NewsBeat
New study reveals how much caffeine is actually in your favourite cup of coffee
Many of us see coffee as a caffeine fix, whether it’s first thing in the morning or during the 3pm slump.
But as a new study shows, not all drinks are created equal, and the level of buzz you’ll be left with can vary wildly depending on where you order.
Consumer watchdog Which? analysed the caffeine content across chains including Caffè Nero, Costa, Pret A Manger, Starbucks, and Greggs.
According to the research, Costa was top of the list, with a medium sized capuccino — which features a mixture of espresso, hot milk, and thick foam on the top — containing 325 milligrams.
For context, that’s the same amount of caffeine as four cans of Red Bull,or almost three-and-a-half times the 89mg found in the same beverage from Starbucks.
Meanwhile, Greggs’ and Caffè Nero’s options featured 235mg and 221mg of caffeine, placing them second and third respectively.
If you order an espresso, you might expect a strong hit of caffeine. Arguably, that’s the whole point, right?
But at Costa, you’re looking at 100mg of the stuff, which again, makes it the most caffeine-heavy shot served by all UK chains. And when it comes to the flat white, a short drink made with three slightly smaller ‘cortissimo’ shots, the 241mg is enough to give you the shakes just thinking about it.
By contrast, Starbucks’ espresso features 45mg, while the 89mg of caffeine in its flat white is almost three times lower than the Costa equivalent.
Ask Metro
Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.
The last time Which? carried out a study of this type was 2023, and since then, Caffè Nero appears to have seriously embraced the buzz, with its cappuccino now containing double the previous amount, at 160mg.
In terms of why this is the case, it all depends on the type of bean that’s used, as well as the roasting style, method of brewing, and of course, the cup size.
According to the Caffeine Informer website, a standard espresso contains 80mg, while a latte and an Americano both also have 160mg.
So if you’re actively looking to reduce your caffeine intake, then Starbucks is your best bet, as the chain generally serves the least amount in its drinks. However, over the last three years, levels have slightly increased.
It’s also important to keep in mind that while matcha is often touted as a gentler alternative to coffee, it’s not completely caffeine-free.
In the Which? study, Costa’s hot matcha latte came out with the highest amount at 99mg, while Starbucks measured up at 57mg and Pret 28mg.
Metro has contacted both Costa and Starbucks for comment.
Just how much coffee is too much?
Registered dietitian Dr Frankie Phillips previously revealed the perfect number of cups we should be aiming for to optimise the health benefits of coffee.
‘Drinking moderate amounts of coffee, that’s about three to five cups per day, has been consistently linked to a healthy diet and lifestyle,’ she told Metro.
‘Studies have shown promising evidence that drinking coffee may bring some health benefits such as lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular (heart) disease, as well as reducing tiredness, increasing attention, mental performance, energy and alertness and even improving some aspects of sports performance.’
She adds that many of the benefits of drinking coffee can be put down to the caffeine it contains, but there is increasing interest in the antioxidants that might have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects.
‘Coffee also contains small amounts of useful nutrients such as potassium and magnesium,’ says Dr Phillips.
The caffeine levels of coffee have an impact on how much of it you should be drinking. But how can you tell how much caffeine is in your coffee?
‘The amount of caffeine in an average cup of coffee can vary a lot depending on how you prepare it,’ Dr Phillips explains.
‘Typically, a cup of instant coffee might contain about 65mg of caffeine, a brewed coffee about 85mg and a single espresso shot has about 60mg caffeine. So, if you have your Americano or latte with three shots of espresso, that could be 180mg caffeine at once.’
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk
MORE: Salmonella outbreak affecting UK ‘may have spread to chicken’
MORE: Chicken wraps urgently recalled over potentially deadly E.coli fears
MORE: Forget iced lattes, there’s a new way to drink coffee and it tastes like ice cream
You must be logged in to post a comment Login