How much caffeine is in coffee, how many cups a day should you have and is it healthy for you?
HAVE you ever wondered if your coffee intake is actually doing you any good and how much you can get away with drinking?
Here's the lowdown on the effects your morning latte is having on you...
How much caffeine is in coffee and how many cups a day is OK?
We all know a cup of coffee can give us a much needed "boost" in the mornings.
But, not many folk will know just how much caffeine is in the average cup.
The levels of caffeine in your cuppa can depend on a few different factors, including:
- Type of coffee beans
- How the beans were roasted
- Type of coffee
- Serving size
Generally speaking, lighter roasts contain more caffeine than darker roasts.
Brewed coffee, the most common coffee drunk across the US and Europe, contains on 95mg of caffeine per serving, on average.
A single espresso contains around 63mg of caffeine - with people generally choosing a double serving, equalling 126mg.
Espresso based drinks are made from espresso shots mixed with varying amounts of milk - so the caffeine content is dependent on how many shots you take in your preferred variety.
Instant coffee usually contains less caffeine than other types, and one cup can contain 30mg to 90mg.
Up to 400mg of caffeine, a day appears to be safe for most healthy adults (approximately four cups).
Is coffee good for you?
It was recently revealed that drinking three daily cups of coffee is good for your health.
A definitive study claims that three cups of the brew may live longer.
Experts found regular consumers were 17 per cent less likely to die young compared to abstainers.
They also saw their risk of heart death fall by a fifth, Alzheimer’s disease by a quarter and liver disease by more than a third.
Frequent drinkers were also 18 per cent less likely to get any cancer than those who only had an occasional cup.
The protection was greatest for liver and bowel tumours.
High coffee consumption also halved gout risk and reduced the likelihood of type 2 diabetes by a third.
But researchers warn too many cups were harmful during pregnancy and raised chances of bone fracture in women.
Southampton University scientists analysed evidence from 218 studies.
Experts believe naturally-occurring compounds found in coffee boost wellbeing, by improving liver function and bolstering the immune system.
But it's not good for kids to drink large quantities of caffeine, and Waitrose is now banning under 16s from buying energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster.
The ban comes into force on March 5, and comes after teachers warned these drinks fuel classroom disruption.
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