Caffeine is a very controversial substance. It is a natural alkaloid with a mild narcotic effect. Opinions about its effect on the body are quite contradictory. Its stimulant properties were known as early as the fourth century AD in Ethiopia. Green tea has been consumed in China for thousands of years for its psychoactive effects. In the Middle East, since the 15th century, Sufis have been drinking a highly caffeinated drink during multi-day prayers to keep them awake. In the modern world, caffeine-containing products are ubiquitous: carbonated drinks, coffee, tea and various energy drinks.

1. IN cocoa powder the proportion of caffeine is up to 200 mg per 100 g in dry form.

   For a cup of brewed drink there will be only 8-12 mg of the substance. But cocoa contains a substance called theobromine. In terms of its properties and action, it is almost identical to caffeine, but it causes much less harm. When this drink is brewed correctly, the alkaloid is practically not felt, but a cheerful state of health is guaranteed.

2. Chocolate It can also lift your mood due to the stimulating effect of the alkaloid.

   

   

   

   It is made from cocoa powder, which means chocolate is a caffeine-containing product. Due to the concentration of cocoa up to 95-100% in dark chocolate, there is 90 mg of caffeine per 100 g of product. In milk chocolate this figure is much lower - 15-20 mg. It is worth noting that white chocolate does not have the properties of dark or bitter; it does not contain cocoa powder.

3. Another high caffeine stimulant is tea.

   

   

   Depending on the intensity of leaf processing, it can be black or green. Long fermentation produces black tea. Due to longer oxidation, the caffeine content increases. When brewing an average cup of black tea, its level reaches almost 65-70 mg, while in green tea the same volume accounts for only up to 45 mg of the alkaloid. The antioxidant properties of the drink do not depend on whether it is black or green. But if you need to achieve an invigorating result, preference should be given to black.

4. The richest caffeine drink is coffee. A freshly brewed cup of coffee in the morning will give you between 100 and 210 mg of caffeine, depending on the type of coffee. Robusta is the most enriched species. Arabica is several times inferior to it in terms of alkaloid content in its composition.

What other plants contain caffeine?

Is there caffeine in energy drinks?

In the new millennium, it has become fashionable to stay energized by drinking caffeinated energy drinks. This is carbonated water, which contains caffeine and taurine itself, the most famous representative is Coca-Cola.

The amount of alkaloid in energy drinks can reach up to 100 mg per standard volume of container provided. The effect of these drinks is aimed at inhibiting the production of a hormone that is responsible for signaling the brain about the need to rest, and large amounts of sugar provide the release of additional energy. Thus, increased doses of stimulants lead to a short-term tonic effect. Frequent consumption of such drinks can cause irreparable harm to the body.

Drinking tonic drinks and chocolate can give a unique invigorating effect and good mood. But it is worth considering all the characteristics of your body and possible negative consequences. Do not ignore doctors’ recommendations and exceed the permissible dosage. It would be reasonable to consider analogues of drinks that do not harm the body. If it is not possible to replace coffee or tea in your diet with a safer drink, you can reduce the level of stress on the heart and nervous system by reducing their concentration and strength. You can protect yourself by diluting tea or coffee with milk or cream, which significantly weakens the effect of caffeine.

For convenience, here is a list of caffeine content in products:

1. Can of energy drink (250 ml) - from 80 mg
2. A glass of black tea (220 ml) - 50 mg
3. Filter coffee (200 ml) - 90 mg
4. Cup of espresso coffee (60 ml) - 80 mg
5. Standard can of cola (355 ml) - 40 mg
6. Dark chocolate bar (100 g) - 50 mg
7. Milk chocolate bar (100 g) - 20 mg

Which foods contain caffeine, and where is there more of it?

They say that all people are approximately equally divided into tea lovers and coffee lovers. Moreover, the first claim that tea is a much healthier drink than. Although nutritionists consider this statement controversial, since both contain caffeine, which can be harmful in large doses. And the answer to the question of where there is more caffeine in tea or coffee is sometimes unknown even to those who regularly drink these drinks.

How much caffeine is in black tea and coffee?

Caffeine is an active substance that belongs to the class of alkaloids and has the ability to have a stimulating effect on the human body. And it is found not only in coffee beans, but also in tea leaves. However, in addition to this, tea also contains another alkaloid - theine, so its effect is milder and people think that there is practically no caffeine in it. But those who prefer strong black tea - practically chifir - know for sure that such a drink can cause the same effect as strong coffee.

