If you love coffee but want to cut down on caffeine, you’re not alone. Many people look for coffee with the least caffeine, whether for health reasons, to improve sleep, or simply to reduce their caffeine intake.
Coffee is the most popular and widely consumed beverage in every society. It typically contains a high level of caffeine. While caffeine offers some benefits, consuming too much can lead to certain health issues.
Here, I explain how various coffee flavors contain caffeine and how we can reduce the caffeine content.
Which Coffee has the least Caffeine?
If you want to avoid caffeine completely, simply skip your coffee. However, you can cut back by choosing decaf coffee.
Different coffee flavors vary in caffeine content. Additionally, it depends on the type of coffee beans and the roasting level.
| Coffee Type | Flavor Profile | Typical Cup Size | Approximately Caffeine | Caffeine Level |
| Decaf Coffee | Mild, smooth, slightly muted | 8 oz (240 ml) | 2–5 mg | Lowest |
| Half-Caff Coffee | Balanced, less intense | 8 oz | 40–60 mg | Very Low |
| Single Espresso | Strong, rich, bold | 1–2 oz | 60–70 mg | Low |
| Espresso Macchiato | Bold with slight milk sweetness | 2–3 oz | 60–80 mg | Low |
| Cortado / Gibraltar | Balanced, creamy, smooth | 4 oz | 60–90 mg | Low |
| Flat White (single shot) | Velvety, creamy | 10–12 oz | 60–80 mg | Low |
| Cappuccino (single shot) | Light, airy, milky | 12 oz | 60–80 mg | Low |
| Latte (single shot) | Mild, milky, smooth | 12 oz | 60–80 mg | Low |
| Instant Coffee | Light, slightly bitter | 8 oz | 30–90 mg | Low–Medium |
| Iced Coffee | Refreshing, clean | 12 oz | 80–150 mg | Medium |
| Drip / Brewed Coffee | Full-bodied, aromatic | 12 oz | 120–200 mg | High |
| French Press | Rich, heavy mouthfeel | 12 oz | 130–200 mg | High |
| Cold Brew Coffee | Smooth, low acidity | 12 oz | 150–300 mg | Very High |
| Cold Brew Concentrate | Very strong, intense | 12 oz (undiluted) | 250–350+ mg | Highest |
Decaf Coffee Caffeine
You can opt for decaf coffee to significantly reduce the caffeine content. A cup of decaf coffee contains around 3 to 5 mg of caffeine. Decaf coffee is the process of removing all the caffeine from coffee beans. This process removes most of the caffeine.
However, a decaf coffee still gives the most amazing taste and texture.
How much caffeine is in an iced coffee?
Espresso Caffeine
No flavor can beat the taste and aroma of espresso. Espresso is a small, full-bodied coffee flavor. It is used as the base for various flavors.
A 2-oz espresso shot contains about 63 mg of caffeine.
Brewed coffee Caffeine
Brewed coffee is usually served in larger cups, which means it contains more caffeine. It uses more water, extracting additional caffeine from the grounds.
An 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee has 90 to 100 mg of caffeine.
Macchiato Caffeine
Any flavor that uses a single shot of espresso has less caffeine. A macchiato includes one espresso shot and a small amount of milk, containing 60 to 70 mg of caffeine.
Latte Caffeine
This drink is high volume of milk with a single or double shot of espresso.
With two shots of espresso, a latte contains around 120 to 130 mg of caffeine.
Instant coffee caffeine
Compared to brewed coffee, instant coffee typically has less caffeine. It varies depending on the brand; some brands contain more caffeine, while others have less. However, always check the caffeine content listed on the wrapper before using.
A single cup of instant coffee may contain around 60 to 90 mg of caffeine.
Cappuccino caffeine
One of the most popular and loved flavors is cappuccino, which typically contains a single shot of espresso.
So one cup of cappuccino has 63 mg of caffeine.
Cold brew coffee caffeine
Cold brew coffee is usually smoother and less acidic than hot coffee, but many people are surprised to find out that cold brew generally has more caffeine.
It is one of the highest-caffeine drinks available due to its unique brewing process. Cold brew involves soaking ground coffee for 12 to 24 hours, which extracts a large amount of caffeine.
A cup of cold brew has 250 to 300 mg of caffeine.
How many shots of espresso are good in a latte?
Iced coffee caffeine
An iced coffee has less caffeine than cold brew, but it still contains more caffeine than hot coffee varieties.
A single cup of iced coffee has around 90 to 140 mg of caffeine.
How to reduce caffeine in coffee?
If you love coffee but want to cut down on caffeine, there are certain ways to reduce caffeine in your coffee cup.
Small adjustments can greatly decrease the caffeine content, such as choosing the right coffee beans, brewing method, and serving size.
Choose decaf coffee beans
One simple way is to choose decaf coffee beans, which contain almost no caffeine. Also, decaf coffee still provides the taste and aroma.
Choose the right coffee beans
Arabica coffee contains less caffeine than Robusta and liberica. Arabica tastes smoother and less intense.
Also, make sure to avoid extra-strong or high caffeine labelled coffee beans.
Dark roast is better than light
When you pick the coffee beans, you should prefer dark roast since it contains less caffeine than light roast.
Light-roasted coffee beans are denser and contain more caffeine.
Also, dark roast tastes milder and less acidic.
Use coarse grind
Instead of adding fine grind, which extracts more caffeine, use coarse grind. The coarse grind naturally adds less caffeine.
So, next you want less caffeine in your coffee, pick Arabica coarse grind coffee.
Add less ground coffee
Another way you can reduce caffeine is by adding one tablespoon instead of two. However, it will decrease the intensity of your drink but can reduce the caffeine.
Make a smaller cup size
You can just use a smaller cup to reduce extra caffeine. When making coffee, opt for a 6-oz cup instead of 8 or 12 oz.
This method greatly reduces craving without much caffeine intake.
In other words, choose quality over quantity.
Can you add vanilla extracts to coffee?
Final thoughts: Which flavor has the least caffeine?
Clearly, espresso is the superior choice for reducing high caffeine consumption. A single cup of espresso, and add some milk if you want a creamy and sweet drink.
Also, you can make a Ristretto (the small shot of espresso) to get less caffeine.
Since Espresso is strong per ounce, but the serving is tiny.
Similarly, for colder options, make iced coffee instead of brewing cold brew.