How much caffeine is too much?

Don’t get me wrong, I love my morning coffee. But it’s good to check in with your caffeine intake and make sure that you’re not going above the guidelines. The general guidelines outlined by Foodstandards Australia and New Zealand recommend a max of 400mg caffeine per day for adults who aren't pregnant or breastfeeding.

While this is the general recommendation, it is important to note that there's a wide variation in both how sensitive people are to the effects of caffeine and how fast they metbaolise it. It’s important to also listen to your body if you feel your tolerance is lower, for some people (myself included) anywhere above 1 strong cup of coffee causes anxiety and digestive issues - this is a sign that you may want to choose a lower intake.

To add context here are a few common drinks and how much caffeine they contain:

~145mg caffeine per 50mL cup espresso

~80mg caffeine per 250mL cup instant coffee (1tsp per cup)

~50mg caffeine per 220mL cup black tea

If you would like to read more about the Australian caffeine guidelines here’s a great website: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/generalissues/pages/caffeine.aspx