Coffee, tea and chocolate have caffeine in it. How much is too much and which of these have the most caffeine content - Coffee, Tea or Chocolate? Here is a comparison.

Morning Cuppa!

Do you wake up every morning to a steaming cup of coffee or tea? Is hot chocolate your idea of a comfort drink? Be careful, you could be addicted to the drug caffeine, which is prominent in coffee, tea and chocolates.

Though caffeine is a drug, it is one with mild effects. It contains something called the adenosine which heightens the nerve cell activity, which is why you feel fresh after a cup of tea or coffee. It dilates the pupils and opens the breathing tubes, directing the blood to the stomach muscles, keeping the body alert.

How Much Is Too Much

Tea, coffee and chocolate have small quantities of caffeine in them. If the doctors have advised you to stay away from caffeine, then this could be bad news. The content of caffeine in chocolates generally does not affect people, because one rarely consumes large quantities of the same. Unsweetened chocolate has about 10 milligrams of caffeine and milk chocolate has about five milligrams or less. The darker the chocolate, the higher the caffeine content. A bar of chocolate will have about seven or eight milligrams of caffeine.

A cup of coffee contains about 10 – 15 times more caffeine than an ounce of chocolate. An eight ounce cup of coffee will have anything between 100 and 150 milligrams of caffeine. This again depends on the brand and the roasting style.

Tea also has caffeine, but in a lesser dose than coffee. The quantity of caffeine in tea is close to that of the caffeine in chocolate. But green tea has lesser levels of caffeine than chocolate itself. Black tea also has caffeine, but only around 50 milligrams per cup. If you prefer stronger tea, then the level of caffeine will increase accordingly.

Addicted To It

If you have been advised against caffeine, it is best to stay away from tea, coffee and chocolates. But, a limited dose of these will not harm your body. All that matters is that you know what you are having, and how much you are consuming. Awareness is key, to avoid addiction and ill health.