How much caffeine in a cup of instant coffee

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  Author: Lauren Gamble

• Updated: October 19, 2022

If you don’t have time to visit the barista every morning before work, you might want to start making your own coffee at home.

There are many ways to get your morning cup from home, but one of the most popular methods is making instant coffee.

A growing number of people are turning to this method to save time and money, and many people wonder: just how much caffeine is in instant coffee?

Let’s take a look.

How Does Instant Coffee Work?

The short answer is that instant coffee is a powdered coffee extract that you combine water with to make a cup.

Instant coffee goes through processes during production that remove the water, so you only need to add hot water for it to taste good.

These processes also reduce the flavor and caffeine content of regular coffee.
So, many people drink instant coffee in the morning when they want to stay awake but don’t necessarily want the whole flavor experience.

What is in Instant Coffee?

Instant coffee is typically made by mixing ground coffee beans with either water or oil before removing the water through processing.

This process will typically leave you with about 10% of the caffeine in regular brewed coffee since much of it gets lost during production.

However, this depends on the brand and type of instant coffee that you choose to buy.

Different brands will have various caffeine amounts depending on their production processes, so you’ll want to check the packaging before buying if you’re curious about the amount of caffeine.

Some manufacturers may also add caffeine back into their products to compensate, so be careful what you read when comparing brands.

Spray Drying, Freeze Drying, and Sublimation

There are three primary ways manufacturers dry out the water in coffee before selling it as instant coffee.

The first method is called spray drying, where they suspend the liquid over a dry surface and then use high-pressure air to evaporate the water.

Freeze or “flash” drying quickly removes the water by freezing it and then placing it in a vacuum.

Finally, sublimation comes from taking advantage of dry ice turning into vapor as it heats up without first turning into liquid.

This method is the least common and only comes into play when dealing with extremely dry substances.

How Much Caffeine is in Regular Instant Coffee?

The amount of caffeine in instant coffee depends on the brand, but you can expect to get around 25-80mg per teaspoon of instant coffee.

You can find an instant coffee brand that fits your needs, but check the packaging when you buy it to ensure that it fits your caffeine intake goals.

How Much Caffeine is in Decaf Instant Coffee?

Decaf instant coffee is made almost the same way as regular instant coffee, but it’s processed slightly differently.

As a result, you can drink multiple cups of coffee in one day to keep yourself energized without worrying about getting too much caffeine in your system.

Compared to regular instant coffee, instant decaf coffee has about 2 mg of caffeine per teaspoon.

How Much Instant Coffee Should You Drink?

There is no one size fits all answer when it comes to how much instant coffee you should drink, but if you are adding instant coffee to your morning routine, here are some guidelines.

To stay within the safe caffeine limits for adults, only consume up to 400 mg per day.

However, some people may be more sensitive to caffeine than others, so check the packaging before drinking multiple cups of instant coffee in one day.

Don’t forget that decaf instant coffee is a possible option, too.

If you have any health concerns, talk with your doctor about how much instant coffee is appropriate for you.

Does Instant Coffee Have Less Caffeine Than Normal Coffee?

Instant coffee has about 20-45% of the caffeine you would get in a regular cup. A typical brewed cup of coffee will have between 60 and 145 mg of caffeine.

Since instant coffee relies on small amounts of water to extract flavor, it also contains less caffeine by weight than brewed coffee does.

If caffeine is what gives you a lift, you will need more instant coffee to provide you with that same energy boost that you’d get with a regular cup of brewed coffee.

Caffeine in Instant Coffee Compared to Soda and Energy Drinks

You may be wondering if drinking soda or energy drinks is really that bad compared to drinking instant coffee.

While caffeine can provide you with a boost, it’s not good for your body to ingest too much at once.

Drinking soda and energy drinks can mean that you will be getting a large amount of caffeine all at once, leading to adverse side effects over time.

Soda typically will give you around 34-85mg per 12 oz of drink, while energy drinks may have between 45 and 87 mg per 8 oz serving.

Instant coffee can be made to have a lower caffeine option than soda and energy drinks since you can control the level when making your cup. However, it should still be taken in moderation.

Is Instant Coffee Good or Bad For You?

Drinking instant coffee in the morning instead of a cup of brewed coffee is not an unhealthy practice.

You can always drink more than one cup to get the caffeine you need, but try to avoid drinking too much at once.

Instant coffee has less caffeine than brewed coffee and soda. It can be better for your digestion when you drink it instead of other beverages.

Health benefits of drinking instant coffee can include increased energy levels and lowered stress levels due to how it affects your brain chemistry.

Coffee has natural antioxidants and other properties that can help your body fight diseases.

If you’re thinking about switching to instant coffee from brewed coffee, you will still get the same health benefits and be able to stay energized throughout your day with less caffeine than you would get in a cup of regular coffee.

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