preventive institutions of the Center for Molecular Diagnostics CMD of the Federal Budgetary Scientific Institution Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, answers.
1. How much coffee can you drink per day without harming your health?
– Scientists have established that a safe dose of caffeine cannot exceed 300 mg. How much is that in a cup of coffee?
- Black coffee brewed in a coffee maker contains no more than 120 mg per 240 ml serving.
- 30 ml of espresso contains up to 60 mg.
- Cappuccino and instant coffee contain 70–80 mg.
Accordingly, you need to evaluate the number of cups of coffee you can drink daily based on the type of coffee you drink.
2. Which type of coffee beans contain more caffeine?
– The highest caffeine content is in the Robusta variety (2–4%). For comparison, Arabica contains approximately 1–2% caffeine. People with high sensitivity to caffeine should be careful with Robusta. By the way, this variety is most often used to produce instant coffee.
3. Which coffee has a higher caffeine content: ground coffee or instant coffee?
– Ground coffee contains a large amount of vitamins and antioxidants, unlike instant coffee, which loses both its beneficial substances and the real coffee aroma during the production process. But the amount of caffeine in grain and instant coffee is practically the same and depends primarily on the type of coffee beans.
4. How to store coffee properly?
– Coffee should be stored in a dark, dry and cool place. Temperature fluctuations are undesirable. Coolness is extremely important, as it slows down oxidation processes. Coffee can be stored in the refrigerator, in a sealed package. In this case, the beans need to be “warmed up” at room temperature before cooking.
5. Is coffee suitable for pregnant women?
– Expectant mothers are not contraindicated to drink coffee (unless the attending physician has recommended otherwise for some reason). But pregnant women should limit their caffeine consumption to 200 mg/day.
6. Can children drink coffee?
– Excessive caffeine consumption can interfere with the absorption of calcium, which is extremely important for a child’s growth, especially if the diet lacks products containing it (primarily dairy products). For the same reason, coffee consumption should be limited in cases of bone diseases (osteoporosis).