) | 8 oz | 21 mg |
| Nestea | 8 oz | 17 mg |
| Soft Drinks | ||
| 7UP, Sprite, A & W Root Beer | 12 oz | 0 mg |
| Barq’s Root Beer | 12 oz | 18-22 mg |
| Coca-Cola (Classic and Zero) | 12 oz | 30-35 mg |
| Diet Coke | 12 oz | 38-47 mg |
| Pepsi | 12 oz | 32-39 mg |
| Pepsi One | 12 oz | 54 mg |
| Diet Pepsi | 12 oz | 27-37 mg |
| Dr Pepper | 12 oz | 36-42 mg |
| Mountain Dew | 12 oz | 46-55 mg |
| Jolt Cola | 12 oz | 72 mg |
| Energy Drinks | ||
| Vault (Regular and Sugar Free) | 8 oz | 47 mg |
| AMP (Regular and Sugar Free) | 8 oz | 72-74 mg |
| Red Bull (Regular and Sugar Free) | 8.3 oz | 80 mg |
| Rockstar Energy Drink | 8 oz | 80 mg |
| Monster Energy | 8 oz | 80 mg |
| 5- Hour Energy | 2 oz | 207 mg |
| Chocolate Beverages | ||
| Hot Cocoa | 1 envelope | 8-12 mg |
| Chocolate milk | 8 oz | 5-8 mg |
| Foods | ||
| Chocolate Chips | 1 Cup | 104 mg |
| Hershey’s Kisses | 9 pieces | 9 mg |
| Dark chocolate-coated Coffee Beans | 28 pieces | 336 mg |
| Coffe Ice Creams (Starbucks, Ben & Jerry’s, Haagen-Daz) | 1 Cup | 50-84 gm |
| Medications | ||
| Excedrin, Extra Strength | 2 tablets | 130 mg |
| Vivarin | 1 tablet | 200 mg |
| NoDoz, Maximum Strength | 1 tablet | 200 mg |
The bottom line, you can you continue to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning without worrying about your caffeine consumption. However, as with anything else with nutrition, moderation is always the best policy.
Referances: http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm