How Much Do You Know About Caffeine?

That’s true! Caffeine is a type of drug called a stimulant. That means it speeds up your brain and other parts of your central nervous system.

D. All of the above have caffeine, even decaf coffee! A dark chocolate bar has about 30 mg of caffeine. A grande iced black tea from Starbucks contains you about 25 mg. And an 8-oz. cup of decaf coffee can have anywhere from 2 mg to 15 mg.  

A. A group of doctors called the American Academy of Pediatrics says those aged 12-18 should limit their daily caffeine intake to 100 mg. What does that mean? It means you can safely have the amount of caffeine that’s in about one iced coffee drink, a couple of cups of tea, or two to three cans of soda. It also means that some energy drinks are well over that safe daily limit. 

This is true—well, in one specific fruit. The guarana is a plant found in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Its berries are about the size of a coffee bean and contain about 4 to 6 times as much caffeine. Guarana is used as an ingredient in some energy drinks, like Monster Energy and Rockstar Energy.

D. Experts say it can take up to 10 hours for caffeine to fully leave your system. The strongest effects are often felt in the first 6 hours. Keep this in mind if you’re having an energy drink after school. Even then, it could affect your ability to fall asleep later that day.