How Much Caffeine Is in Coffee, Tea, Matcha and Energy Drinks?

By the NHS estimate a cup of instant coffee holds about 100 mg of caffeine, a cup of black or green tea 75 mg, a can of cola 40 mg and a 250 ml can of energy drink 80 mg, and both the NHS and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) give their figures as estimates.^{1, 2} Measured servings spread far wider: across 299 coffees caffeine ran from 12.8 mg to 309.4 mg a serving, and a takeaway coffee averaged three times a home brew.³ This page is the per-serving reference inside the Wellgard sleep guide; how long caffeine lasts, when to stop before bed and what withdrawal feels like are on caffeine and sleep.

Sources checked on 3 November 2026.

Evidence at a glance

• Measured servings: 12.8 mg to 309.4 mg across 299 coffees, an Americano averaging 143 mg; 14 mg per 200 ml for black tea and 11 mg for green at two minutes; 71.5 mg in the 2.7 g of matcha one trial served each day.
• The law: "High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women" on any drink other than tea or coffee above 150 mg a litre; "decaffeinated" instant coffee in England at no more than 0.30% residual caffeine; an under-16 sales ban in England intended from April 2027, subject to Parliamentary approval.
• The limits: 200 mg at a time and 400 mg a day for healthy adults (EFSA), 200 mg a day in pregnancy (EFSA and the NHS), 3 mg per kilogram a day proposed by EFSA for children; no health claim for caffeine is authorised in Great Britain.

How much caffeine is in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolate?

The NHS and EFSA figures are both approximate; the NHS notes that "filter coffee and coffee bought from coffee shops can contain more" than instant, and EFSA that concentrations in coffee "depend on the manufacturing process, the type of coffee beans used, and the type of preparation".^{1, 2} The fourth column is what laboratories found in real servings, none of them British.

The NHS list of caffeine sources also names energy tablets, guarana and "some health or fitness supplements".¹ In the UK, unlike most of the European countries surveyed, tea rather than coffee was adults' main source of caffeine, supplying 57% of intake in the consumption surveys EFSA drew on; the UK survey behind EFSA's figures measured 400 samples of tea and coffee made at home, at work and in cafes.²

Why one number is not enough

Because the cup, the brew and the shop each move it. In the Polish survey, coffees bought in chain shops held more than three times the caffeine of coffees brewed at home; the weakest and strongest servings of one type differed more than four-fold for espresso, latte and Americano and almost seven-fold for cappuccino; and 4% of servings held more than EFSA's 200 mg single dose, the Americano most often.^{2, 3} Serving size did much of the work: the espressos ranged from 16 to 60 ml and the Americanos from 152 to 420 ml, while a teaspoon of ground coffee with hot water poured over it averaged 23 mg a cup.³

Tea depends on time and the bag. The two-minute figures came from 2 g of tea in 200 ml of water at 80 degrees C (17 and 15 mg at 100 degrees); at ten minutes a cup-sized black tea bag gave 39 mg against 24 mg for loose leaf, and the strongest brew in the study, a yellow tea at ten minutes, reached 53 mg, so the NHS's 75 mg allows for a strong cup.^{1, 4} The surveys are Polish and Turkish; the NHS figures stay the UK reference, and a menu that states a caffeine figure is the better number for that drink.

Does green tea or matcha have caffeine?

Yes. The NHS puts a cup of black or green tea at about 75 mg, and the two-minute brew measured green at 11 mg per 200 ml.^{1, 4} Matcha is powdered green tea leaf, drunk whole rather than steeped, from plants shaded before harvest, which raises the leaf's theanine and caffeine content.⁸ In a placebo-controlled trial that analysed its own powder, 2.7 g of matcha a day supplied 71.5 mg of caffeine with 50.3 mg of theanine, about a cup of instant coffee by the NHS estimate, and four weeks of it did not change sleep recorded by EEG in healthy Japanese adults aged 27 to 64; the matcha maker sponsored the trial and supplied the powder, and content varies with the powder and the grams used.⁵ What the theanine in tea does, with and without the caffeine, is on what L-theanine is and what it does.

