A University of Auckland School of Population Health survey has found caffeine may be doing more harm than good and many of us may be addicted.
The survey found one in five people exceed the recommended 400 milligram daily limit and an Auckland barista says not all coffee is considered equal.
“Our cafe flat white has 60-90 mg of coffee and your instant coffee has double that - a nice plug to support local cafe and enjoy your caffeine in lower levels in more social spaces,” Christy Tennent of Auckland’s Eighthirty coffee roasters said.
“Coffee is very much a big part of our culture in Aotearoa, we have a love affair and edge on the line of addiction - hopefully we're all moving to moderation,” she said.
While caffeine is also in energy drinks, some soft drinks and even tea, Ms Tennent says coffee is the best form of it.
“Coffee is one of your purest forms of enjoying your caffeine dose, with caffeine with energy drinks you're looking at a lot more sugar and additives.”
Eighty five per cent of those surveyed reported caffeine-related harm in the past year, like insomnia, dehydration, irritability or a desire for sugar.
“I guess it's knowing what your body copes with, most people cope with a couple of coffees a day, you get your sliding scale of people who like to push it out but you come back to moderation a lot, finding that happy middle ground,” Ms Tennent said.
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