☕ Coffee

Coffee is a drink brewed from the roasted, ground beans of the coffee plant. Coffee is a drink made from roasted, ground beans of the coffee plant, and with milk it becomes a latte, cappuccino or café con leche. The milk goes in hot or frothed: steam is passed through it, and the milk proteins hold the air bubbles in place. A 2023 study found that steaming milk to 60–65 °C barely affects its nutritional value, while at higher temperatures some vitamin B6 and folic acid are lost. Pasteurised milk gives a more stable foam than ultra-pasteurised milk.

How much caffeine is in a cup depends on how the coffee is made. According to EFSA reference figures, 60 ml of espresso contains about 80 mg of caffeine and 200 ml of filter coffee about 90 mg. According to USDA data, 100 g of latte has 36 mg of caffeine, 43 kcal, 2.8 g of protein and 105 mg of calcium, while black coffee has almost no calories. Milk dilutes the drink, but the caffeine doesn't go anywhere.

In 2015 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed safe amounts of caffeine. For healthy adults, that is up to 200 mg at a time and up to 400 mg a day. For pregnant and breastfeeding women, up to 200 mg a day. For children and adolescents, the guide is 3 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. Even 100 mg of caffeine before bed can disturb sleep in some adults.

A latte or cappuccino has about the same caffeine as black coffee of the same strength, because milk only dilutes the drink and the caffeine stays. According to USDA, 100 g of latte has 36 mg of caffeine and 43 kcal, while black coffee has almost no calories. By EFSA reference figures, 60 ml of espresso has about 80 mg and 200 ml of filter coffee about 90 mg: espresso is more concentrated, but a mug of filter coffee holds a little more in total. So count caffeine from all sources, not cups.

For foam, look for “pasteurised” on the carton: fresh pasteurised milk gives a more stable foam than ultra-pasteurised (UHT) milk. It sits in the chiller cabinet of the supermarket dairy aisle or a corner shop, while UHT milk stands on an ordinary shelf. Ready-to-drink milk coffee is a separate category in the chiller and drinks aisle; if the pack lists the caffeine per serving, add it to the rest of your day.

Why it matters to you. Count caffeine from all sources, not cups: four cups of filter coffee already add up to about 360 mg. For foam, use fresh pasteurised milk and don't overheat it. If you had coffee in the evening and slept badly, move your last cup to the morning. According to a 2014 study, moderate coffee drinking does not dehydrate you.