A cup of your favourite coffee in the morning is an absolute must for many, but how much is too much? Caffeine can keep you awake. We all know that, but why? One reason is because caffeine likes to hang around in your system. If you have a coffee with 200mg of caffeine at 3pm, there will still be 100mg of caffeine in your blood stream 6 hours later at 9pm making it difficult for you to get to sleep. The reason you can’t get to sleep is because caffeine interferes with adenosine. Adenosine is produced in your brain and is vital to the process that helps you get to sleep and to enjoy deep sleep.
If you have that desperate need for a coffee in the morning before you can function, consider that your body is trying to tell you that there is more going on than meets the eye. You are meant to wake with lots of energy! All of us! If you aren’t bounding out of bed in the morning, then consider that instead of a caffeine hit, your adrenal glands might need some TLC. Stress and juggling many balls in life greatly impacts our adrenals and the production of cortisol which helps us have energy in the morning. Unfortunately, drinking lots of coffee to compensate for a stressed out adrenal gland will fatigue it even further.
Consider nutrients like Vitamin C, B5 and herbs like Liquorice and Rehmannia to nourish your adrenals and dramatically pick up your energy without a coffee in sight! You can actually have your adrenals tested through a salivary hormone test for cortisol. The news on caffeine, however, is not all bad. Some research points to caffeine benefiting weight loss and increasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter in your brain that is responsible for you experiencing pleasure. When it comes to caffeine, it’s all about balance.
Ensure you add up all your caffeine sources. You can be having more than you think you are! Despite 200-300mg/day being given the green light, there are other schools of thought that believe this amount is too high. Having one coffee per day, ideally in the morning, should satisfy those that love coffee whilst ensuring that your body is functioning optimally. However, if you do suffer from anxiety and insomnia, you should avoid caffeine altogether.
Caffeine content
| Beverage | Amount (ml) | Caffeine (mg) |
| Double espresso | 60 ml | 45-100 mg |
| Brewed coffee | 240 ml | 60-120 mg |
| Instant coffee | 240 ml | 70 mg |
| Decaf coffee | 240 ml | 1-5 mg |
| Tea – black | 240 ml | 45 mg |
| Tea – green | 240 ml | 20 mg |
| Tea – white | 240 ml | 15 mg |
| Coca Cola | 355 ml can | 34 mg |
| Dark chocolate | 30 ml | 20 mg |
| Milk chocolate | 30 ml | 6 mg |
