Brew time: The longer you brew coffee, more caffeine will be extracted.With a coarse grind there’s more coffee “packed” into each piece, so less caffeine can be extracted. Grind size: A fine coffee grind provides more surface area for extraction, meaning that more caffeine will be extracted in the brew.The way you make your coffee will have a major impact on how much caffeine it contains. So a cup of dark roast may often be “high caffeine” compared to a cup of light roast, simply because you need more beans or grounds to brew it. But a pound of light roast will have less caffeine than a pound of dark roast – because of their difference in mass. A scoop of light roast will indeed have more caffeine than a scoop of dark roast. One important note: the widespread belief that lighter roasts contain more caffeine than darker beans is not literally true – because coffee beans lose mass and density the longer they are roasted. And since robusta usually grows at lower altitudes where there are greater numbers of pests, it needs more caffeine to survive. For example, plants grown at high altitudes contain 10% less caffeine, on average, than those grown at medium-high altitudes. Studies have found that the altitude at which coffee plants are grown, and even the amount of shade they get, affect their caffeine content. Varietals matter, but so do growing conditions. Some of the biggest threats are inspects and pests – and since caffeine is an effective insect repellent, it’s believed robusta plants evolved to contain higher caffeine levels, in order to protect themselves. Why is there such a difference? Robusta plants are able to grow in more hostile environments than Arabica plants because they’re better able to fight off threats to their survival. The amount of caffeine in different varietals does vary, but only slightly. Generally speaking, unroasted green Arabica beans have about half the caffeine content of robusta beans. Let’s start with the two main types of beans, Arabica and robusta. Two factors are responsible for the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee: the type of coffee beans used and the way the beans are brewed. But the amount of caffeine in a cup of black tea or a cup of matcha, a cup of coffee or an espresso shot, can vary widely. So tea and coffee naturally contain caffeine. The not-so-good news: there are very few regulations governing synthetic caffeine, and few inspections of the facilities that make it. The good news: synthetic and natural caffeine are chemically identical. The same goes for energy drinks, although as we’ve mentioned, some add guarana (or guayusa) for an added caffeine boost. At one time, caffeine was extracted from coffee beans and added to soda these days, manufacturers add synthetic caffeine that’s been produced in factories (most of them in China). There is caffeine in most soft drinks, primarily the brown ones. “What about caffeinated beverages like soda?” we hear you ask. Tea leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant (often known as the tea plant), used to brew black tea, white tea and green teaĬaffeine is also present in kola nuts (once used to make Coca-Cola and Pepsi, now chewed for medicinal purposes in some cultures), guarana (often added to energy drinks) – and yaupon holly, yerba mate and guayusa, the only types of herbal tea that contains caffeine.The best-known sources of caffeine are the fruit or leaves of just a few plants: The plants create the substance in order to deter pests and herbivores, to attract honey bees, and to stop germination in neighboring plants. Slightly longer answer: Yes, but you’d need to drink more tea than coffee – because the two beverages contain different amounts of caffeine.Ĭaffeine occurs naturally in about five dozen plants, most of which are native to the Southern Hemisphere or East Asia. Research shows that black coffee before breakfast can wreak havoc with blood glucose levels.)īut what if you’re a tea person instead of a coffee person? Will tea provide the same benefits? (Pro tip: have that cup of coffee after you eat. Caffeine will not only wake you up and increase your alertness it can also improve your brain function, elevate your mood and even boost your performance if you hit the gym before work. It’s a good idea to start the day with a caffeinated beverage – with the obvious exceptions of sodas or energy drinks, which are loaded with sugar, carbs and calories. No matter the breakfast, though, it will almost always be accompanied by either coffee or tea. Those in a rush might grab an Egg McMuffin on their way to work or school. Traditionalists will make bacon and eggs, or a stack of pancakes. For the health-conscious, it might be Greek yogurt and berries, or maybe some flaxseed waffles.
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