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The connection between coffee and cancer was seared into the American health psyche in 1981, when a study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine concluded that “coffee use might account for a substantial proportion of the cases of [pancreatic cancer] in the United States.”
But most studies since then have come up empty.
“Coffee is not likely to be causing pancreatic cancer,” concludes Debra Silverman, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. “Smoking is clearly a risk factor, and once you take that into account, most studies show that coffee drinking doesn’t seem to be associated with an increased risk.”
As for cancers of the bladder, breast, colon, lung, or prostate, “there’s no good evidence that coffee has any role in their development,” says John Welsburger of the American Health Foundation.
| Products Ranked by Amount of Caffeine |
| Product |
Caffeine (mg)* |
| Coffee, grande (16 oz.) Starbucks |
550 |
| Caffe Americano, short (8 oz.) Starbucks |
35 |
| Coffee, tall (12 oz.) Starbucks |
375 |
| Caffe Latte, short (8 oz.) or tall (12 oz.) Starbucks |
35 |
| Coffee, short (8 oz.) Starbucks |
250 |
| Caffe Mocha, short (8 oz.) or tall (12 oz.) Starbucks |
35 |
| NoDoz, Maximum Strength (1), or Vivarin (1) |
200 |
| Cappuchino, short (8 oz.) or tall (12 oz.) Starbucks |
35 |
| 7-Eleven Big Gulp cola (64 oz.) |
190 |
| Cola (12 oz.) |
35** |
| Coffee, non-gourmet (8 oz.) |
135** |
| Espresso (1 oz.) Starbucks |
35 |
| Excedrin (2) |
130 |
| Tea, green or instant (8 oz.) |
30** |
| Maxwell House (8 oz.) |
110 |
| Chocolate, dark, bittersweet, semi-sweet (1 oz.) |
20** |
| Caffe Americano, grande (16 oz.) Starbucks |
105 |
| Coffee, decaf, grande (16 oz.) Starbucks |
10 |
| NoDoz, Regular Strength (1) |
100 |
| Tea, bottles (12 oz.) or from instant mix (8 oz.) |
14** |
| Coffee, instant (8 oz.) |
95** |
| Coffee, decaf, short (8 oz.) or tall (12 oz.) Starbucks |
10 |
| Caffe Americano, tall (12 oz.) Starbucks |
70 |
| Chocolate, milk (1 oz.) |
5** |
| Caffe Latte or Cappuccino, grande (16 oz.)Starbucks |
70 |
| Cocoa or hot chocolate (8oz.) |
5** |
| Caffe Mocha, grande (16 oz.) Starbucks |
70 |
| Coffee, decaf, non-gourmet (8 oz.) |
5** |
| Espresso, double (2 oz.) Starbucks |
70 |
| Espresso, decaf (1 oz.) Starbucks |
5 |
| Water, caffeinated (Edge 2 O), (8 oz.) |
70 |
| Tea, decaf (8 oz.) |
|
| Anacin (2) |
65 |
| Cola (20 oz.) |
60** |
| Mountain Dew (12 oz.) |
55 |
| Cola (16 oz.) |
50** |
| Tea, leaf or bag (8 oz.) |
50 |
* = Average caffeine levels for popular beverages, foods, and
drugs (rounded to the nearest 5 milligrams.)
** = typical value
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Caffeine is similar in structure to adenosine, a chemical found in the brain that slows down its activity. Since the two compete, the more caffeine you drink, the less adenosine is available up to a point. That’s why caffeine temporarily heightens concentration and wards off fatigue.
-
Within 30 to 60 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee, caffeine reaches peak concentrations in the bloodstream. It typically takes four to six hours for its effects to wear off.
-
Smokers remove caffeine from their blood twice as fast as nonsmokers. That may be why smokers tend to drink more coffee.
-
The average American adult consumes about 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day, and the top ten percent consume an average of 400 mg, according to John J. Barone, who tracks caffeine consumption at The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta.
-
As little as 200 mg of caffeine is enough to make some people feel nervous and anxious. It might take even less for cola-guzzling kids.
-
The typical American drinks about two cups of coffee a day. In 1962, when coffee consumption hit its peak, three cups was typical.
-
Coffee accounts for about ¾ of the caffeine we consume. Tea makes up about 15 percent, soft drinks about ten percent, and chocolate about two percent.
| Caffeine Content of Food & 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 |
48 |
| 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 |
| Surge |
12 ounces |
51 |
| Diet Coke |
12 ounces |
47 |
| Coca-Cola |
12 ounces |
45 |
| Dr. Pepper, regular or diet |
12 ounces |
41 |
| Sunkist Orange Soda |
12 ounces |
40 |
| Pepsi-Cola |
12 ounces |
37 |
| Barqs Root Beer |
12 ounces |
23 |
| 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 |
½ liter
(16.9 ounces) |
125 |
| Krank 20 |
½ liter
(16.9 ounces) |
100 |
| Aqua Blast |
½ liter
(16.9 ounces) |
90 |
| Water Joe |
½ liter
(16.9 ounces) |
60-70 |
| Aqua Java |
½ 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 |
| Dannon Coffee Yogurt |
8 ounces |
45 |
| 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 |
1 — Serving sizes are based on commonly eaten portions, pharmaceutical instructions, or the amount of the leading-selling container size. For example, beverages sold in 16-ounce or half-liter bottles were counted as one serving.
2 — 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. |
