What’s the Buzz About Natural Caffeine?

Posted: March 3, 2025 | By: Shanon Peckham

“Humans are literally starved for energy, they crave energy, they need energy, and they know they must have more energy to function in their trade or profession and to participate in life itself. …Everybody wants energy.” – Dr. Wallach, “Energy Crisis”

Caffeine can be a fickle friend. On one hand, improved energy, focus, and athletic performance are a big advantage in a busy world; on the flip side, anxiety, heart palpitations, and insomnia can damage your health and quality of life.¹ Some people can drink multiple energy drinks per day, no problem, while others get jitters from just one cup of tea. That being said, around 90% of Americans enjoy a caffeine boost every day²^,3 – we bet you’re sipping a cup of tea or coffee right now as you read this! Whether it’s a tasty 1,000-calorie drink from your local café or just a quick energy shot to get you through the day, caffeine has become an important part of our diets and our culture.

With all kinds of caffeinated drinks, snacks, and supplements available in 2025, we wanted to take some time to address which types of caffeine we recommend and some potential concerns to watch out for when trying new products.

What to Avoid

How much caffeine is TOO much?

Before trying something for the first time, make sure it contains the right amount of caffeine for YOU. For most adults, the safe daily limit is 400 mg of caffeine;⁴ take too much more than that and you may start to experience unpleasant symptoms. Everyone has their own unique threshold, so it’s best to play it safe and stay under the recommended limit if you’re unsure. Caffeine and added sugar can also be especially harmful to children and teens,⁴ so you may want to choose high-protein snacks, caffeine-free electrolyte drinks, and organic fruit juices instead to help energize your kids. If you’re sensitive to caffeine or have any health conditions, definitely make sure to check in with your doctor to discuss safe options.

Today, the most caffeinated energy drinks and shots typically contain up to 200-300 mg of caffeine,^4,5,6 which is about twice the caffeine in your average cup of coffee (and a lot closer to the safe daily limit), but even higher numbers are seen from time to time – often followed by an unpleasant headline. Accidental caffeine overdose was a real problem back in the 2010s;⁴ some energy drinks reportedly contained up to 570 mg of caffeine, or 14 cups of coffee worth of caffeine,⁷ while concentrated caffeine powder (often sold in bulk) could contain up to 28 cups of coffee worth of caffeine.⁸ Ask any millennial about Four Loko, a caffeinated alcoholic drink; they’ll have stories for you.

Always Read the Label

Unfortunately, the dangers of ultra-caffeinated drinks persist today. As recent as May 2024, Panera had to stop selling its Charged Lemonades following two lawsuits that alleged the caffeine content (as much as 390 mg for a 30 oz drink) had killed several people.⁹ While the FDA does what it can to regulate caffeinated products and warn brands that are pushing the limits, it doesn’t regulate caffeine use in all items (including supplements).^4,10 This contributes to a lack of standardization in labeling, measurements, and drink sizes, which means customers are on the hook for figuring out how much caffeine something contains. You can see where that would be problematic and confusing! The point is, just because everyone’s buying it or it’s in a regular-sized bottle doesn’t make it safe by default. When it comes to new and exciting energy products, always read the label. If there is no label or caffeine measurement (theme park drinks, restaurants, etc), we recommend tasting a small amount first to see how you feel.

A Note on Synthetic Caffeine

There’s far less at stake when it comes to caffeine type, but it still may make a difference when it comes to health benefits and your overall experience. Synthetic caffeine is more likely to be found in energy drinks, sodas, energy-enhanced candies, and non-edible products (like makeup). While the extra sugars, dyes, and other additives in these drinks are a bigger threat to your health, there has been some research to suggest synthetic caffeine can absorb and wear off faster. This may intensify the manifestation of unpleasant side effects and slightly shorten the energy high. Synthetic caffeine on its own also lacks some of the nutritional benefits you would get from coffee, for example, in our opinion making natural sources of caffeine a better choice for supporting both health and energy.^11,12

Natural Caffeines to try

Coffee

Our delicious coffee drinks start out as coffee cherries, which are harvested, shelled (now green coffee beans), roasted, ground up, and filtered for us to enjoy. Nutritionally speaking, coffee is a great source of vitamin B, magnesium, antioxidants, and other compounds known to support good health.¹³ Among improved energy and cognitive performance, there are many other lesser-known health benefits we can gain from a daily cup of joe. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, coffee has been studied to improve longevity, support a healthier metabolism/heart/liver/brain, protect your DNA, and reduce your risk of developing a wide variety of chronic diseases.¹⁴ Additional studies have also linked coffee to better mood and mental health,¹⁵ which explains why so many of us rely on it every day!