According to clinical studies, black tea has quite a decent amount of caffeine, and the amount may vary depending on when the leaves were collected, how they were processed, and how the drink itself was brewed. The same applies to black coffee: the amount of caffeine is determined by the method of roasting, processing of finished raw materials, and preparation of the drink. But in any case, objective data suggests that there is more caffeine in black tea than in coffee, if we talk about dry brew and beans. In the first case it will be 3% of the total weight of the raw materials, in the second - depending on the grade from 1.2% to 1.9%.

Amount of caffeine in green tea and coffee

Many people consider green tea and green coffee to be healthier precisely because they contain less caffeine. But this is fundamentally incorrect, since the drink made from green tea leaves contains the most of this substance. According to this indicator, it is in first place, regardless of variety and other factors. And even if we compare the amount of caffeine contained not in dry brew, but in a ready-made drink, there will still be more of it than in coffee. One cup of green tea can contain over 80 mg of caffeine, while a cup of black tea can have a maximum of 71 mg.

As for the caffeine obtained from unroasted beans, the caffeine content in it is almost two times less than in regular beans - 30% versus 60-70%. But it is worth noting that the caffeine in green tea and coffee can also be harmful or beneficial depending on the dose, that is, on the number of cups of the drink consumed during the day.

Where is there more caffeine in tea or coffee - the opinion of nutritionists

Nutrition experts say that we should talk about the caffeine content in tea and coffee based on how much of this substance is in the finished drink. After all, we do not consume dry tea leaves and grains for food, but an aqueous solution, in which the caffeine content will in any case be less than in the original raw material.

Nutritionists say that:

Can tea and coffee have zero caffeine content?

Both tea and coffee can be decaffeinated, that is, without caffeine. However, this concept is somewhat arbitrary, because it is impossible to completely remove caffeine. In such a drink it will simply be present in much smaller quantities.

The most popular substance in the category of psychostimulants is caffeine. It is found in various drinks, not only energy drinks, but also plants, some foods and medications. Let's figure out whether there is caffeine in tea, what its formula is and what product effectively neutralizes its effect.

Caffeine is rightfully considered the most popular psychostimulant substance. Many legends are associated with it. One of the stories tells that the patriarch of Buddhism in India, Bodhidharma, could not concentrate on meditation and fell asleep. Angry, he cut off his eyelids and threw them to the ground. The first tea bushes grew at this place, the caffeine content of which helps to invigorate and relieve drowsiness.

The natural alkaloid is fixed in:

• coffee tree;
• kola nut;
• cocoa;
• fruits of the Guarana plant;

Medically known as "trimethylxanthine" or xanthine alkaloid, caffeine is a white crystalline powder with a bitter taste. This substance has the chemical formula C₈H₁₀N₄O₂. Used to activate the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as a diuretic.

Natural stimulant in tea and coffee

A cup of green tea or black coffee has a complex effect on the body:

• heart rate increases;
• blood flow is activated;
• blood pressure on the muscles increases.

A person feels cheerful, physical activity and ability for mental work improve.

How much caffeine is in tea and coffee?

The data in the table is very approximate, because the values ​​vary widely depending on the type of raw material and method of preparation.

Caffeine in coffee drinks

The value of the answer to the question - how much caffeine is contained in coffee, varies depending on the processing of coffee beans and the recipe for preparing the drink.

As for the content of the component in drinks prepared according to different recipes, espresso is rightfully considered the record holder. A 50 ml cup contains from 50 to 70 mg of the substance; for comparison, a cup of cappuccino, which is larger in volume than a cup of espresso, contains about 70-80 mg.

Note: experts do not consider these statistics to be accurate, since the presence of milk or cream neutralizes the invigorating effect.

Invigorating component in tea

As in the situation with coffee, caffeine in tea is not a constant value and depends on the degree of processing of the tea leaves and the saturation of the finished drink. It does not matter that they were collected from the same bush. By the way, even leaves grown on the same plant contain different amounts of caffeine. The content of the chemical is maximum in the youngest leaves, as well as in the first shoots, then it becomes less, and by the last harvest its value is only 1.5%.

Considering that the young parts of the bushes are used, they contain the most caffeine, the worse the quality of the tea, the lower the content of the invigorating component.

Until recently, it was generally accepted that black varieties contained the most natural stimulants, that is, those that were fermented and have a tart, strong taste, rich color and aroma. However, scientists have found that the caffeine content in green tea without any additives is sometimes not much less.

