It was news that shocked every coffee lover in the UK – certain retail chains pack their mugs with much more power.
Questions were immediately raised about the beans sold in supermarkets and how much caffeine you get in an average cup of instant.
But when we looked into the composition of our coffee, another fascinating fact emerged.
And that means: Technically, “decaffeinated” coffee doesn’t exist.
Starbucks has the lowest amount of caffeine in its decaffeinated beverages, at just 1.4 mg per 8 ounces of coffee. At the top of the retail chains is Pret’s decaffeinated coffee, which contains 6mg of caffeine per 50ml shot
Instead, any options marketed as stimulant-free are really just extremely cheap alternatives.
Some may even contain as much as a candy.
Fun is at the top of the list for retail chains. The decaffeinated option packs 6mg of caffeine per 50ml shot – the standard measure, MailOnline was told.
Meanwhile, versions at Costa and Café Nero contain 2mg of caffeine.
However, Starbucks is at the bottom of the chart with 1.4 mg in each standard size decaffeinated coffee.
A similar theme exists for instant coffee. Nescafe said that there is less than 5 mg in a cup of their instant coffee.
But if you drink decaffeinated coffee to avoid caffeine’s powerful stimulating effects, rest assured that the small amounts of decaffeinated coffee won’t disrupt your sleep patterns too much if you drink one in the afternoon.
The average cup of regular coffee contains 30 times as much caffeine, about 100 mg.
Two shots of decaffeinated coffee at Costa contain just 2mg of caffeine, according to the coffee chain’s allergen information. But its caffeinated cappuccinos contain up to 325 mg
Cappuccinos at Costa even contain up to 325 mg, according to the fascinating results of consumer champion Which? presented earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the NHS says green tea can contain around 75mg and energy drinks such as Red Bull can contain up to 80mg.
Even milk chocolate made from caffeinated cocoa beans can contain 25mg per 100g.
In theory, this would equate to a 25 gram bar containing 5 mg.
Why do decaffeinated beans still contain caffeine?
according to Dr Neil Clarke of the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, it is impossible to completely disconnect from coffee.
He said: “Coffee is made decaffeinated by methods that mainly use organic solvents, water or supercritical carbon dioxide to remove almost all caffeine.
“Several rounds of extraction usually take place, but it is not possible to remove every molecule of caffeine.”
according to Dr Clarke, however, there are strict laws about how much caffeine can be in decaffeinated products.
In the EU, decaffeinated green (unroasted) beans can contain only 0.1 percent caffeine and coffee products such as instant coffee only 0.3 percent.
Likewise, the USDA states that any decaffeinated product must be at least 97 percent decaffeinated.
But the small amount of caffeine in it probably won’t get you too excited.
In fact, most research suggests it takes 3 mg per kilogram of body weight to feel a buzz, Dr. Clarke.
This corresponds to about 210 mg for a person weighing 70 kg – or two regular coffees.
He said: “Low doses of caffeine have been shown to improve alertness, alertness and mood, and improve cognitive processes during and after strenuous exercise.
“So it’s very unlikely that small amounts would have the same beneficial effect.”
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) states that a moderate daily amount of caffeine (up to 400mg or 3-5 cups of coffee) is safe for most people.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
