First thing in the morning or smack in the middle of the afternoon, it’s common for most people—especially for the working class—to grab a cup of coffee to wake us up. And even then each one has their preferences: black, iced, latte, cappuccino, cafe mocha, and so on. On the other hand, some might opt for tea instead, since it also contains the stimulating and much-needed caffeine.
But which drink is the most effective? Let’s settle this once and for all with this basic guide.
COFFEE
| Type | fl oz | caffeine (mg) | mg/fl oz | |
| Espresso | Brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee | 1.5 | 77 | 51.3 |
| Long black | Double shot of espresso pulled over a cup partially filled with hot water | 6 | 154 | 25.7 |
| Turkish coffee | Very finely ground coffee, boiled with water and sugar | 2 | 50 | 25 |
| Brewed | Ground coffee with hot water | 8 | 163 | 20.4 |
| Bulletproof | High fat coffee, made with water, ground coffee, butter, and MCT oil | 8 | 145 | 18.1 |
| Americano | Hot water poured over a shot of espresso | 12 | 154 | 12.8 |
| Cappuccino | Espresso, steamed milk, steamed milk foam | 12 | 154 | 12.8 |
| Caffe Mocha | Espresso, cocoa powder or sugar, steamed milk, milk foam, and chocolate | 12 | 152 | 12.7 |
| Latte | Espresso, steamed milk | 16 | 154 | 9.6 |
| Flat white | Espresso, micro-foamed steamed milk, thin layer of froth | 8.46 | 77 | 9.1 |
TEA
| Type | fl oz | caffeine (mg) | mg/fl oz | |
| Taiwanese milk tea | Bubble tea, made of tea, fruit, condensed milk, and tapioca balls | 13.526 | 130 | 9.6 |
| Matcha | Green tea leaves ground into a powder | 8 | 70 | 8.8 |
| Chai | Black tea blended with spices, milk, and sugar | 8 | 50 | 6.2 |
| Black tea | Fully oxidized tea leaves | 8 | 42 | 5.2 |
| Oolong tea | Partially oxidized tea leaves | 8 | 37 | 4.6 |
| Yellow tea | Leaf buds of the tea plant, processed like green tea, but steamed so oxidation is slower | 8 | 33 | 4.1 |
| White tea | Tea leaves (harvested before blossoms open) are dried with minimal processing | 8 | 28 | 3.5 |
| Green tea | Low oxidized tea leaves, popular in Japan | 8 | 25 | 3.1 |
| Jasmine tea | Green tea combined with jasmine blossoms | 8 | 25 | 3.1 |
| Genmaicha | Green tea leaves with toasted brown rice | 8 | 4 | 0.5 |
| Herbal tea | Doesn’t contain tea leaves, uses herbs, spices, fruits, etc. | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Computations courtesy of Caffeine Informer.
Photos courtesy of Unsplash.
Read more:
Is this coffee shop from Japan worth the hype?
Who knew high-fat coffee could be good for you?
10 hybrid cafés for those who want more out of their coffee break
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Don’t make these common mistakes when making tea
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Writer: PAULINE MIRANDA
