Is 3 shots of espresso safe?

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Espresso is a small yet very intense drink. It’s easier for the coffee lover to get carried away and drink more espresso than recommended. Drinking too much espresso means that you’re consuming more than the recommended amount of caffeine which is bad for your health.

Feeling jittery after drinking a cup of coffee is the most common symptom of consuming too much caffeine.

Different people react to caffeine differently. Some people can easily drink an entire pot of black coffee, and others start feeling jittery even after drinking a single cup of tea.

However, there is a limit, and after that, only one more espresso shot could be your last. In this article, we’ll answer how many shots of espresso is too much and how many shots of espresso can kill you.

How Many Espresso Shots is Too Much?

To get the benefits of coffee and avoid the side effects of caffeine, health experts recommend drinking at most four cups of coffee or six espresso shots per day. You should not consume more coffee or espresso shots than that as it can lead to health problems, including heart issues.

According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), you should not consume more than 400 milligrams of caffeine daily. Drinking 4 – 5 cups will provide you with 400 milligrams of caffeine.

It means you can drink 5 – 6 espresso shots or 4 -5 cups of coffee, and you won’t be consuming more than the recommended amount of caffeine a day.

If you order one coffee cup with four shots of espresso, it’ll provide you with just over half of the recommended daily caffeine content.

How Many Shots of Espresso Can be Lethal?

Depending upon your body, drinking 52 – 105 cups of coffee or 76 – 156 shots of espresso in a single day can potentially kill you.

Among coffee lovers, a severe caffeine overdose is a rare occurrence. That’s because it’s not possible to drink that many espresso shots or cups of coffee in a single day.

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How Much Caffeine Does a Single Shot of Espresso Offer?

Typically, a single shot of espresso offers about 60 to 70 milligrams of caffeine; however, it’s not a rule. You may find definitive information on how much caffeine a single shot of espresso offers but things don’t work this way.

That’s because all coffee shops don’t prepare their espresso shots in the same way. They use different preparation methods, using other beans to prepare espresso shots.

For example, the caffeine content differs significantly between Robusta and Arabica coffee beans. Some coffee shops prefer one type of beans to make their espresso shots.

Better yet, if you start taking into account the ideal extraction time, shot volume, and roast, then things get even more complex and ambiguous. Generally, one shot of super aromatic espresso offers 68 milligrams of caffeine, and one shot of ristretto provides 63 milligrams of caffeine.

Read next: Does McDonald’s Have Espresso?

Are There Any Health Benefits of Drinking Espresso?

Drinking espresso in a moderate amount is good for your body. Like sesame and flax seeds, coffee beans are loaded with vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. Unlike other methods, espresso coffees get the most out of the beneficial properties of coffee beans.

If you want to enjoy the health benefits of coffee, do not drink more than two cups of coffee in a day. The following are some health benefits of drinking espresso shots.

Offers Happier Tummy

Drinking espresso after a meal can benefit your tummy. If you’re not allergic to coffee, drinking a shot of espresso will help you with tummy discomfort and bloating, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Lower the Risk of Heart Problems

Espresso is loaded with antioxidants that keep cholesterol molecules from clogging the heart arteries. However, if you drink too much espresso, it can be bad for your heart health.

Lowers the Risk of Cancer

The antioxidants of espresso retake the stage in lowering the risk of cancer. They keep free radicals from attacking cells of your body and help prevent the development of skin, liver, pancreas, and colon cancers.

Lowers the Risk of Diabetes

There are some compounds present in espresso that can help many people by improving insulin sensitivity. It allows the body to deal better with sugar molecules.

Almost all the health problems related to espresso are caused by caffeine toxicity. It’s a caffeine buildup in your body that can lead to many health problems.

It only happens if you consume more than the recommended amount of caffeine a day. The following are some common caffeine-related problems if you drink too many espresso shots.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is the inability of your body to process something that you consume. In the case of espresso, diarrhea happens when you drink more than four cups of coffee a day, and your body fails to process the excessive amount of caffeine.

The same can also happen if you consume too many energy drinks within a single day. The best way to deal with this diarrhea problem is to minimize caffeine consumption.

Dizziness

Feeling dizzy is one of the most prevalent side effects of consuming too much espresso. It’s best to slow down if you feel unbalanced or lightheaded while drinking coffee.

Anxiety

Too much caffeine consumption can also lead to anxiety. People usually experience it after drinking too much coffee.

Heart Problems

As mentioned earlier, drinking too much coffee can also lead to heart problems. It can cause irregular heartbeats, and in the worst cases, it can also lead to heart attack or even failure.

FAQs

Is Espresso Healthier than Coffee?

Generally speaking, espresso and coffee are made from the same beans of coffee. The preparation method is the only difference between the two as coffee is brewed with boiled water, and espresso is brewed under pressure.

The water used for coffee is often boiled for a long time. So technically, the two types are not different in terms of risks or health benefits.

How Much Caffeine Does One Shot of Espresso Offer?

As mentioned, it’s hard to answer a straightforward answer to this question. But generally, a single shot of espresso offers 60 milligrams of caffeine, considering it’s made with arabica beans and weighs 25 milliliters.

But if you drink a 30-milliliter espresso shot or use coffee beans with high caffeine content, such as Robusta, your single shot of espresso will offer a higher amount of caffeine.

Are 8 Single Espresso Shots Too Much?

You should not drink more than six shots of espresso in a day. One ounce of espresso, which is equivalent to one shot, offers about 68 milligrams of caffeine and the FDA reports say that in healthy conditions, consuming 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is safe.

How Many Shots of Espresso Is Too Much?

According to the FDA recommendations, you should not drink more than 5 to 6 shots of espresso (containing more than 400 milligrams of caffeine) in a day because more caffeine than that can have negative impacts on your health. However, It’ll take about 52 – 105 cups of coffee or 76 – 156 shots of espresso to kill you potentially.

Are 4 Shots of Espresso Too Much?

If one espresso shot contains 68 milligrams of caffeine, then four shots of espresso aren’t too much. That’s because the total amount of caffeine that four shots of espresso offer are less than what the FDA recommends.

Is 7 Shots of Espresso Too Much?

Yes, seven caffeine shots is too much because the total amount of caffeine you’ll consume will be more than 400 milligrams. It is way more than what the FDA recommends, and it can negatively affect your body.

How Many Shots of Espresso Is Toxic?

Health experts suggest that consuming more than 5 to 6 shots of espresso a day can cause health issues, including panic attacks, insomnia, and even heart problems. Additionally, drinking 76 to 156 shots of espresso a day can potentially kill you. 

Final Words

You’ll need to drink more than 50 cups or 100 shots of espresso to consume the lethal dose of caffeine. However, you don’t need to finish that much caffeine to experience adverse health effects.

While caffeine overdose is not common, you shouldn’t drink espresso or coffee more than what health experts recommend. This way, you’ll enjoy not only the delicious taste of espresso but also the benefits it brings to the table.

Mark

G'day from Australia! I'm Mark, the Chief Editor of Portafilter. I'm super passionate about everything coffee-related and love to spend endless hours mastering pulling the perfect shot on my Breville Barista Express. Follow on: Linkedin and Facebook.

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