Depending on the type of coffee you choose, how you brew it, and how much you drink, the benefits and caffeine in your cup of coffee can vary quite a bit. Avoiding added fats, sugars, and synthetic add-ins will give you the purest, healthiest cup of coffee. As far as caffeine content goes, you can expect anywhere from 50-200 mg, with espresso and grocery store coffee on the lower end, specialty drinks and cold brews on the higher end.^4,5,6 Generally speaking, you can expect to have about 100 mg of caffeine in your average cup, so plan accordingly.

Tea

Note: Herbal tea contains zero caffeine and is derived from different herbs/plants than caffeinated tea (examples: Chamomile, Echinacea, Turmeric). We’re not going to discuss it in this section, but if you want to explore the benefits of your favorite herbal tea, we recommend researching the ingredient/s!

Tea is reportedly more popular than coffee, probably because it offers a wide variety of flavor profiles, potential health benefits, and caffeine concentrations to choose from for fairly cheap.¹⁷ Though much of the flavor variety can be attributed to where the tea leaves themselves were grown, many tea makers also combine the tea leaves with add-ins like dried fruit, flowers, chocolate, spices, herbs, and more to create new flavors. Minus the potential benefits of these other add-ins, caffeinated tea in general provides health benefits based on its high antioxidant content.¹⁷ Antioxidants help protect our bodies at the cellular level from oxidative stress and free radical damage, preventing premature aging and keeping our systems running smoothly.¹⁸ A daily cup of tea is perfect for supporting healthy energy levels, longevity, and a healthy inflammatory response. You can also enjoy the same cognition and mood boost you would with coffee, thanks to tea’s L-theanine content!^19,20,21

When it comes to caffeine content, the “color” of the tea can make a big difference. From most to least caffeinated, the order is usually: Black Tea (45 mg), Oolong Tea (30 mg), Green Tea (20 mg), then White Tea (15 mg).^22,23,24 Matcha, which is technically green tea grown and processed separately, is the outlier in this arrangement, typically containing more caffeine content than regular green tea (35-70 mg).^22,25 Yerba Mate also tends to be on the higher side, at about 85 mg of caffeine per cup.²² But take those estimates with a grain of salt – it all depends how much tea is in your bag or filter, how long you brew it, and how hot it is. The longer you brew, the more caffeine you can expect.²⁶ When in doubt, check the packaging or ask the company/manufacturer for specifics; tea makers will often detail how much time to brew for each blend on the packaging, so look closely.

Guarana

Guarana is a natural stimulant derived from seeds of the Brazilian cocoa plant. The seeds are processed similarly to coffee beans; once in powder form, it can be used in pretty much anything. Its main claim to fame lies in its bioactive compounds, including various phenols, alkaloids, and caffeine. Thanks to these, you can enjoy an energy boost alongside antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative benefits.^27,28 Guarana may also help you manage/lose weight, fight insulin resistance, speed up your body’s natural wound-healing process, and prevent heart disease by fighting inflammation.^29,30,31,32

Before you grab some guarana powder for yourself to try in your favorite smoothies and snacks, keep in mind that it contains more caffeine than coffee. While it can be tricky to estimate the exact amount of caffeine in guarana-enhanced drinks, you can do some math if you really want to figure it out! According to several studies, guarana seeds contain about 2-8% caffeine compared to coffee’s 1-3%, so plan accordingly when you’re DIYing.^33,34 If you’re buying a beverage that contains guarana, you can check the nutrition facts panel to see if it lists the amount of total caffeine; when in doubt, give the company a call or take your drink slow to see how it compares to your usual.

Cocoa

Cocoa is more than just a toasty seasonal beverage we enjoy during the cold winter months and holiday season – it’s also a great source of caffeine! Whether in chocolate bar or powder form, cocoa is a great source of antioxidants and minerals, which can support our health in various ways. It has been studied to help fight cognitive decline, chronic diseases, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. It may also balance your immune system, boost exercise performance, strength your cognitive function, and reduce stress!³⁵ For maximum benefits, leave out as much added milk, fat, and sugar as possible (example: choose 70% or higher cocoa content).^35,36,37,38

If you need two cold brews to wake you up in the morning, cocoa drinks and snacks may not be for you, but if you’re on the more sensitive side when it comes to caffeine, cocoa will be your most delicious friend. The rule for chocolate is: the more pure cocoa, the more caffeine. In general, you can expect about 13-25 mg of caffeine per ounce in your cocoa-concentrated chocolates and cocoa powder, but be warned – chocolate covered coffee beans contain a much as 336 mg per ounce! We recommend adding a scoop of cocoa powder and a little honey/stevia to a decaf double shot of espresso (or regular espresso for those who are less sensitive); trust us, it’s delicious and will give you the boost you’re looking for.^39,40,41