Measuring Caffeine In Coffee -Vs- Tea -Vs- Soda

The Battle Of The ‘Pick-Me-Ups’: Measuring Caffeine In Coffee Vs Tea Vs Soda

Nothing beats the buzz that a good dose of caffeine delivers to the body – and the soul. This natural stimulant has been around for centuries, waking us up, energizing the mind and even offering miracle cures for some ailments. But how much caffeine is too much caffeine? And how do the caffeine contents of coffee, tea and soda compare? We explore caffeine and how much a punch of nature’s energy booster each beverage packs.

Caffeine – Natures Wonder Booster

It’s 6 am. After smashing the alarm clock button, you slowly emerge from the bedroom, shuffling into the kitchen to kick off your morning routine – preparing your coffee. After a few minutes, your steaming cup of java is ready. Still half asleep, you sip your beverage, and a magical process begins.

As the delicious dark liquid travels to your stomach, a stimulant immediately enters the bloodstream. Your pupils contract, the heart rate increases and the sleepy mist lifts, galvanising your body and kicking you from idle into overdrive. You’re ready to take on the day!

Every morning, millions of people around the world experience this incredible transformation, and they have caffeine to thank for waking them up. This central nervous stimulant boasts numerous health benefits, but it is important to remember that – like most things in life – too much of it can be harmful.

So, let’s take a look at just how much energy-boosting caffeine you can expect to absorb from coffee, tea and soda.

Coffee – Single Origin Premium Quality Coffee Beans

People often make the mistake of believing that a shot of espresso will give you a far bigger dose of caffeine than regular single-origin coffee. Wrong.

While it is true that espresso packs a more potent caffeine punch per milligram than the standard black coffee brew, in fact, they both have around the same caffeine content, per dose in total. Let’s look at the numbers:

• A 2-oz double shot of espresso will give you anywhere between 60mg and 100mg of caffeine (about 40mg of caffeine per ounce of liquid)
• The standard 8-oz cup of single-origin black coffee delivers between 65mg and 120mg of caffeine (in the region of 8mg to 15mg of caffeine per ounce of liquid)

So, while a double espresso may offer a far more concentrated serving of caffeine, these little power shots come in far smaller portions than a regular cup of black coffee, meaning that you’ll still get around the same dose of caffeine, no matter which brew you prefer.

Coffee also comes in a wide variety of delicious blends and varietals, each boasting their own individual combinations of flavonoids, organic compounds, oils and – you guessed it – caffeine! These unique elements each combine to deliver a stunning range of different flavours and aromas, from the fennel and liquorice of the Vaughn Dutch Sumatra dark blend to the lighter medium-roasted Panthera Leo’s blackberry and chocolate flavours.

Tea – The Ancient Calming Alternative

For generations, tea has been seen as a caffeine-free alternative to coffee. Lately, however, it has become common knowledge that tea offers just as much – if not more – caffeine than single-origin coffee does.

Different strains of tea, however, boast vastly different levels of caffeine. From up to 80mg of caffeine per cup for the black teas to the far milder 15-35mg caffeine doses of white and green teas, In general - the darker the tea leaf, the more caffeine it packs.

Why then – if teas have the around same caffeine as coffee - do we get so much of a less-intense alertness step-up from the leafy beverage than the galvanizing power-up we get from coffee? The answer lies in something called L-Theanine.

L-Theanine is an amino acid known to reduce anxiety, lower stress and quell the mood. This suppressant effectively balances out most of the stimulating effects of caffeine, leaving the drinker with a much more subdued and calm response.

Soda

Moving on to manufactured caffeine, we look at those sugary fizzy drinks that kids love so much – soda. Carbonated beverages come in many shapes and sizes. From a simple can of cola to a half-gallon Sprite, all sodas have one thing in common – they’re loaded with processed sugars, sweeteners and colourants.

But what about their caffeine content? While it is true that most soda drinks contain caffeine, they possess only a fraction of the amount per ounce that coffees and teas do. In fact, most sodas only hold about 25% to 50% of the caffeine that you’d find in a cup of single-origin coffee.

Now before you start wondering about the massive energy boost that sodas give you, don’t forget – sodas are absolutely packed with sugar. A 2-litre Coca-Cola holds 212 grams of processed sugar – that’s almost 50 teaspoons of pure sugar! For contrast, the recommended daily allowance for the average adult’s sugar intake is around 30 grams. You’ll think twice before grabbing that jumbo six-pack of Dr Pepper, next time, won’t you?

So, while sodas do pack an energy punch that may seem to beat out the kick you get from coffee, or even some teas, it’ll only last a fraction of the time before you come crashing down off your sugar high. Plus, we don’t even want to think about what is happening to your poor heart. (Remember, coffee contains no sugar at all!)

If you’re looking for a healthy, natural pick-me-up that doesn’t slow you down or damage your vital organs, you can count on premium single-origin, all-natural coffee, like Orosi Coffee’s range of selected single-origin varietals.

So the next time you’re wondering about just how much caffeine you need to get through the day, now you know! Happy brewing.