It is a fair question; how much caffeine is actually in decaffeinated coffee?
Ok, so before we dive in let's set the precedent first; 100% completely decaffeinated coffee does not exist. Don't believe us? Ask WebMD. However, decaf coffee does have substantially less caffeine than your normal cup of joe. For instance decaf coffee that is decaffeinated through the Swiss Water Process is 99.9% caffeine free. While .1% caffeine most likely isn't enough to keep you up at night that still doesn't answer our question. How much caffeine actually is in decaffeinated coffee?
Well the short answer is that it depends on 1) the type of coffee you're drinking (instant, brewed etc...) and 2) how it is prepared (brewed, single serve etc...)
Here is a quick list to reference Note: all coffee below is measured in 8 oz serving sizes. Caffeine measured in milligrams. All statistics pulled directly from Mayoclinic.org research on caffeine.
- Brewed coffee - 95-200 mg of caffeine.
- Brewed coffee decaffeiniated - 2-12 mg of caffeine.
- Single serve varieties - 75-150 mg of caffeine.
- Single serve varieties decaffeinated - 2-4 mg of caffeine.
- Instant - 27-173 mg of caffeine.
- Instant decaffeinated - 2-12 mg of caffeine.
One important thing to remember is the actual caffeine content of the same coffee drink can vary from day to day because of various factors, such as roasting and grinding as well as brewing time. The list above is not an absolute truth but, a good reference point to look at.
Want something more visual to reference? Check out the info graphic below and feel free to print out and share around your office or home to keep track of the amount of caffeine you consume in a given day!
