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What Is Caffeine?
Why Is It Hard to Find on Labels
What It Does to Your Body
How Much Caffeine Is Too Much
Health Considerations
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Photo:Stefania Pelfini, La Waziya Photography/Getty Images
Stefania Pelfini, La Waziya Photography/Getty Images
You may be one of the 9 out of 10 Americans who consume caffeine, according toFood Insight. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying a cup or two of your favorite caffeinated drink, it can actually be confusing to know how much caffeine each beverage contains, especially when thecaffeine contentis not required to appear on the nutrition label.
5 Reasons Why Coffee Can Help You Live Longer, According to Science
If you are trying to keep tabs on or curb yourcaffeineintake, or simply want to learn more about the caffeine levels for different drinks and how caffeine impacts your body, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together a list of 23 caffeine-containing drinks and ranked their caffeine levels based on their beverage category.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound that’s best known as an ingredient in coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks and foods like chocolate. Caffeine is extracted from green coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao beans, cola nuts and guarana berries and can be produced chemically to be used as an ingredient in medications and supplements, according to a study published in 2021 in the journalNutrients.
Why Is Caffeine Not Listed on Nutrition Labels?
If you pick up a caffeinated beverage at a local grocery store, you may wonder why caffeine is listed as an ingredient in foods and beverages but not on the nutrition label.
As our senior nutrition editorMaria Laura Haddad-Garciaexplained previously, the FDA requires manufacturers to include added caffeine on the ingredient lists of products—but not the total amount of caffeine. In addition, manufacturers do not have to disclose the amount of caffeine coming from naturally occurring sources, such as coffee, tea or chocolate, she adds. That can make it extremely tricky to figure out how much caffeine is in your drink.
One exception is cola-type beverages. According to the FDA’sCode of Federal Regulation, a caffeine content of 0.02% (200 parts per million or 0.2 milliliters per liter) is generally recognized as safe for use in cola-type drinks, meaning that a 12-ounce can of cola drink containing 71 milligrams of caffeine is considered safe.
Still, this federal guidance is specific to cola-type beverages, and manufacturers don’t have to state the amount of caffeine in the product. Some brands may choose to list the caffeine levels of a product on the label to keep consumers informed. And that’s a good thing. Some brands have come under fire for the sometimes surprisingly high amounts of caffeine in their products, such as Panera’s Charged Lemonade (which now clearly lists the caffeine levels in the drinks), as well asCelsius, which was recalled in Canada due to the amount of caffeine in each can exceeding the country’s food safety standard limits.
Your best bet to stay informed (and safe) is to visit the brand’s website to find out more about the product, or use theUSDA FoodData Centralto look up specific products and the brand’s nutrition information and caffeine content.
To help, we have compiled a list of caffeine in common beverages from the USDA and the specific company’s website.
Factors Affecting Caffeine Levels
As you can see from our list, the caffeine content can vary between brands, varieties and serving sizes. The specific roast of the coffee beans, the way tea leaves are processed, and brewing time and method can also influence caffeine content.
For example, coffee generally has more caffeine than tea and sodas. Ounce for ounce, espresso has more caffeine than brewed coffee because of the amount of ground coffee used to make espresso, resulting in a higher concentration of caffeine. (Although in lattes, you may consume one or two “shots” of espresso.)
What Does Caffeine Do to Your Body?
Caffeine is best known as a natural stimulant that boosts mental alertness. When caffeine is ingested through food and beverages, it’s absorbed into your bloodstream. Then, a series of chemical reactions happen.
Caffeine has a chemical structure similar to adenosine, a chemical messenger in the brain (aka neurotransmitter) that affects sleep. When caffeine reaches the brain, it blocks adenosine receptors to keep you mentally alert.
At the same time, caffeine’s presence increases activity in the brain and nervous system, triggering the release of the hormone adrenaline, which makes the heart beat faster and increases your breathing rate. Other neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, noradrenaline and glutamate, are also released, influencing your energy level and mood, reports research inPharmaceuticalsin 2023. When consumed in low doses, caffeine may also improve memory and cognitive function, perNutrientsin 2021.
How Much Caffeine Can You Have in a Day?
TheFood and Drug Administrationand the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americansadvise that adults limit their caffeine intake to 400 milligrams per day, which is considered safe without any negative effects. This amount is equal to four or five cups of brewed coffee.
If you want to be pregnant, are pregnant or breastfeeding, theNational Institutes of Healthrecommends keeping your caffeine intake to no more than 200 milligrams per day.
Health Considerations for Caffeine
While the FDA has set the suggested maximum limits for caffeine consumption, the effects of caffeine can vary from one person to another. This depends on how the body reacts to caffeine and how fast the body breaks down the stimulant. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 12 hours, according to theSleep Foundation.
Drinking caffeinated beverages can trigger a rise in cortisol, the stress hormone. Whencaffeine is consumed in excess, it can also trigger unpleasant symptoms, such as insomnia, jitters, anxiety, fast heart rate, upset stomach, nausea, headache and a general feeling of unhappiness, says theFDA.
Your body may also build a tolerance to caffeine when you consume it regularly, notes research in the journalBeveragesin 2019. The alertness you once experienced with one serving of a caffeinated beverage may no longer affect you, and you may find you need to drink more to produce the same effect. This is why it’s important to keep tabs on how much caffeine you’re really getting every day.
TheFDAstates that consuming 1,200 mg of caffeine is considered a toxic amount and could lead to seizures. A caffeine dose of 10,000 mg or more is regarded as a life-threatening level for adults. This life-threatening level could be at a lower dose for those who are sensitive to caffeine and for children.
The Bottom Line
You can find caffeine in various foods and beverages, and caffeinated beverages are widely consumed. Caffeine affects everyone differently—being mindful of how and if the amount you currently consume impacts your health and quality of life, such as sleep, is important.
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What Happens To Your Body When You Drink Caffeine
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This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Diet Soda
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6 Coffee & Tea Drinks You Should Be Making Not Buying, According to a Dietitian
How to Make Coffee Shop Drinks at Home with a Healthy SpinThe 8 Best Green Teas, According to a Food WriterThe 5 Best Mushroom Coffees, According to a Dietitian5 Reasons Why Coffee Can Help You Live Longer, According to ScienceWhat Happens to Your Body When You Drink Soda Every DayCelsius Energy Drinks Among the 38 Brands Recalled in Canada Due to Caffeine Content5 Best Teas to Support Your Immune System, According to a DietitianGatorade Just Launched Caffeinated Energy Drink Mix—Here’s What a Dietitian Thinks
How to Make Coffee Shop Drinks at Home with a Healthy Spin
The 8 Best Green Teas, According to a Food Writer
The 5 Best Mushroom Coffees, According to a Dietitian
What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Soda Every Day
Celsius Energy Drinks Among the 38 Brands Recalled in Canada Due to Caffeine Content
5 Best Teas to Support Your Immune System, According to a Dietitian
Gatorade Just Launched Caffeinated Energy Drink Mix—Here’s What a Dietitian Thinks
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