How does your caffeine intake compare to the population?

A standard 240ml (8oz) brewed coffee contains approximately 80 to 120mg of caffeine, with a commonly cited mean of around 95mg per USDA FoodData Central (FDC 171890). The exact amount varies considerably by bean variety: Robusta has roughly twice the caffeine of Arabica (2.2 to 2.7% versus 1.2 to 1.5% by weight per the International Coffee Organization), so a Robusta-heavy Italian espresso blend yields more caffeine than a single-origin Ethiopian Arabica. Roast level matters less than commonly assumed: lighter roasts retain slightly more caffeine by weight, but the difference is roughly 5 to 10% per a 2018 Journal of Food Science study, often offset by darker roasts being denser per scoop. Brew method drives the largest variance. A 30ml espresso shot contains approximately 63mg, McCusker et al. (2003, Journal of Analytical Toxicology) found commercial espresso ranges from 58 to 185mg depending on shop. A 240ml cup of brewed filter coffee from a typical drip machine contains around 90 to 100mg, while a Starbucks grande brewed coffee (473ml) contains approximately 310mg, well over a third of the FDA's 400mg daily upper limit for healthy adults.

Both, depending on your dependency status and the conditions of measurement. In non-habitual consumers, or in habitual consumers after extended abstinence (typically 7 days or more), caffeine does produce reliable improvements in alertness, reaction time, and some measures of working memory, relative to a drug-free baseline. However, in habitual daily consumers, the research suggests that a significant proportion of the perceived benefit reflects the reversal of overnight withdrawal rather than genuine enhancement above a clean baseline. Griffiths et al. (2004) estimated this applies to approximately 38% of regular coffee drinkers. The practical implication is that you may need to periodically abstain to experience the full pharmacological benefit.

Consuming more than 400mg per day increases the risk of a range of adverse effects for healthy adults. These include anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, increased heart rate, headaches, and gastrointestinal discomfort. For people with anxiety disorders, cardiac arrhythmia, high blood pressure, or certain other conditions, the threshold for adverse effects may be considerably lower. Matthew Walker's research on sleep (documented in Why We Sleep) highlights that caffeine has a plasma half-life of approximately 5 to 7 hours in most adults, meaning that a 200mg dose at 3pm still has around 100mg active in the body at 10pm, materially impairing sleep quality even if sleep onset is not delayed. The FDA notes that toxic doses causing seizures begin around 1,200mg, but these are typically associated with concentrated supplements, not beverages.

Yes. Chai tea is made with a black tea base (typically Assam or CTC black tea), which contains caffeine. A standard 240ml cup of brewed chai contains approximately 50mg of caffeine, with a typical range of 40 to 70mg depending on the tea-to-spice ratio, steeping time, and leaf grade. That is roughly half the caffeine in a standard 240ml cup of brewed coffee, which averages 95mg according to USDA FoodData Central.

Chai lattes from coffee shops and bottled chai concentrates tend to have lower caffeine per serving, typically 25 to 50mg per 240ml, because the tea concentrate is diluted with steamed milk. Oregon Chai and Tazo concentrates, for example, contain approximately 30mg per 240ml serving when prepared as directed.

The spices in chai, including cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper, do not contribute any caffeine. All of the caffeine in chai comes from the tea leaves. If you want a caffeine-free version, look for herbal chai blends made with rooibos instead of black tea. These contain zero caffeine.

If you drink chai daily, the caffeine adds up. Two cups of brewed chai contributes roughly 100mg to your daily total. Use our caffeine consumption calculator to see where your total daily intake ranks against the population and the FDA's 400mg guideline.

Matcha contains approximately 70mg of caffeine per 1 teaspoon (2g) serving when prepared as a traditional thin tea, known as usucha. This is roughly three-quarters of the caffeine in a standard 240ml cup of brewed coffee (95mg), making matcha a moderate-to-high caffeine source. The data is consistent across multiple analyses, including Komes et al. (2009) and cross-referenced against USDA FoodData Central values for green tea solids.

Matcha delivers more caffeine than regular steeped green tea, which averages about 28mg per 240ml cup (USDA FDC 171918). The reason is that matcha involves consuming the entire leaf in powdered form rather than steeping and discarding the leaves, so you ingest all of the caffeine the leaf contains. A standard cup of brewed green tea extracts only about 60 to 70% of the leaf's caffeine during steeping.

Matcha also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes a calmer, more sustained alertness compared to coffee. Many matcha drinkers report a smoother energy curve without the jitteriness or crash associated with coffee, though individual responses vary.

Cafe-style matcha lattes use the same 1 to 2 teaspoon dose of matcha powder blended with steamed milk, so the caffeine content remains approximately 70mg regardless of the milk volume. Use the caffeine consumption calculator above to see how your matcha habit compares to the average American's daily intake.

Yes, but in small amounts. Kombucha is made by fermenting sweetened tea with a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), and the fermentation process breaks down a portion of the original caffeine. A 240ml serving of kombucha typically contains approximately 15mg of caffeine, with a range of 8 to 25mg depending on the tea base, brew time, and fermentation duration. USDA FoodData Central lists kombucha at roughly 15mg per 240ml serving.

For context, that is about one-sixth of the caffeine in a standard cup of brewed coffee (95mg) and roughly one-third of the caffeine in the same volume of brewed black tea (47mg). GT's Kombucha, one of the most widely available brands in the US, contains approximately 8 to 14mg per 240ml serving based on label data. Health-Ade and Brew Dr. fall in a similar range.

