SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Millions of Americans start their day with a cup of coffee, and many more have a cup as an afternoon pick-me-up.
But, how much caffeine is too much caffeine? And how do you maximize the health benefits and avoid the harms? We're speaking to experts.
At Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters in Ferndale, caffeine is king. Izzy Quan said she has 1-2 cups of coffee each day to give her the boost she needs.
"If I get a good eight hours, I can push through the day. But other times, that cup of coffee just jump starts my morning," she said.
Nathan Hamood, the president and director of coffee at Dessert Oasis, took us behind the counter to show us their operations. It includes raw beans from Brazil and Burudni, and beans being weight, roasted, then cooled.
Hamood said if you're looking for a caffeine kick, craft coffees have a bigger boost.
"We tend to brew slightly stronger coffee, slightly higher coffee to water ratios," he said.
Detroit Medical Center Dietitian Marilyn Anderson says government guideline suggest a the maximum daily caffeine intake of 400 mg.
"Four cups of coffee of eight ounce, you know, eight ounce cups. But you know, people now drink the 16-ounce.
Caffeine kicks in in as little as five to 15 minutes, peaks in about an hour, but the effects can last for a good chunk of the day. Caffeine has a half-life of about five hours.
However, too much caffeine can lead to tremors, headaches, insomnia, heart palpitations, elevated blood pressure and lead to anxiety and irritability.
The USDA hasn’t weighed in on kids and caffeine, but the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine consumption for children and adolescents.
Parents should know it’s not just coffee in the spotlight. Panera’s Charged Lemonade has been in the headlines with lawsuits alleged two deaths and “permanent heart damage."
Other sources of caffeine include chocolate. The cocoa bean is related to coffee. Generally, the darker the chocolate, the higher the caffeine.
Black teas, Kombucha, pop, even over-the-counter pain relievers can have as much as 150 mg of caffeine in a standard two tablet dose.
When it comes to coffee, if you're trying to cut caffeine, go for the darker roast.
"Lighter roasts tend to technically have a little bit more caffeine than darker roasts. In theory, as you roast coffee more, you burn off a little bit more caffeine content," Hamood said.
There are some people who should be more careful with their coffee consumption that would include people with high blood pressure, cardiac disease or diabetes.
Even migraine sufferers may want to limit their caffeine intake to about 100 mg a day to avoid setting off a migraine.
That’s about a healthy cup of coffee.
