This online Caffeine Calculator is designed to estimate your daily caffeine intake and relate it to a safe consumption level. Using the product drop-down menu, you can choose a product containing caffeine and then specify the quantity of that product. If several types of products containing caffeine were consumed during the day you can click the “+” symbol on the right hand side to get additional item lines. You can also click the “–” symbol to delete the redundant lines. Then select your consumer category and click the ‘Calculate’ button to get the result.
Know Your Daily Caffeine Intake
Caffeine is known to be a mild central nervous system stimulant that quickly increases our alertness and energy levels. It is found naturally in more than 60 plants including tea leaves, the fruits, leaves and beans of coffee, cocoa and guarana. Caffeine, natural or synthetic, is also added to various drinks and supplements.
Caffeine has many effects on your health. It stimulates your central nervous system, which can help you feel more alert and give you an energy boost. It can increase your blood pressure and can also interfere with the absorption of calcium in the body. It is a diuretic, which means that it helps your body get rid of excess salt and water by urinating more, but it also increases acid production in the stomach, which sometimes leads to upset stomach or heartburn.
Therefore, if you consume too much caffeine, it can cause health problems such as: anxiety, restlessness and tremors, insomnia, headaches or dizziness, rapid heart rate, dehydration, and addiction as in the case of a drug.
Also keep in mind that some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others.
Caffeine toxicity has been observed when taking 1.2 grams or more in a single dose. Consuming 10-14 grams at a time is considered fatal.
Particular caution should be exercised by pregnant or breastfeeding women, those who suffer from sleep disorders, headaches and anxiety. This is especially true for people with high blood pressure, those who suffer from cardiac arrhythmia and those who have ulcers or GERD.
If you are taking medications, consult your doctor about possible interactions between caffeine and these medications. Also, if possible, try to avoid caffeine in children.
From all of the above it becomes clear that it is important to know the maximum amount of caffeine you can consume on average per day without harming your health.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers 400 milligrams a safe amount of caffeine for healthy adults to consume daily. However, pregnant women, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, should limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg a day.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children under age 12 should not consume any food or beverages with caffeine. For teenagers 12 years and older, caffeine intake should be limited to no more than 100 mg daily.
To calculate your average daily caffeine intake, you need to know the approximate caffeine content of the foods you consume. The following table shows these data for some of the most commonly consumed foods used in our online Caffeine Calculator.
It is important to emphasize that these figures are only approximate. The caffeine content of individual products may vary considerably. Therefore, these results should only be taken as a rough estimate.
In any case, it is advisable to limit consumption of caffeine-containing products before caffeine intake approaches the safety level. This is especially true for the populations mentioned above and for people with health problems. A consultation with a doctor is highly recommended for them.
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Disclaimer. Please remember that this calculator is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or healthcare provider. Please consult your doctor for advice about your specific medical condition.