Caffeine Content Reference for Various Coffee Drinks - Which Coffee Is Most Energizing

The original purpose of coffee was to provide an energy boost. Whether it's an espresso you drink and go, American drip coffee commonly found in offices, or even specialty pour-over coffee enjoyed at a coffee shop, they all have stimulating effects. People simply choose appropriate coffee based on different requirements for setting, function, and taste.

So with so many types of coffee available, which one provides the strongest energy boost?

Why Does Coffee Provide an Energy Boost?

Coffee's stimulating effect mainly comes from caffeine. We feel tired because of a substance called adenosine in our bodies. The longer we stay awake, the more adenosine accumulates, making us more prone to drowsiness. Caffeine can block the binding of adenosine to brain nerves, so the brain doesn't receive "fatigue signals from adenosine" and continues to work with energy, making us feel less tired (in other words, you're using caffeine to trick your brain).

Therefore, the most stimulating coffee is definitely the one with higher caffeine content. The final caffeine content in coffee mainly depends on the caffeine content of the coffee beans and the brewing method. So FrontStreet Coffee will discuss this in two steps.

Caffeine Content in Coffee Beans

Different varieties of coffee beans have different caffeine content. Among the common coffees we encounter, they are mainly divided into Robusta and Arabica varieties. Robusta beans have higher caffeine content, accounting for about 2-4% of the bean weight (mostly around 3%), while Arabica beans, although subdivided into many varieties in specialty coffee, have caffeine content between 0.9-1.4% (mostly around 1.2%).

So, if you want to get more caffeine, you should choose Robusta beans, and if you don't want to consume too much caffeine, choose Arabica coffee beans. Some friends may have also heard of naturally low-caffeine coffee. Here, FrontStreet Coffee will briefly explain that naturally low-caffeine coffee also belongs to the Arabica variety, with caffeine content about half that of regular Arabica, around 0.6%, which is still quite high for friends who are caffeine-sensitive. For those who want to drink coffee without consuming caffeine, you can choose artificially decaffeinated coffee, which contains almost no caffeine.

Caffeine Content in Various Brewing Methods

Caffeine content in beverages is usually labeled as "Xmg/100ml," mainly based on volume. However, from a barista's perspective, it's more appropriate to use one cup or the actual amount of coffee grounds used as the measurement unit. Take espresso for example: whether making latte or Americano, as long as the same amount of espresso is used as the base, their caffeine content is the same.

Alternatively, add one shot of espresso to 200ml of water and another to 300ml of water. If calculated as Xmg/100ml, the 200ml cup will have a higher caffeine concentration, but assuming both are completely consumed, the actual caffeine intake is the same.

The amount of caffeine released is also related to time. Under the same high-temperature extraction, coffee with longer extraction time will have higher caffeine content. Therefore, espresso-based coffee drinks don't actually have the highest caffeine content. Pour-over drip coffee and French press immersion coffee have higher caffeine content. Although cold brew and cold drip coffee are extracted at low temperatures, their extremely long extraction times result in higher caffeine content than the previously mentioned methods.

Caffeine Content Reference for Common Coffee Drinks

Below, FrontStreet Coffee provides some caffeine content references for common coffee drinks: (Note: All coffee beans are Arabica; cold brew and cold drip coffee are affected by extraction time, here based on 8 hours for cold drip and 12 hours for cold brew)

• Espresso (20g grounds/40g coffee) approximately 100mg
• Latte, Americano, Cappuccino, etc. have the same caffeine content as espresso
• Pour-over coffee (15g grounds/195ml coffee) approximately 90mg
• Pour-over coffee (20g grounds/260ml coffee) approximately 120mg

• French press (20g grounds/4 minutes) approximately 135mg
• Cold drip coffee (one cup 20g grounds/200ml coffee) approximately 135mg
• Cold brew coffee (one cup 20g grounds/200ml coffee) approximately 140mg
• Drip bag coffee (one bag 10g grounds/120ml coffee) approximately 50mg
• Instant coffee (one bag) approximately 50mg

In fact, sometimes coffee doesn't necessarily need to be consumed by yourself to provide an energy boost. As verified by the FrontStreet Coffee editorial team, when coffee is "consumed by a computer" (spilled on it), the stimulating effect is faster and stronger than drinking it yourself. If you don't believe it, everyone can try it out.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473