100mg of caffeine is roughly the same as one cup of coffee (150ml). It is neither a large nor a small amount — it is the most ordinary single serving there is.
Next to everyday drinks
| Serving | Approximate caffeine | |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee (brewed) | 150ml | about 90mg |
| Instant coffee | 150ml | about 68mg |
| Gyokuro (shaded green tea) | 150ml | about 180mg |
| Sencha (green tea) | 150ml | about 30mg |
| Black tea | 150ml | about 45mg |
| Energy drink | Varies | about 36–150mg |
| Ne9 (caffeine pouch) | 1 pouch | 100mg |
Figures are approximations based on Japan's Standard Tables of Food Composition (MEXT) and material published by the Food Safety Commission of Japan. Coffee varies a great deal with the amount of grounds and the brewing method.
Lined up this way, 100mg sits at about one cup of coffee and well below a cup of gyokuro (around 180mg).
What the daily guidelines say
Japan has not set a national upper limit for caffeine in food. Other authorities publish the following guidance:
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): up to 400mg a day for healthy adults, and up to 200mg at a time
- Health Canada: up to 400mg a day for healthy adults
400mg is roughly four to five cups of coffee.
Note that people differ a great deal. The same amount that keeps one person awake at night may not register at all for someone else. Lower amounts are recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and the specific figure varies between authorities.
Taking too much
Too much caffeine can cause dizziness, a raised heart rate, agitation, anxiety, tremor, difficulty sleeping, diarrhoea and nausea.
This is why authorities publish daily guidelines at all. Knowing what you have taken, and how much, makes staying inside those guidelines easier.
In the case of Ne9
Ne9 contains 100mg of caffeine and 75mg of L-theanine per pouch, with a daily guideline of up to 2 pouches. Two pouches is 200mg, which leaves room for coffee or tea on top.
The amounts are printed on the lid of the can, so what you are taking is readable before you buy and while you use it.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, sensitive to caffeine, on medication or under treatment, avoid use or ask a doctor first
- Avoid using it before bed
- This is a food product, not a medicine. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease