Latte, Mocha, and Cappuccino are some of the most delicious milky beverages. They are enjoyed iced, cold, or steamy, and sipping down a mug of any of them can be a great way to start your day.
But as we all know it, coffees are generally accepted as caffeinated drinks. After all, caffeine is their energizing agent.
But do lattes too contain caffeine? If yes, what’s the caffeine level of lattes? Also which beverage has the highest caffeine content between macchiato vs latte? Find out below.
Yes, Lattes Do Have Caffeine
You read that right. Lattes contain caffeine and I’ll tell you why. Lattes are made with espresso which is in turn made with coffee beans. And as you probably already know, coffee beans are caffeine-rich. However, the caffeine level of each type of coffee bean differs from the rest.
For example, a bean of Robusta coffee contains 10 milligrams of caffeine, an Arabica bean contains 6 milligrams of caffeine, and an excelsa contains 1.0 grams of caffeine in every 100 grams.
So, to determine the amount of caffeine in your cup of latte, you first need to know the type of coffee bean the espresso was brewed with and the caffeine level of that bean. But that’s merely the first step.
Another major factor determining the caffeine level of lattes is the number of espresso shots used. Find out what I mean below.
How The Number Of Espresso Shots Determine Lattes’ Caffeine Level
Many seasoned baristas and beverage experts speculated that a latte contains 128 milligrams of caffeine. But bear in mind that this is merely speculation. If you’re concerned about the level of caffeine in your latte, you need to know the number of espresso shots it’s made with.
Generally, cafés use either 1 or 2 shots of espresso and 8 to 15 ounces of steamed milk per latte, depending on how strong you want your latte to taste and the size of latte you’re buying.
Over at Starbucks, for instance, they use 2 shots of espresso per hot Venti latte which is considered to contain 150 milligrams of caffeine.
However, the standard caffeine content of a shot of espresso is 29-100 milligrams, depending on the type of coffee bean used. And since the milk component of a latte has no effect on caffeine level, it’s safe to conclude that a cup of latte made with 2 shots of espresso contains 58-200 milligrams of caffeine.
Now, unto the comparison phase…
Macchiato vs Latte; Which Has The Highest Caffeine Content
If you’ve ever compared the taste of a macchiato with that of a latte, you’d conclude that a macchiato tastes stronger while a latte tastes sweeter and creamier.
This may compel you to conclude that a macchiato is more caffeinated than a latte. But here’s the kicker; they both contain the same amount of caffeine.
As long as you use the same type of coffee bean and the same number of espresso shots for the two cups, you’ll get the same amount of caffeine in both.
They are only different in taste because they don’t share the same brewing process and milk-to-espresso ratio. Do you get it now?
In Conclusion
Caffeine is the ultimate power in every cup of coffee. It gives every coffee drinker a sense of alertness and wakefulness, enhancing productivity.
But an overdose intake of caffeine can cause health risks such as nausea, nervousness, and insomnia.
Hence, you need to know your latte’s caffeine content and be cautious of how many cups you take per day. And that’s why I have written this post.
You can also read this article to learn how to properly take care of your coffee makers so they can last longer.
