The secret behind coffee, one of the most popular drinks on the planet, is its high amount of caffeine. However, caffeine is found not only in natural coffee but also in its soluble counterpart – in black and green tea. Plus, this substance is found in chocolate and most carbonated drinks.
In some countries, the manufacturer is required to directly indicate the caffeine content in a cup of coffee or a can of energy drinks. The direct amount of caffeine in instant coffee can be quite high.
How much caffeine is in coffee?
The caffeine in coffee is a powerful central nervous system stimulant. It not only accelerates the heartbeat and causes the expansion of blood vessels, but also has a complex effect on metabolism. In particular, caffeine provokes the release of adrenaline into the blood.
Research suggests that 50-80 mg of caffeine (the amount found in a cup of espresso) improves mood and performance, 250-300 mg of caffeine leads to irregular heartbeat and mild tachycardia, 400-500 mg can provoke mood changes, and 10,000 mg is death.
In this case, the total number of cups of coffee that a person drinks per day plays a key role. The maximum safe dose of caffeine is 6-7 cups per day – or about 500-600 mg of caffeine. On the other hand, caffeine is found not only in coffee but also in other drinks – both in tea and in soda.
The effect of caffeine on the body
For the most part, the mechanism of action of caffeine is to block the action of the hormone adenosine. Influencing the brain, adenosine leads to relaxation – but when taking caffeine, this action is blocked, indirectly causing an invigorating effect.
Inhibition of the action of adenosine also indirectly causes an increase in the level of serotonin and a number of hormones associated with mood. It is due to this that a short-term increase in working capacity and concentration of attention can be observed.
Maximum dose of coffee
It is believed that a safe dose of coffee is the consumption of caffeine in the amount of 200-300 mg per day. Dependence is formed at doses exceeding 300-500 mg per day (several large mugs of instant coffee), and a single intake of 450-500 mg of caffeine can negatively affect the human psyche.
Research suggests that 500 mg of caffeine can trigger anxiety attacks – not to mention that excessive coffee consumption is associated with insomnia. Because the half-life of caffeine (the time it takes for levels to halve) is between 3 and 5 hours, drinking coffee 6 hours before bedtime is not recommended.
The caffeine content in drinks
The actual caffeine content in a cup of coffee is a rather variable parameter. The role is played not only by the type of coffee (regular or instant) but also by the serving size. For example, an espresso (30 ml serving) contains about 50-80 mg of caffeine, and a large cup of instant coffee (300 ml) contains up to 300-350 mg.
It is also a mistake to assume that the caffeine content of tea is always less than the caffeine content of coffee. For example, a small cup of instant coffee may have less caffeine than a large mug of strong tea.
Caffeine content in tea and coffee:
- Cup of brewed coffee (250ml): 95 – 200mg
- Cup of instant coffee (250ml): 2 – 30mg
- Cup of decaffeinated coffee (250ml): 2 – 30mg
- Espresso (30ml): 40 – 75mg
- Cup of black tea (250ml): 15 – 70mg
- Cup of green tea (250ml): 25 – 45mg
- Energy drink (250ml): 70 – 100mg
- Dark chocolate bar (100g): 30 – 50mg
- Chocolate flavored ice cream: 30 – 45mg
- Carbonated drinks (330ml): 25 – 40mg
- Bottled iced tea (330ml): 5 – 40mg
- Cup of hot chocolate (240ml): 5 – 10mg
Caffeine in instant coffee
The caffeine content of instant coffee depends on both the specific brand and the amount of product you use to make the drink. The role is also played by the fact that instant coffee most often contains synthetic caffeine, which differs in strength from natural.
At the same time, the variety of coffee beans used for the production of instant coffee only affects the taste, but not the final caffeine content. Despite the fact that the Arabica variety usually has about half the caffeine as the Robusta variety, granular coffee leaves more of the smell and taste, but not the caffeine itself.
Does instant coffee always contain caffeine?
The process of making instant coffee involves soaking coffee beans and then heating them to high temperatures. Since this destroys natural caffeine, it is removed in the first stages, and then synthetic caffeine, derived from uric acid and xanthine, is introduced into instant coffee.
One of the reasons manufacturers use synthetic caffeine (besides being cheap) is the desire to control its content in the final product. Instant coffee produced by major global companies always contains approximately the same amount of caffeine.
Caffeine – benefits and harms
Caffeine (found both in coffee and in other drinks and even in the form of tablets) has a number of positive effects on the body. Since it stimulates the central nervous system, its use causes a surge of strength, increased concentration, and improved performance.
In fact, caffeine can be considered a fat burner. Drinking a cup of coffee before a workout increases your heart rate and improves strength performance – which has a positive effect on the effectiveness of the training and the number of calories burned.
Side effects of caffeine
Caffeine can harm the health of some people. First of all, it is dangerous for those who are characterized by increased irritability and anxiety. Large doses of coffee taken in a short period of time can provoke panic attacks.
In addition, caffeine is quite difficult to give up. If you are used to starting your morning with a cup of coffee every day, a sharp rejection of the habit will negatively affect your well-being. Headache, lethargy, and sleep problems may occur. However, these symptoms usually disappear in 3-4 days.
The caffeine content of a cup of coffee depends on both the amount of product used and the brewing method. However, instant coffee often contains more caffeine than natural coffee. Since the source of caffeine in it is uric acid and xanthine, therefore the effect of this caffeine is stronger.
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