The caffeine content depends heavily on whether the base tea is black, green, or a blend. Black tea-based kombuchas tend toward the higher end of the range, while green tea-based versions sit lower. Some brands, including Rowdy Mermaid and certain Humm varieties, use herbal tea bases and contain effectively zero caffeine.

If you are tracking your caffeine intake closely, kombucha is worth counting but unlikely to be a major contributor for most people. Enter your full daily total in our caffeine intake calculator to see your population percentile.

Decaffeinated coffee is not caffeine-free. The FDA requires that decaffeinated coffee have at least 97% of the caffeine removed, meaning up to 3% can remain. In practice, a 240ml cup of decaf brewed coffee typically contains between 2 and 15mg of caffeine, with a commonly cited average of around 7mg. This is substantially lower than regular coffee (90 to 100mg) but not negligible for people with high caffeine sensitivity, anxiety disorders, or who are pregnant. Studies have found that some commercial decaf coffees contain considerably more than expected due to variation in the decaffeination process, with occasional samples measuring up to 32mg per cup.

Yes. Sweet tea is brewed black tea with sugar added, typically 4 to 8 teaspoons per pitcher in the American South. The sugar has no effect on caffeine content. A 240ml serving of home-brewed sweet tea contains approximately 40 to 50mg of caffeine per USDA FoodData Central (FDC 174924), the same caffeine as the same volume of regular brewed black tea. The sweetness can mask the perception of the tea's strength, which sometimes leads people to assume it is weaker or caffeine-free, but this is not the case: a 32oz (945ml) Bojangles or Chick-fil-A sweet tea delivers roughly 130 to 180mg, comparable to a strong cup of coffee. Pre-bottled sweet teas vary widely by brand. Lipton Brisk contains approximately 7mg per 240ml and Arizona Sweet Tea contains roughly 11mg per 240ml because they are more diluted than home-brewed versions, though Snapple Lemon Tea sits higher at around 31mg per 240ml. The FDA does not require caffeine content labelling on tea-based beverages, so checking brand-specific data sheets is the only reliable way to gauge intake from bottled options.

Yes, but in small amounts. A 30g serving of milk chocolate contains approximately 6mg of caffeine per USDA FoodData Central (FDC 170273), or about 20mg per 100g. Dark chocolate has a much higher caffeine content: a 30g serving ranges from 20 to 60mg depending on cocoa percentage, with 70%+ dark chocolate sitting around 24mg per 30g and 90% dark chocolate reaching 36mg or more (USDA FDC 170272). The caffeine in chocolate comes from cocoa solids: milk chocolate is typically 25 to 45% cocoa solids, while dark chocolate ranges from 50 to 90%, which directly drives the caffeine differential. A standard 30g serving of milk chocolate (roughly 4 squares of a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar) delivers roughly the same caffeine as a single sip of brewed coffee and is unlikely to be a meaningful contributor to most adults' daily intake. White chocolate contains no cocoa solids and therefore contains zero caffeine, though it does contain theobromine in trace amounts. Hot cocoa made with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder contains roughly 25mg of caffeine per 240ml, which is comparable to a small cup of green tea.

Yes. Oolong tea is a partially oxidised tea that sits between green tea and black tea in processing level, and it contains caffeine. A 240ml cup of brewed oolong contains approximately 37mg of caffeine according to USDA FoodData Central (FDC 174926), with a typical range of 30 to 50mg depending on the specific variety, degree of oxidation, steeping time, and water temperature.

That is roughly 40% of the caffeine in a standard cup of brewed coffee (95mg) and comparable to green tea (28mg) or slightly below black tea (47mg). More heavily oxidised oolongs, such as Da Hong Pao and other Wuyi rock teas, tend toward the higher end of the range, while lighter oolongs like Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess) sit closer to 30mg per cup. Chin et al. (2008) in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology confirmed this variability across commercially available oolong samples.

Oolong is not a low-caffeine option for people who are specifically trying to minimise intake. If you are looking for a tea with less caffeine, white tea (15 to 30mg per cup) or herbal teas (zero caffeine) are better choices. However, oolong does contain less caffeine than coffee by a significant margin.

To see how your tea-based caffeine intake compares to the general population, including the majority who consume primarily through coffee, try our caffeine consumption calculator.

Matcha contains approximately 70mg of caffeine per standard serving (1 teaspoon or 2g of powder), while a standard 240ml cup of brewed coffee contains approximately 95mg. That makes matcha roughly 25% lower in caffeine per serving than drip coffee, though the gap narrows or reverses if you use a heavier matcha dose (2 teaspoons) or compare against a weaker brew method.

An espresso shot contains approximately 63mg, making it slightly lower in caffeine than matcha per serving, though espresso is consumed in much smaller volumes (30ml versus the 60 to 240ml typical of matcha preparations). A 240ml cup of brewed green tea, by contrast, contains only about 28mg of caffeine (USDA FDC 171918), less than half the matcha dose, because steeping extracts only a fraction of the leaf's caffeine.

The subjective experience also differs. Matcha contains significant amounts of L-theanine, which modulates the stimulant effect and produces what many drinkers describe as a calmer, more sustained focus compared to coffee. Coffee delivers its caffeine load rapidly, producing a sharper alertness peak followed by a more noticeable decline. Neither pattern is objectively better; it depends on what you need from the drink.

If you consume matcha daily, a single serving adds roughly 70mg to your total. Use our caffeine consumption calculator to see how your overall intake ranks by age group.