Coffee chain drinks vary widely in caffeine, study finds

Your daily coffee fix from a popular chain might pack a bigger caffeine punch than you expect. Research by the organization Which? revealed substantial differences in caffeine levels across major coffee retailers, even for the same types of beverages.

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The highest caffeine content was measured in a medium cappuccino and americano from Costa – as much as 325 milligrams, which corresponds to the amount of caffeine in approximately four cans of 250-milliliter Red Bull.

Costa Coffee's medium cappuccino and americano were found to contain the most caffeine, with a staggering 325 milligrams. This amount is equivalent to roughly four 250-milliliter cans of Red Bull. Costa also led in caffeine content for matcha lattes, measuring 99 milligrams, significantly more than Starbucks' matcha latte (57 milligrams) or espresso (45 milligrams).

The study analyzed popular drinks from Caffe Nero, Costa, Greggs, Starbucks, and Pret A Manger. Following Costa's high-caffeine cappuccino, Greggs and Caffe Nero had cappuccinos with 235 and 221 milligrams of caffeine, respectively. Notably, a Pret A Manger espresso contained 180 milligrams, four times the caffeine found in a Starbucks espresso.

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The British Heart Foundation states that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is considered a safe amount for most adults.

Americanos also showed wide disparities. A medium Starbucks americano contained 89 milligrams of caffeine, while the same size at Costa had 325 milligrams. The British Heart Foundation advises that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is considered safe for most adults. However, they caution that excessive intake can lead to increased heart rate and palpitations in sensitive individuals.

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However, larger quantities in sensitive individuals can speed up the heart rate and cause palpitations or skipped beats.