HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS IN YOUR CUP?

Scientific evidence consistently shows up to 400mg of caffeine a day is perfectly safe for the general population (*) and may confer health benefits – this equates to four to five cups of coffee a day. * Pregnant women should however moderate their intake following the guidelines issued by the Food Standards Agency in 2008, to 200mg caffeine per day from all sources.

In the UK, we drink approximately 70 million cups of coffee a day. However, there are many modern myths surrounding coffee health and whether coffee is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for us.

Caffeine content in food products

How much caffeine there is in a cup of coffee depends on many factors including: how big the cup, how finely the coffee is ground, how dark the roast, the brewing method used, how much coffee is used to make the drink and the type of coffee bean used.

The beans of Arabica coffee, grown at higher altitudes contain less caffeine than Robusta beans.

With tea, the amount used, how long it is allowed to brew and the type of tea – Indian (more caffeine) or China – also makes a difference. Tea actually contains more caffeine than coffee on a `dry weight’ basis, but a smaller weight of tea is generally used to prepare a drink.

Caffeine added to a food or drink must, by law, be included in the ingredients list. This does not apply to caffeine occurring naturally in foods (as in coffee). Although there is no statutory limit for caffeine in soft drinks, its use is subject to the general provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990.

Some products contain guarana, a natural plant product from Brazil that contains a substance – guaranine – that is identical to caffeine. It has exactly the same stimulant effect as caffeine from other sources, as does mateine, contained in Maté, a drink popular in South American countries, especially Argentina.

Table of caffeine content

In November 2008 the Food Standards Agency published findings of the caffeine content of a range of beverages brewed by consumers.

Source:
Food Standard Agency

Available at: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/2008/nov/caffeineadvice