How much coffee per day? EFSA limits, cup by cup
The short answer
For a healthy adult, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) considers up to 400 mg of caffeine a day safe, or about 4 filter coffees or 5 espressos, and no more than 200 mg in a single sitting. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the limit drops to 200 mg a day, or 2 cups. And in the evening, 100 mg is enough to disturb some people’s sleep.
How much caffeine is in your cup
| Drink or food | Amount | Caffeine | Share of the 400 mg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filter coffee | 200 ml | 90 mg | 23% |
| Espresso | 60 ml | 80 mg | 20% |
| Energy drink | 250 ml | 80 mg | 20% |
| Black tea | 220 ml | 50 mg | 13% |
| Cola | 355 ml | 40 mg | 10% |
| Dark chocolate | 50 g | 25 mg | 6% |
| Milk chocolate | 50 g | 10 mg | 3% |
Watch out for the sources people forget: one Waterdrop Microenergy cube contains 90 mg of caffeine, as much as a filter coffee, and two capsules of the Miniweight fat burner up to 115 mg, as we noted in our reviews of Waterdrop and Miniweight. They add up with the cups you drink.
EFSA’s limits, profile by profile
| Profile | Limit considered safe | In filter coffees |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy adult, over the day | 400 mg | about 4 |
| Adult, in a single sitting | 200 mg | about 2 |
| Pregnant or breastfeeding woman | 200 mg | about 2 |
| Child or teenager | 3 mg per kilo of body weight | 90 mg for 30 kg, or one coffee |
For children, the limit is calculated by weight: 3 mg per kilo, or 90 mg for a 30 kg child. Two cans of cola and 50 g of dark chocolate already provide 105 mg.
Sleep, the real evening limit
According to EFSA, 100 mg of caffeine can affect the length and quality of sleep in some adults, especially when taken close to bedtime. That is one filter coffee or one and a half espressos. If you sleep badly, bring your last cup forward rather than cutting the total. The other dietary levers are in our guide to food and sleep.
What about exercise?
EFSA states that 200 mg of caffeine, or about 3 mg per kilo, raises no safety concern when taken less than two hours before intense exercise. The real risk comes from stacking: coffee, an energy drink and a « pre-workout » supplement on the same day.
A typical day
Two espressos in the morning (160 mg), two teas in the afternoon (100 mg), a can of cola (40 mg) and 50 g of dark chocolate (25 mg): 325 mg, under the 400 mg limit for an adult, but above the 200 mg limit for a pregnant woman. For pregnancy, see also our guide to eating during pregnancy.
Frequently asked questions
How many coffees a day at most?
About 4 filter coffees or 5 espressos for a healthy adult, or 400 mg of caffeine according to EFSA, and no more than 200 mg at once.
How much coffee during pregnancy?
200 mg of caffeine a day at most, from all sources combined, or about two cups. The same limit applies while breastfeeding.
How much caffeine is in an espresso?
About 80 mg for 60 ml according to EFSA, against 90 mg for a 200 ml filter coffee.
Does tea contain caffeine?
Yes: about 50 mg for a 220 ml cup of black tea, a little over half of a filter coffee.
What time should you stop drinking coffee?
EFSA notes that 100 mg taken close to bedtime can disturb sleep. If you sleep badly, the simplest thing is to stop in the early afternoon.
Other quantity guidelines
how many seeds per day, how many almonds per day, how much sugar per day, how much red meat per week, how much fish per week, how much cheese per day, how many walnuts per day, how many eggs per day, how many bananas per day, how much water to drink per day, how much dark chocolate per day, how much rice per person, how much pasta per person.
Our sources
- EFSA, Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine, 27 May 2015, and EFSA’s « Caffeine » summary page.
- Our readings of the official Waterdrop and Miniweight pages, 24/09/2026.
