How much caffeine is in Cortado?
of caffeine
Source: public manufacturer data and USDA FoodData Central. Values are estimates, not exact or medical measurements.
- 79 mg of caffeine per 90 ml (3 fl oz) serving.
- About 0.8 cups of brewed coffee, and 20% of the FDA's 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults.
- After 6 hours roughly 38 mg is still in your system; after 12 hours about 18 mg.
- To stay under the 100 mg many people notice at bedtime, finish it about 0 h before sleep.
Cortado delivers about 79 mg of caffeine per 90 ml (3 fl oz) serving, the equivalent of roughly 0.8 cups of brewed coffee (a 240 ml cup is about 96 mg). That is about 17 mg less caffeine than a standard cup of coffee.
How long Cortado stays in your system
Caffeine leaves the body through first-order elimination with a population-average half-life of about 5.7 hours. Starting from 79 mg, roughly 55 mg is left after 3 hours, about 38 mg after 6 hours, and around 18 mg after 12 hours. Your personal rate varies — smoking speeds it up, pregnancy and some medications slow it down — which is why the calculator below lets you set your own half-life and bedtime.
Cortado and your daily limit
For most healthy adults the FDA points to about 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects. One serving of Cortado is 20% of that ceiling. Pregnant people are usually advised to stay under about 200 mg a day, and the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine for children and adolescents. This is general guidance, not medical advice. The easiest way to stay under your own limit is to log every drink — CoffeeLog adds up your real daily total automatically.
How long it stays in your system
Starting from one serving, here is roughly how much caffeine is left as the hours pass (population-average half-life of 5.7 hours).
| Time | Caffeine left | % left |
|---|---|---|
| At serving | 79 mg | 100% |
| After 1 h | 70 mg | 89% |
| After 3 h | 55 mg | 70% |
| After 6 h | 38 mg | 48% |
| After 9 h | 26 mg | 33% |
| After 12 h | 18 mg | 23% |
Your personal caffeine curve
Estimates for general information, not medical advice.
How it compares
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Cortado | 90 ml | 79 mg |
| Flat white | 160 ml | 130 mg |
| Espresso (double) | 60 ml | 126 mg |
| Americano | 240 ml | 126 mg |
| Latte (large, 2 shots) | 350 ml | 126 mg |
| Mocha | 240 ml | 95 mg |
| Latte | 240 ml | 68 mg |
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine is in Cortado?
Cortado contains about 79 mg of caffeine per 90 ml (3 fl oz) serving. Values are public-source estimates, not exact measurements.
Is 79 mg of caffeine a lot?
It is about 0.8 cups of brewed coffee. The FDA considers up to 400 mg per day safe for most healthy adults, so this is a moderate single dose.
How long does the caffeine in Cortado stay in your system?
Caffeine has a half-life of about 5.7 hours, so roughly 55 mg of the original 79 mg remains after 3 hours and about 18 mg after 12 hours. The calculator above shows your personal curve.
Will Cortado keep you awake?
It can if you have it late. From 79 mg it takes roughly 0 hours to fall below the 100 mg level many people notice at bedtime. Finish it well before sleep, or use the cutoff above.
Track this automatically with CoffeeLog
Log any drink in one tap, watch caffeine fade in real time on your home screen, and get a nudge before it touches your sleep — the same engine that powers this page.
Related
TrackCaffeine provides general reference information about caffeine. It is not medical advice. Caffeine values are public-source estimates, not exact measurements.