So many people steer away from espresso drinks because of the high caffeine count, but in reality espresso drinks have far less caffeine than their distant cousins, drip coffee. No matter your brand, if you order a drip instead of an espresso-based drink to save money at a coffee shop, you may be significantly upping your caffeine. It all boils down to this: The longer the bean, the grounds, sit in the water, the higher the intensity of caffeine.

So let’s do the math: coffee, soda, iced tea, a power drink and voila: You are up in the caffeine stratosphere. Now let’s backpedal a little: I am all about espresso and take it in double or triple shots. I do not use milk or sugar, and the few times I order a regular cup of coffee, I can feel it: The sensation is quite different: You get a real jolt of caffeine.

Those who smugly say they are out of the woods with their decaf lifestyle may be surprised to know that decaf means less caffeine, not no caffeine. If you’re worried how much you ingest, then go the self-testing route and purchase strips (D+Caf Test Strips). I think restaurants should supply those to allay the ongoing annoying question, are you sure it’s decaf? Would you like a strip with that, ma’am!

Deciding how much caffeine you can handle is, of course, a personal decision. If you want to cut back, go the espresso route, limit the teas, and skip the monster drinks. After all, studies keep coming out and supporting the beneficial side of caffeine.

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