What do "decaffeinated" and "caffeine-free" mean?

Decaf is not zero. Ten decaffeinated coffees from different outlets contained 0 to 13.9 mg of caffeine per 16 oz (about 470 ml) serving, and decaf espresso shots from one outlet ranged from 3.0 to 15.8 mg each.⁷ In England the labelling rules for coffee extracts, instant coffee among them, tie the word "decaffeinated" to a product that has been through a decaffeination process and keeps no more than 0.30% residual caffeine in its coffee-based dry matter, so "decaffeinated" is a process with a residue limit.⁹ Those regulations set no figure for "caffeine-free"; a drink that lists green tea extract or guarana carries caffeine from them.¹

What does the label have to say?

The law draws its line at 150 mg of caffeine a litre. A drink above it, other than one based on coffee or tea with "coffee" or "tea" in its name, must say "High caffeine content. Not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women" in the same field of vision as its name, followed by the caffeine in mg per 100 ml; the rule counts caffeine "from whatever source" and applies to powders and concentrates once made up.¹⁰ A food or supplement with caffeine added for its effect must say "Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children or pregnant women", and a supplement states the caffeine per daily portion.¹⁰ "From whatever source" matches the pharmacology: in 12 men given 200 mg of caffeine as green coffee extract, as guayusa leaf extract and as pure caffeine, blood levels were bioequivalent across the three, in a trial funded by the extracts' maker.¹¹

The same 150 mg a litre line defines the drinks the government intends to keep from children. On 16 July 2026 it confirmed it "will ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16s in England from April 2027", covering "drinks, other than tea or coffee, containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre" in shops, vending machines and online, "subject to Parliamentary approval".¹² The consultation outcome brings in products sold to be diluted or reconstituted into such drinks and leaves caffeine pouches, gums and food supplements out for now.¹³ In two surveys outside the UK, labels were close to the measured amount: 84% of 37 Brazilian energy drinks matched their declared caffeine, and of 14 American drinks and shots the 9 that gave a figure were within 15% of it, though 5 gave none.^{6, 14}

How much caffeine is safe in a day?

EFSA's ceilings: single doses up to 200 mg and daily intakes up to 400 mg "do not raise safety concerns for healthy adults in the general population, except pregnant women", for whom the limit is 200 mg a day from all sources, as the NHS also says.^{1, 2} The NHS wording is "you should not have more than 200mg of caffeine a day", because having too much "has been linked to a higher chance of miscarriage and stillbirth".¹

For children the NHS gives no figure; it says "Tea and coffee are not suitable for babies or young children", and the drinks above 150 mg a litre are labelled not recommended for children.^{10, 15} EFSA proposed 3 mg per kilogram of body weight a day as a safety level for habitual intake by children and adolescents, about 90 mg for a 30 kg child; that is EU scientific advice, not a GB legal limit.²

Can a drink or supplement say that caffeine keeps you alert?

Not as an authorised claim. The Great Britain nutrition and health claims register of 19 May 2026 lists no authorised health claim for caffeine; every entry on it that names caffeine is non-authorised, and a 2016 regulation refused the wording "caffeine helps to increase alertness" for products with 40 to 75 mg a serving after EFSA found the evidence held only at 75 mg or more.^{16, 17} The alertness and concentration wordings for caffeine from tea, coffee, chocolate or in pure form sit on the Department of Health and Social Care's list of claims still "on hold", assessed favourably by EFSA in 2011 for at least 75 mg a serving, and the advertising regulator has said it expects a seller using one to hold the evidence for it; a label that says a drink keeps you alert is using an on-hold claim, not an authorised one.^{18, 19}

What we don't know

• What a British coffee-shop serving holds now: the measured ranges are Polish, Turkish, Japanese, Brazilian and American, and the UK survey EFSA drew on is summarised, not dated, on its topic page.^{2, 3, 4}
• The caffeine in matcha generally: the 71.5 mg figure is one trial's analysis of one powder at 2.7 g a day.⁵
• Whether the under-16 ban takes the form and date announced: the regulations had not been laid before Parliament when the government's pages were read.^{12, 13}

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?

