How much caffeine is really in coffee ice cream? A dietitian answers your caffeine FAQs.
A little ice cream indulgence is sometimes exactly what you need after a savory dinner. Coffee ice cream can certainly satisfy a late-night ice cream craving, but if you’re having this frozen treat close to bedtime, you might be wondering if it’ll interfere with your sleep. Certainly, it begs the question: How much caffeine is really in coffee ice cream, and is it enough to keep you up at night?
Ultimately, it’s important to be mindful of your caffeine intake as a whole, and your personal sensitivity to caffeine.
How much caffeine should you have in a day?
Adults can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, which equates to roughly three cups of coffee, says Alissa Steinberg, a registered dietitian and founder of Healthy U. During pregnancy, it’s advised to limit daily caffeine consumption to 300 milligrams or less, she says.
“Caffeine adds up quickly if you're a coffee drinker,” says Steinberg. To put it in perspective: A single venti brewed coffee from Starbucks contains 410 milligrams of caffeine.
The FDA hasn’t released official guidelines for how much caffeine teens can safely consume, though the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages adolescents from having caffeine, per Michigan Medicine. The Dietary Guidelines for America 2020-2025 recommend children under the age of 2 should avoid having any caffeine.
Are some people more sensitive to caffeine?
It’s definitely possible for some people to be more sensitive to caffeine than others, and if you’re experiencing jitters, restlessness or a racing heartbeat after drinking a single espresso, you could very well have a caffeine sensitivity, per Healthline.
There’s a few factors at play as to why someone could be more sensitive to caffeine, but genetics likely play a large role, says Steinberg. Caffeine sensitivity could also increase during pregnancy (when metabolism slows), as you age and if you take certain medications (including some birth controls and antidepressants), she says.
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Does coffee ice cream have caffeine?
If you weren’t already aware, coffee ice cream does in fact contain small amounts of caffeine. A single serving of coffee ice cream could contain anywhere between 30 to 60 milligrams of caffeine, which is around a 1/3 cup of coffee, says Steinberg. However, there are some premium brands that carry coffee ice cream that contains more than 80 milligrams of caffeine — nearly the equivalent to a shot of espresso.
Generally, speaking, you shouldn’t be too worried about coffee ice cream keeping you awake at night if you’re someone who metabolizes caffeine well, or if you’re still within the daily recommended limit for caffeine consumption. However, if you’re someone with a caffeine sensitivity, or if you’ve maxed out your caffeine limit for the day, it’s definitely possible that adding coffee ice cream into the mix could interfere with your sleep.
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When should you stop having caffeine?
There are a couple of factors that’ll determine how long caffeine stays in your body, including genetics, age and pregnancy. For most adults, the half life of caffeine (aka, how long it takes for half of the caffeine to wear off) will last around five to six hours. In practice, if you have a latte at 3 p.m., this means half the amount of caffeine from the coffee is still circulating around your body by the time 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. rolls around, says Steinberg.
If you’re concerned about caffeine impacting your sleep, Steinberg recommends limiting caffeine consumption to six to eight hours before bedtime. If you’re aiming for lights off by 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., try cutting off caffeine at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Although if you’re particularly sensitive to caffeine, try cutting off caffeine by noon, Steinberg says.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Does coffee ice cream have caffeine?
