PauseCafé › Caffeine content › Decaf
Does decaf really contain caffeine?
2 to 15 mg
For a 240 ml cup, according to the FDA. Decaffeinated never means caffeine-free: European rules allow up to 0.1 % residual caffeine in roasted coffee. PauseCafé uses 5 mg.
Why the figures vary
Three things determine what remains.
The decaffeination process. Water, supercritical CO₂ or solvent — all remove between 96 and 99 % of the caffeine. None reaches 100 %: extracting the last molecule would wreck the taste.
The starting coffee. A robusta decaffeinated to 97 % keeps more residual caffeine than an arabica at the same rate, simply because it held twice as much to begin with.
The cup size. A long decaf in a large mug can reach 15 mg where a decaf espresso holds 3. The ratio is the same as for regular coffee.
By format
| Size | Volume | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Decaf espresso | 30 ml | 3 mg |
| Cup of decaf filter | 240 ml | 5 mg |
| Large decaf mug | 350 ml | 7 mg |
| Instant decaf | 240 ml | 3 mg |
| Decaf green tea | 240 ml | 5 mg |
Values from the PauseCafé app, consistent with the 2 to 15 mg range the FDA cites for a 237 ml cup. European rules cap residual caffeine at 0.1 % in roasted coffee and 0.3 % in instant.
Five cups of decaf in an evening is about 25 mg — less than a green tea. For almost everyone, that changes nothing about sleep.
When does decaf actually matter?
In three situations, and only those: pregnancy, marked caffeine sensitivity, and medication that slows its elimination.
For a pregnant woman following the EFSA mark of 200 mg a day, five decafs bring 25 mg, an eighth of the budget. Not nothing, but far from decisive. For a slow metaboliser, the same amount takes much longer to clear.
| Drink | Volume | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Cup of decaf | 240 ml | 5 mg |
| Espresso | 30 ml | 77 mg |
| Filter coffee | 240 ml | 108 mg |
| Green tea | 240 ml | 30 mg |
The real issue with decaf is not its residual caffeine, it is what was drunk before. Someone switching to decaf at 6 pm after four coffees during the day still has plenty to disturb their night — but it does not come from the decaf.
And at bedtime, how much is left?
A cup of decaf at 9 pm leaves under 4 mg at bedtime. Effectively nothing.
If your sleep stays disturbed despite switching to decaf in the evening, the cause is almost certainly elsewhere: the afternoon coffees, of which plenty still remains at 11 pm. That is exactly what the calculator shows when you enter a whole day.
The caffeine at bedtime calculator runs this for every drink of your day.
Frequently asked
Does decaf really contain caffeine?
Yes, always a little. The FDA cites 2 to 15 mg for a 237 ml cup. European rules allow up to 0.1 % residual caffeine in decaffeinated roasted coffee. There is no coffee with zero caffeine.
Is that enough to disturb sleep?
For almost everyone, no. Five milligrams is a twentieth of an espresso. Three cases are exceptions: pregnancy, marked sensitivity, and treatments that slow caffeine metabolism, such as certain antidepressants.
Which process leaves the least caffeine?
The three common processes — water, supercritical CO₂, solvent — all remove between 96 and 99 %. The gap between them shows more in taste than in residual caffeine. The water process, known as Swiss Water, is often preferred for preserving aromas.
Is decaf useful in the evening?
Yes, but not for the reason people think. It does not offset the day's coffees: it simply avoids adding to them. If your night is disturbed despite evening decaf, look at what you drank between 2 and 6 pm.
Is there a truly caffeine-free coffee?
No, not from coffee beans. The only genuinely caffeine-free hot drinks are substitutes: chicory, roasted barley, rooibos, herbal teas. They contain no caffeine at all, unlike decaf.
Other drinks
⚕️ Wellbeing information. The figures on this page are typical orders of magnitude, not individual measurements. They are not medical advice or a diagnosis. If you have questions about your intake, trouble sleeping, or any concern about pregnancy or medical treatment, speak to a healthcare professional.
See what really remains
Evening decaf does not offset the afternoon. PauseCafé shows what is left from your whole day.
