Does Espresso Have More Caffeine Than Regular Coffee?

The other form of the question we'd frequently be asked was "Do lattes or Americanos have more caffeine than a classic cup of coffee?" Well, while there is an answer to that question, it's not so straightforward. Here's why:

The actual numbers? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition data1, 1 ounce of brewed espresso has just about 63 milligrams (mg) of caffeine, while the same source says that2 an ounce of standard brewed coffee has about 12 mg of caffeine. But what that doesn't account for is serving size—after all, while you might have a single shot of espresso, you're hardly sitting and drinking a single ounce of brewed coffee.

Based on the above numbers, your standard shot of espresso has around 63 mg of caffeine. In my experience, some cafes use a double shot as the standard—in which case, a latte or Americano would have around 126 mg of caffeine (give or take a bit) in a 12-ounce option. By comparison, a 12-ounce cup of coffee would have around 144 mg of caffeine—so certainly more caffeine, especially if the espresso-based drink starts with a single shot.

Instead, make sure you know how many shots of espresso are going into your drink when you do order that way, and pay close attention to the way your body reacts to your different orders. If you feel like you ought to be cutting back, espresso might actually be a good way to go: Try ordering a single-shot Americano in place of your classic black coffee as a start. You could also try integrative gastroenterologist and mbg Collective member Marvin Singh, M.D.'s solution: caffeine microdosing.