The food and drinks that contain caffeine

Posted by kathryn in A Balanced Diet

While we’re on the subject of caffeine, remember it’s not just in coffee – caffeine pops up in a few different foodstuffs.

Green tea and black tea both contain similar amounts of caffeine, given they come from the same plant. A 150ml cup of tea contains between 30 and 90mg of caffeine, depending on how strongly you brew the tea and whether you use loose leaf or tea bags – with strongly brewed, loose leaf tea giving the most caffeine.

Chocolate is also a source, with a 30g bar (which is quite small) yielding between 20 and 60mg of caffeine. The higher the cocoa percentage, the higher the amount of caffeine.

Cola drinks , including the diet ones, contain caffeine. A 375ml can of cola contains about 50mg.

Coffee contains varying amounts of caffeine, depending on how it’s made. Based on a 150ml cup:

instant coffee has 60 – 100mg of caffeine
percolated / drip filter coffee has 100 – 150mg
an espresso shot gives 90mg caffeine
decaffeinated contains between 2 and 4mg of caffeine

Energy drinks are about the same as espresso coffee, with a 250ml drink giving 80mg of caffeine

Over the counter medications – cold and flu tablets, appetite suppressants and some pain relievers also contain caffeine, although the amounts vary from 20 – 100mg per tablet.

If you’re unsure about how much caffeine you’re having every day, why not try the ABC’s online caffeine quiz.

Source: UNSW’s National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre