True amount of caffeine in festive drinks - with one being same as six coffee's

14 December 2023 , 16:15

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One popular festive drink has been found to contain the equivalent of six instant cups of coffee (Image: Getty Images)

As many coffee shops take part in offering festive-themed drinks on the run-up to Christmas, it can be tempting to sip a Christmassy-themed drink - but there are some that have a staggering amount of caffeine.

Many people will reach for their morning coffee each day for a caffeine hit, but a recent study has found that one popular festive drink has the equivalent of six cups of coffee in one drink.

Your favourite festive drink could be wreaking havoc on your sleep, as the staggering amount of caffeine in these drinks is way more than what we'd usually consume.

Research conducted by sleep experts at MattressNextDay, revealed the caffeine content in every Christmas-themed coffee currently being sold by Pret, Costa, McDonald's, Greggs, and Starbucks. They found that Pret's Gingerbread Latte and Salted Caramel Latte both contain 360mg of caffeine per serving, which is the equivalent of six instant coffees.

Studies from the BBC show that 400mg of caffeine is the maximum that should be consumed daily - and that any more may impact your ability to fall asleep, reduce your sleep time, or even reduce the quality of your sleep. The experts worked out: "If you were to have a Pret coffee and then an average-sized bar of dark chocolate (70mg), this would take you over the daily limit and, therefore, negatively impact your sleep that night."

Greggs, Costa & Pret coffees have 'huge differences in caffeine', says report

Other drinks on the "naughty list" include Costa's Sticky Toffee Latte, Roasted Hazelnut Latte, and Gingerbread Latte which all are the equivalent of three and a half cups of instant coffee (200mg). In third was McDonald's Caramel Waffle and Toffee Nut Latte which all equated to two and a half cups of instant coffee (153mg).

Greggs Orange Mocha, Mint Mocha, Vanilla Latte, and Salted Caramel Latte were all found to also be the same as two and a half cups of instant coffee(150mg). The experts stated: "It takes a minimum of eight hours to metabolise just half of anything you consume, so if you buy a festive coffee from Pret, Costa, McDonald's or Greggs, make sure it's not within this timeframe. For example, if you typically go to bed at 10pm, make sure to drink your last (or first) coffee at 2pm at the latest."

However it's not all bad, and there is also a "nice list" of coffees with a lower caffeine amount. Starbucks came in at the lowest caffeine amount with their Toffee Nut, Gingerbread, Caramel Waffle, Chocolatey Gingerbread, and Eggnog Latte all equating to just one cup of coffee (66.2mg) and their Frappuccino versions being even lower at half a cup of coffee (32.7mg). Caffe Nero came in at second lowest, with their Florentine Mocha and Panettone Latte both comparing to two cups of coffee (120mg).

Niamh Kirk