Children under the age of three should not drink green tea; it is better to replace the drink with herbal infusion or berry juice.

The amount of the substance also directly depends on the duration of brewing tea. The longer you brew it, the more powerful the invigorating effect the drink has. But it is not recommended to brew tea leaves for too long, because oxidative processes occur in them, which reduces their taste and nutritional value.

If we look at the statistics, the largest amount of natural stimulant is contained in elite varieties of green tea - 75 mg in one cup. Black varieties, especially the leaves for which they are collected at the end of the season, contain several times less caffeine and other substances.

Maximum permissible dose

The maximum dosage of the substance for those who are fond of coffee is no more than two to three cups a day; if you prefer tea, then 5-10 cups.

To soften the invigorating effect, it is enough to replace coffee with tea or add milk. In addition, in addition to milk, there are some spices that can be used to soften the effect of the stimulant:

• cardamom;
• carnation;
• ginger.

Spices help not only neutralize the effects of caffeine, but also allow you to create new, unique, original drinks.

photo: depositphotos.com/MKucova, belchonock, eAlisa

Surely many people in the morning feel the need for an invigorating cup of coffee or hot strong tea in order to get into a working rhythm. These drinks have one active ingredient in common, which provides an invigorating effect - caffeine.

What is caffeine

Caffeine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found in some plants. These include the coffee tree, tea bush, guarana and some others. The peoples inhabiting the areas where the listed plants grow, even in ancient times, noticed the invigorating effect of their use, so the beginning of the use of tea and coffee goes back centuries. In medical practice, caffeine is used in the form of a cardiac stimulant and diuretic. In a sense, caffeine is a narcotic substance; with its regular use, addiction occurs, so it can be very difficult for a person to give up the usual cup of coffee in the morning; without it, he feels overwhelmed, sleepy and apathetic. Of course, the effect of caffeine is milder than that of cocaine, but the principle of the effect on areas of the brain is the same as when using drugs.

The caffeine content of tea leaves and coffee beans is different and depends on a number of different factors. However, in general, tea is a more complex drink in its composition than coffee, so its effect on the body is softened by the content of another alkaloid in the drink - taenin. If coffee has a quick but short-lived effect on the human nervous system, then the effect of drinking a cup of tea is not so obvious, more mildly expressed and extended over time. Therefore, drinking tea is more comfortable for the body than drinking one cup of strong coffee. Coffee in large doses can cause increased heart rate, increased excitability and insomnia. Tea is not capable of causing such disturbances in the body if consumed in its normal, not concentrated form (the so-called “chifir”).

Where is there more caffeine - tea or coffee?

It is generally accepted that coffee has a higher caffeine content than tea, but this is not true. The champion in caffeine content is not coffee, but green tea. However, due to the fact that when preparing instant coffee, a powder concentrate is taken, the caffeine content in a cup of coffee is higher than in one cup of tea.

If you drink coffee or tea in moderation, do not abuse the quantity and attach great importance to the quality of the drink, caffeine is beneficial for the nervous system of the body - it allows you to keep yourself in good shape, gives vigor and energy for productive work. Therefore, you should adhere to the recommendations of experts, according to which the most effective dosage of coffee is no more than two cups per day. In addition, you should not drink coffee in the afternoon. Doctors also recommend combining coffee with physical activity - sports, fitness. There are no such strict requirements regarding tea, but it is also not recommended to drink it before bed, so as not to suffer from insomnia. In general, it is much healthier to drink not black fermented tea, but green tea with aromatic herbs, or completely herbal tea.

To summarize, we can say that all drinks containing caffeine are good in moderation, so you should not overuse either coffee or black and green tea. Find a middle ground for yourself and be healthy!

People rarely question statements that they consider absolutely true.

Well, at least this: everyone knows that coffee contains caffeine, but tea does not and should not have it. This is one of the main “myths” regarding the drinks that we regularly drink.

In fact, tea also contains caffeine, this has long been proven by science, but it would be nice to understand in what quantities (dangerous or beneficial for our body).

Let us recall one figure: doctors consider a daily dose of caffeine normal for a person. three hundred milligrams.

But this is an average indicator; for each specific person it may be different, and the difference in numbers is very noticeable. It all depends on individual characteristics that are transmitted at the genetic level.

Where is there more caffeine: tea or coffee?

