By Michelle Guarnieri, Dietetic Intern Cold brew, iced, long shot, and pumpkin spice. The list of different coffees goes on and on, but what’s the difference in their components? Believe it or not, each type of coffee has a different level of caffeine than other types. Let’s take a closer look at these components so you can pick the best caffeine for your busy life. Before we take a look at the specifics, let’s talk about caffeine itself. Many people immediately run (or sleepily drag themselves) to their coffee machine in the morning. But did you know the recommended time to drink coffee is at least 2 hours after you wake up? It’s best to drink it when levels of the energizing hormone cortisol are low in the body. Coffee increases the effect of cortisol, so if you wait until those levels drop (around 9:30-11:30 AM), the effect of caffeine will be greater and you won’t crash. In addition, let’s try (as hard as it may be) to cap that caffeine consumption to 400 mg/day. If you get much higher than that, they body will become dependent on it. So let’s take a look at what 400 mg means. First up, brewed coffee. This favorite drink packs, on average, 140 mg of caffeine in an 8 oz cup. Higher than you thought? Well, cold brew is made as a concentrate and meant to be mixed with water or milk. However, if you like coffee black, an 8 oz cup of cold brew has anywhere from 150-250 mg of caffeine. If this is too much for you, stick to iced coffee. 8 oz only contains about 100 mg, so it won’t be as jittery of a wake up for you. Speaking of wake up, let’s do as the Romans do and enjoy an afternoon shot of espresso. There seems to be some myths that espresso contains more caffeine than brewed coffee, when really a double shot only contains 80 mg. If you can work out the timing, amount, and type you drink, you’ll be able to reap the full benefits of coffee without drinking a gallon every day.
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