Lattes are delicious, creamy, and caffeinated drinks. It’s easy to order one in a cafe — and it’s easy to make one at home. But how much caffeine is in a latte?
We’re here to help! Scroll down to find out more about this delicious drink, a helpful latte rule of thumb, and how you can monitor your caffeine intake.
Table of Contents
What is a latte made of?
Different types of coffee have different amounts of caffeine. Before we discuss how much caffeine is in a latte, we need to first talk about the type of coffee we are using.
A traditional latte contains one or two shots of espresso. A latte is an Italian term meaning milk. It’s made with warm steamed water to reduce the intensity of the espresso. A latte contains approximately one-third espresso and two-thirds milk. It’s rich, creamy, and delicious. Click To Tweet
What type of roast is best for a latte?
There is a lot of misinformation about which types of roasts contain more caffeine than others. The roast level doesn’t matter as long as the weight is measured!
Because light roast beans are slightly larger, it is easier to measure volume.
What type of coffee beans should you use?
The type of coffee bean used to make the latte, or regular coffee is a significant factor.
Robusta beans have more caffeine than Arabica beans. A latte made with Robusta beans will have more caffeine than a latte made with Arabica beans.
If you have trouble getting up in the morning, order Robusta coffee.
How much caffeine is in a latte?
A latte has about 128mg of caffeine on average. The exact amount will depend on whether you make a single-shot, double-shot, or triple-shot latte and the type of espresso beans used.
A Starbucks espresso shot has 75mg of caffeine, which is higher than the average 64mg. This means that your Starbucks latte will contain an impressive 150mg of caffeine.
If you are concerned about how much caffeine your coffee contains, you can specify the number of shots you would like in your latte.
How much caffeine does a 12-ounce latte have?
Caffeine Informer reports that a small 12-ounce cup of their coffee products has the following caffeine content:
- Brewed coffee: 260mg.
- Latte: 75mg for both classic and flavored varieties.
- Mocha: 80mg.
How many espresso shots are in a latte?
(Source)
A tall hot latte contains one shot of espresso. A grande has two espresso shots. It would seem that a Venti would contain three shots of espresso, but this is not the case. A hot Venti latte only contains two shots of espresso.
Is it possible to make a decaffeinated latte?
Yes! You can make a decaf latte if you are trying to avoid caffeine or if you don’t want to drink coffee at night. Decaf coffee can get a bad reputation in coffee shops. However, high-quality decaf coffee beans can be very tasty.
We recommend researching decaffeinating methods (the Swiss Process is a good choice) and selecting a high-quality decaf brand.
How many cups of lattes can you consume in a single day?
The FDA recommends keeping your daily caffeine intake under 400 milligrams. This means that you can safely consume three double-shot lattes per day. You may feel jitters or headaches if you drink more than three double-shot lattes per day.
Conclusion
How much caffeine is in a latte? It’s always a good idea to keep track of your caffeine intake. It’s possible to consume too much caffeine, which is a bad thing.
A latte can contain 128mg of caffeine, which is approximately a third of your daily safe intake. Too much? You can always order a single shot latte (64mg) or decaf latte, which is almost zero.