About 100 mg for instant by the NHS estimate, 90 mg for a 200 ml filter coffee and 80 mg for a 60 ml espresso by EFSA's, and anything from 12.8 mg to 309.4 mg when 299 servings were measured.^{1, 2, 3}

Is there more caffeine in coffee or tea?

Coffee, cup for cup, on every estimate: 100 mg against 75 mg by the NHS and 90 mg against 50 mg by EFSA.^{1, 2}

How much caffeine can you have a day?

No more than 400 mg a day and 200 mg at a time for healthy adults (EFSA), 200 mg a day in pregnancy (NHS and EFSA), 3 mg per kilogram a day proposed by EFSA for children, and no tea or coffee for babies or young children (NHS).^{1, 2, 15}

When should you stop drinking caffeine before bed?

The NHS insomnia page says "do not smoke or drink alcohol, tea or coffee at least 6 hours before going to bed"; how long caffeine lasts and when to stop are on caffeine and sleep.²⁰

Sources

1. NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy: caffeine. nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid. The 200 mg a day limit, the per-drink estimates (100 mg instant coffee, 75 mg tea, 40 mg cola, 80 mg energy drink, under 25 mg and under 10 mg for chocolate), the list of caffeine sources and the miscarriage and stillbirth line. Page last reviewed 15 June 2026. Read 3 November 2026.
2. European Food Safety Authority. Caffeine: topic page summarising the Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine, 27 May 2015. efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/caffeine. The 200 mg single dose, 400 mg a day, 200 mg in pregnancy, 3 mg per kilogram for children and adolescents, the portion figures, the UK survey of 400 samples and tea's 57% share of UK intake. The 2015 opinion is EFSA Journal 2015;13(5):4102 and the 2011 opinion on caffeine and alertness EFSA Journal 2011;9(4):2054, cited here through Regulation 2016/1411 and the CAP advice (sources 17 and 19). Read 3 November 2026.
3. Wierzejska RE, Gielecińska I. Evaluation of the caffeine content in servings of popular coffees in terms of its safe intake. Nutrients, 2024. Laboratory analysis (HPLC) of 299 coffee servings in Poland: 208 bought from chain coffee shops and convenience franchises, 91 brewed in the laboratory from 26 instant and 65 ground or bean coffees bought nationally, 160 ml a cup; mean 82.5 mg, range 12.8 to 309.4 mg a serving; funded by the national public-health institute's research fund; no conflicts declared. PubMed 39125266, full text PMC11314177.
4. Ayakdaş G, Ağagündüz D. Determination of L-theanine and caffeine contents in tea infusions with different fermentation degrees and brewing conditions using the chromatographic method. Foods, 2025. Laboratory analysis (HPLC) of six tea types and bag and loose-leaf forms bought in Turkey, 2 g in 200 ml at 80 and 100 degrees C for 2, 5 and 10 minutes; university research-projects funding; no conflicts declared. PubMed 40647065, full text PMC12248710.
5. Baba Y, et al. Matcha does not affect electroencephalography during sleep but may enhance mental well-being: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Nutrients, 2024. Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled parallel trial in healthy Japanese adults aged 27 to 64; 2.7 g of matcha a day (71.5 mg caffeine, 50.3 mg theanine, 301.4 mg catechins) for 4 weeks; no difference from placebo in EEG total sleep time, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset or sleep efficiency; sponsored by the matcha maker, which covered the test costs and supplied the test food; the authors declare no conflict. PubMed 39275223.
6. da Costa BRB, et al. Caffeine content of energy drinks marketed in Brazil. Drug Testing and Analysis, 2022. Laboratory analysis (gas chromatography) of 37 energy drinks; 10 to 67 mg per 100 ml, mean 31 mg; 84% matched the labelled content; funded by two Brazilian government research agencies. PubMed 35595544.
7. McCusker RR, et al. Caffeine content of decaffeinated coffee. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 2006. Laboratory analysis of 22 decaffeinated coffee samples in the United States: 10 from different outlets, 6 espresso shots and 6 brewed coffees from one outlet; funding not stated on the record. PubMed 17132260.
8. Kochman J, et al. Health benefits and chemical composition of matcha green tea: a review. Molecules, 2020. Narrative review of matcha's cultivation and composition; no conflicts declared; funded by a Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education programme. PubMed 33375458.