There is no clear answer to this simple question. And that's why. When we compare not the drinks themselves, but the raw materials with which we are going to prepare them (tea leaves and coffee beans), we get unexpected data: Tea is ahead of coffee in terms of the amount of caffeine it contains..

Then the “alignment of forces” changes dramatically: in a mug of tea, the substance of interest to us is already less than in the same amount of ready-to-drink coffee, and three times. How does this happen?

The explanation is quite simple: we always use much less tea leaves than coffee beans, and therefore the concentration of the original product will differ in favor of coffee.

It is also important to keep in mind that the caffeine present in a mug of Americano and in a cup of, for example, black longbread are not the same thing. It affects people differently, and this is the fundamental difference between the two drinks.

Here's what we mean: In addition to caffeine, tea contains a substance called tannin.. “In contact” these two do not represent the powerful energy boost that caffeine gives us in our morning cup of espresso or Americano.

As a result of the interaction of caffeine and tannin, a new substance is formed - theine, which is very slowly absorbed into the blood.

Another important point: coffee gives a person, as they say, a “charge of vivacity,” but this “charge” wears off about forty minutes after the last sip is taken.

The energy of tea is not as powerful as that of coffee, but it is more stable and long-lasting.

It is interesting that in nature there are examples of when both tea and coffee do without caffeine at all, and nevertheless make a person more active, give him freshness and strength.

Among teas, this is a variety called “puer”, and decaffeinated coffee is very rare, natural, Brazilian, in which instead of caffeine there is a substance “theobromine”, more characteristic of cocoa than of coffee.

How many mg are in a cup of coffee?

The result may be different, depending on whether we use coffee beans or some other type to prepare the drink. So which coffee has more caffeine?

Coffee beans

In a cup (volume 170 ml) of natural coffee contains, as a rule, from 70 to 140 mg of caffeine.

In Robusta this figure is higher – from 170 to 200 mg.

In Arabica, as in a less strong variety, it is from 40 to 60 mg.

When buying coffee in stores, we most often take a mixture of two or more types of beans to get the most interesting “bouquet”.

A cup of coffee made from Arabica and Robusta contains approximately 115 mg of caffeine.

Find out what other types of coffee there are in the publication.

Ground

If you buy not natural coffee beans, but already ground coffee, this is how much caffeine you will get per cup:

• espresso (50 ml) - 50 mg of caffeine;
• cappuccino (70 ml) – 80 mg;
• Americano (150 ml) – 300 mg.

Soluble

When choosing a softer drink for themselves, people often wonder where there is more caffeine - in natural coffee or instant coffee?

Usually, instant coffee contains less caffeine, provided that it is real and of high quality.

A teaspoon of coffee, which is enough to make one cup (240 ml) of the drink, contains from 30 to 60 mg of caffeine.

You can learn about the beneficial properties and contraindications of instant coffee in the following.

How much caffeine is contained in a cup of tea:

• in a cup of black tea (250 ml) – from 15 to 70 mg of caffeine, depending on the strength of the drink; You can find information about the benefits and harms of black tea.
• in white – from 15 to 40 mg;
• in fruit – from 10 to 30 mg;
• There is no caffeine in herbal tea;
• in a 200-gram jar of ready-made iced tea – from 20 to 35 mg of caffeine.

What determines its level in tea and coffee?

Various factors influence the caffeine level in coffee:

• variety (in different varieties its amount can be either less or more, so many, but, unfortunately, not all manufacturers indicate on the packaging how much caffeine the product contains);
• processing method and product storage;
• method of roasting beans(if deep roasting, less caffeine is retained in the product, and if medium roasting, more caffeine is retained);
• method of preparing the drink(for example, the same mug will contain 65 mg of caffeine if an instant drink is poured into it, 155 mg - when the coffee is brewed in a drip coffee maker, but those who prepare coffee in a Turk reduce the amount of caffeine in it by 20-30 percent);
• method of use drink (add milk or lemon - reduce caffeine content).

The level of caffeine in tea is affected by:

• its variety (for example, a study was conducted according to which HERITAGE green tea turned out to have 85 mg of caffeine per cup, and DILMAH lemon-flavored black tea - 40 mg);
• structure of the raw material (tea buds and the youngest leaves are richest in caffeine);
• nature of raw material processing(the lower the degree of fermentation, the more caffeine is retained in the tea);
• brewing temperature(the higher it is, the less caffeine in the drink, which is why in the Chinese tea ceremony it is not customary to brew tea with boiling water);
• method of use drink (with milk it will be less strong).