By Mayrav Estrin
Millions of people worldwide can’t imagine a day without a cup of coffee, tea, soda, or energy drink. Many people use these drinks to get into the swing of things and start their days with a clear head. And while the rich flavors of these drinks taste great, a major reason behind their popularity is that they contain a chemical called caffeine.
You may have heard of caffeine before, but what is it? Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant classified in the methylxanthine class. It is used as a cognitive enhancer, which means it can increase alertness and attentional performance. For my science people out there, its chemical formula is C8H10N4O2.
Caffeine is a tasteless chemical naturally occurring in over 60 plants, making coffee and teas natural sources of caffeine. It’s also found in cocoa pods to make chocolate and kola nuts, which are used to flavor sodas. Caffeine is also found in synthetic sources like energy drinks and other types of energy supplements.
The adult body can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine daily, but most wouldn’t recommend having that much in one go because of the potential negative side effects. Children under 12 are not recommended to have caffeine because it can raise blood pressure, interfere with sleep, and affect mood. When the body has caffeine, you may have symptoms of increased alertness, improved memory, and overall feelings of awakeness. This correlates to why so many people enjoy coffee and tea right when they wake up.
Don’t forget that caffeine is a stimulant drug, which increases heart rate, temporarily increases blood pressure, and can take up to 5-6 hours for ingested caffeine to wear off. Caffeine is an addictive substance, so if you start drinking coffee every morning, you may begin to crave it. For caffeine beginners out there: go slow. See how you feel after one cup before reaching for another.
All this information may seem daunting but never fear! This guide will go through different popular sources of caffeine, going from light to heavy levels of caffeine.
Herbal Tea
Not all tea contains caffeine! Herbal teas are delicious and refreshing to enjoy at any time of the day! Teas such as chamomile, peppermint, and ginger are all common examples of caffeine-free herbal tea. There are thousands of tea blends; if you are unsure what tea is caffeinated and what is not, google is your friend!
Decaf Coffee
Decaffeinating coffee removes up to 97% of the caffeine, leaving it with around 0-15mg of caffeine. Decaf coffee tastes the same as regular, so for those who enjoy the taste of coffee but don’t want the caffeine, this is a great option!
Chocolate
Yup, chocolate contains caffeine! This may be a surprising section of this article; chocolate is an interesting source of caffeine because the caffeine levels are highly dose-dependent and will range depending on the particular brand. One ounce of dark chocolate contains roughly 12 mg, depending on the brand. One ounce of milk chocolate contains approximately 6 mg of caffeine, depending on the brand. And white chocolate contains 0 mg of caffeine.
White Tea
White tea has a rounded, slightly sweet flavor with notes of honey and peony flowers; it pairs well with milk and honey. It contains around 15-39 mg of caffeine per cup. While the caffeine in white tea is pretty light, if you are sensitive to caffeine or ready to go to bed, maybe pick an herbal tea.
Green Tea
Green tea is one of the most popular teas around the world. It is enjoyed on all continents but is most popular in Asia. Green tea has a grassy, herbaceous, and nutty flavor. It pairs well with some honey or sugar. Green tea contains around 30-50 mg per cup.
Soda
Like tea, not all soda contains caffeine. Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, and Pepsi are all popular sodas with caffeine. One can of Coca-Cola has 33.6 mg, one can of Mountain Dew has 54 mg, one can of Pepsi has 38.4, and Diet Coca-Cola has 45.6. Some caffeine-free sodas include Ginger Ale, Sprite, Fanta, and Root Beer. If unsure about caffeine in your soda, do a quick Google search to be sure.
Black Tea
Black tea is another popular tea. It is smokey, nutty, earthy, citrusy, and even a bit caramelly. Black tea is prevalent in the United Kingdom and British culture and tastes excellent with sugar, milk, and cream. It contains around 50-100 mg per cup, depending on the brew’s strength.
Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee served in a very tiny cup. This method of brewing coffee comes from Italy. It differs from regular coffee brewing because it is made by forcing steam through finely-ground coffee beans. One shot of espresso contains around 60-70 mg of caffeine.
Matcha
Matcha is a finely-ground, powdered green tea traditionally consumed in East Asia but is reaching popularity worldwide. Matcha has a complex flavor profile; it’s nutty, herbaceous, bitter, and savory. It tastes excellent with honey and milk. Many coffee shops can make iced or hot matcha lattes as an alternative to a regular coffee-based latte! Matcha is around 70 mg per cup.
Coffee
Coffee is one of the most popular sources of caffeine; it is sipped worldwide and has created empires out of businesses like Starbucks. Coffee is smooth, nutty, and bitter, and different blends and beans make slightly different tastes. Coffee is commonly enjoyed with milk, sugar, and cream and is delicious, both hot and cold. One cup of coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine.
Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are relatively new and most commonly used for fitness purposes or late-night study cramming for college students. They often are fruity and sweet flavored and sometimes carbonated. Energy drinks are relatively new on the market, and hundreds of brands all contain different levels of caffeine. Some popular energy drinks include Monster, which has 160 mg; Red Bull, which has 112 mg; Celsius, with 200 mg; and Bang Energy, with 300 mg. These drinks have very high levels of caffeine for a relatively small container, so drink with caution.
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