9. The Coffee Extracts and Chicory Extracts (England) Regulations 2000, regulation 5. legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/3323/regulation/5. The word "decaffeinated" for a coffee extract that has been decaffeinated and whose "residual anhydrous caffeine content does not exceed 0.30 per cent of its coffee-based dry matter content". Read 3 November 2026.
10. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, as retained in Great Britain, Annex III, point 4. legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/1169/annex/III. The "High caffeine content" statement for drinks over 150 mg a litre with the coffee and tea exception, the "Contains caffeine" statement for foods with added caffeine, and the per-daily-portion rule for food supplements. Read 3 November 2026.
11. Krieger DR, et al. The safety, pharmacokinetics, and nervous system effects of two natural sources of caffeine in healthy adult males. Clinical and Translational Science, 2016. Double-blind randomised crossover trial, 12 men, single 200 mg doses of caffeine as green coffee extract, guayusa leaf extract and pure caffeine; Cmax and AUC bioequivalent by US FDA standards; sponsored and funded by the extracts' maker, which was involved in the design. PubMed 27320048, full text PMC5350996.
12. Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Education. Children's health further protected with energy drinks ban. Press release, 16 July 2026. gov.uk/government/news/childrens-health-further-protected-with-energy-drinks-ban. The under-16 sales ban in England intended from April 2027, the 150 mg a litre definition, the retail settings and "subject to Parliamentary approval". Read 3 November 2026.
13. Department of Health and Social Care. Banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children: consultation outcome, 16 July 2026. gov.uk/government/consultations/banning-the-sale-of-high-caffeine-energy-drinks-to-children. Products to be diluted or reconstituted included; caffeine pouches, gums and food supplements not included for now. Read 3 November 2026.
14. Attipoe S, et al. Caffeine content in popular energy drinks and energy shots. Military Medicine, 2016. Laboratory analysis of 9 energy drinks and 5 energy shots bought in the United States, three of each; 5 gave no caffeine amount, the 9 that did were within 15% of the label; research support from a source other than the US government recorded on PubMed. PubMed 27612347.
15. NHS. Drinks and cups for babies and young children. nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/drinks-and-cups-for-babies-and-young-children. "Tea and coffee are not suitable for babies or young children." Page last reviewed 5 October 2022, next review due 5 October 2025. Read 3 November 2026.
16. Department of Health and Social Care. GB nutrition and health claims register, 19 May 2026. gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-claims-nhc-register. Every entry naming caffeine is non-authorised, including the Article 13(5) entry "Caffeine helps to increase alertness" for 40 to 75 mg a serving refused by Regulation 2016/1411. Read 3 November 2026.
17. Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/1411 refusing to authorise certain health claims made on foods, as retained in Great Britain. legislation.gov.uk/eur/2016/1411. Recitals 5 and 6: EFSA's earlier favourable assessment of caffeine and alertness "for products containing at least 75 mg of caffeine per serving", and the refusal of the 40 to 75 mg wording. Read 3 November 2026.
18. Department of Health and Social Care. On-hold health claims on foods (Article 13(1) list, published 31 December 2020). gov.uk/government/publications/on-hold-health-claims-on-foods. Entries 736 and 1485: caffeine from tea, coffee, chocolate or added in pure form, "helps maintain and improve alertness" and "aids concentration". Read 3 November 2026.
19. Committee of Advertising Practice. Food: health claims. AdviceOnline. asa.org.uk/advice-online/food-health-claims.html. The on-hold caffeine claim "accompanied by a positive EFSA opinion for doses of at least 75mg", and the ASA's expectation of documentary evidence (ruling of 11 May 2022). Read 3 November 2026.
20. NHS. Insomnia. nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia. "Do not smoke or drink alcohol, tea or coffee at least 6 hours before going to bed." Page last reviewed 19 March 2024. Read 3 November 2026.

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This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, or take a medicine whose leaflet mentions caffeine, your midwife, GP or pharmacist can say what the figures mean for you.