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Home  >  Ask the Nutritionist Ask the Nutritionist Q:         I’ve heard a lot of conflicting information on coffee and caffeine. How bad is caffeine and do I really have to switch to decaf?       Matt G., Brookline, MA A:         Everything in moderation, as they say. If you can’t get through the day without a cup or two of coffee, but are worried about the effects your daily java has on you, you can relax. Although caffeine is a stimulant (read: addictive drug), scientific evidence has shows no link between moderate caffeine intake and health risks such as cancer or cardiovascular disease. Excessive caffeine intake, on the other hand, has several short-term drawbacks. Excessive caffeine intake, defined as 500 milligrams or more of caffeine per day (or the equivalent of about four or five cups of coffee or ten to 12 cups of tea) is known to cause feelings of irritability and anxiety, along with insomnia. These effects typically are short lasting, since your body eliminates most caffeine. Additionally, some studies show that women who consume at least 100 mg of caffeine per day appear to have an increased risk of first-trimester miscarriage. If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking any drugs or medicines. Like anything else, it’s best to consume caffeine in moderation. Kids especially should limit their intake so they’re not missing out on better, nutrient-dense food choices like milk. Adults should strive to limit their intake to about 250–300 mg or less per day. To keep track of how much caffeine you consume, use the following chart as a guide. Caffeine Content of Foods and Drugs* Product Serving Size 1 Caffeine (mg) 2 OTC Drugs  NoDoz, maximum strength; Vivarin 1 tablet 200 Excedrin 2 tablets 130 NoDoz, regular strength 1 tablet 100 Anacin 2 tablets 64 Coffees  Coffee, brewed 8 ounces 135 General Foods International Coffee, Orange Cappuccino 8 ounces 102 Coffee, instant 8 ounces 95 General Foods International Coffee, Cafe Vienna 8 ounces 90 Maxwell House Cappuccino, Mocha 8 ounces 60-65 General Foods International Coffee, Swiss Mocha 8 ounces 55 Maxwell House Cappuccino, French Vanilla or Irish Cream 8 ounces 45-50 Maxwell House Cappuccino, Amaretto 8 ounces 25-30 General Foods International Coffee, Viennese Chocolate Cafe 8 ounces 26 Maxwell House Cappuccino, decaffeinated 8 ounces 3-6 Coffee, decaffeinated 8 ounces 5 Teas  Celestial Seasonings Iced Lemon Ginseng Tea 16-ounce bottle 100 Bigelow Raspberry Royale Tea 8 ounces 83 Tea, leaf or bag 8 ounces 50 Snapple Iced Tea, all varieties 16-ounce bottle 42 Lipton Natural Brew Iced Tea Mix, unsweetened 8 ounces 25-45 Lipton Tea 8 ounces 35-40 Lipton Iced Tea, assorted varieties 16-ounce bottle 18-40 Lipton Natural Brew Iced Tea Mix, sweetened 8 ounces 15-35 Nestea Pure Sweetened Iced Tea 16-ounce bottle 34 Tea, green 8 ounces 30 Arizona Iced Tea, assorted varieties 16-ounce bottle 15-30 Lipton Soothing Moments Blackberry Tea 8 ounces 25 Nestea Pure Lemon Sweetened Iced Tea 16-ounce bottle 22 Tea, instant 8 ounces 15 Lipton Natural Brew Iced Tea Mix, diet 8 ounces 10-15 Lipton Natural Brew Iced Tea Mix, decaffeinated 8 ounces < 5 Celestial Seasonings Herbal Tea, all varieties 8 ounces 0 Celestial Seasonings Herbal Iced Tea, bottled 16-ounce bottle 0 Lipton Soothing Moments Peppermint Tea 8 ounces 0 Soft Drinks  Josta 12 ounces 58 Mountain Dew 12 ounces 55.5 Surge 12 ounces 52.5 Diet Coke 12 ounces 46.5 Coca-Cola classic 12 ounces 34.5 Dr. Pepper, regular or diet 12 ounces 42 Sunkist Orange Soda 12 ounces 42 Pepsi-Cola 12 ounces 37.5 Barqs Root Beer 12 ounces 22.5 7-UP or Diet 7-UP 12 ounces 0 Barqs Diet Root Beer 12 ounces 0 Caffeine-free Coca-Cola or Diet Coke 12 ounces 0 Caffeine-free Pepsi or Diet Pepsi 12 ounces 0 Minute Maid Orange Soda 12 ounces 0 Mug Root Beer 12 ounces 0 Sprite or Diet Sprite 12 ounces 0 Caffeinated Waters  Java Water 1/2 liter (16.9 ounces) 125 Krank 20 1/2 liter (16.9 ounces) 100 Aqua Blast 1/2 liter (16.9 ounces) 90 Water Joe 1/2 liter (16.9 ounces) 60-70 Aqua Java 1/2 liter (16.9 ounces) 50-60 Juices Juiced 10 ounces 60 Frozen Desserts  Ben & Jerry's No Fat Coffee Fudge Frozen Yogurt 1 cup 85 Starbucks Coffee Ice Cream, assorted flavors 1 cup 40-60 Häagen-Dazs Coffee Ice Cream 1 cup 58 Häagen-Dazs Coffee Frozen Yogurt, fat-free 1 cup 40 Häagen-Dazs Coffee Fudge Ice Cream, low-fat 1 cup 30 Starbucks Frappuccino Bar 1 bar (2.5 ounces) 15 Healthy Choice Cappuccino Chocolate Chunk or Cappuccino Mocha Fudge Ice Cream 1 cup 8 Yogurts, one container        Yoplait Cafe Au Lait Yogurt 6 ounces 5 Dannon Light Cappuccino Yogurt 8 ounces < 1 Stonyfield Farm Cappuccino Yogurt 8 ounces 0 Chocolates or Candies  Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Bar 1 bar (1.5 ounces) 31 Perugina Milk Chocolate Bar with Cappuccino Filling 1/3 bar (1.2 ounces) 24 Hershey Bar (milk chocolate) 1 bar (1.5 ounces) 10 Coffee Nips (hard candy) 2 pieces 6 Cocoa or Hot Chocolate 8 ounces 5 *Sources: National Coffee Association, National Soft Drink Association, Tea Council of the USA, and information provided by food, beverage, and pharmaceutical companies and J.J. Barone, H.R. Roberts (1996) "Caffeine Consumption." Food Chemistry and Toxicology, vol. 34, pp. 119-129.