Coffee contains an average of 15mg of caffeine per fluid ounce, which is significantly more than most sodas.

The American Heart Association says adults can safely drink up to five cups of coffee per day and regular consumption may improve cardiovascular health.

Understand distinctions between coffee types and other popular cafe beverages with this visual guide.

Coffee gives you energy, but it ultimately makes you more tired.

Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is considered safe

Small, frequent doses can be more effective than large amounts, though caffeine can raise blood pressure and heart rate, especially in people with hypertension. While low doses of caffeine may help with depression by stimulating dopamine, excessive caffeine, particularly from energy drinks, can lead to anxiety and heart issues.

Coffee is addictive, and those going through withdrawal often experience headaches and fatigue.

Soda is one of the most overpriced items at restaurants

All restaurant food is marked up—that's how they turn profits, after all—but soda is one of the most egregious. Fountain soda is remarkably cheap, with restaurants often paying a few cents for each glass before selling it for a few dollars. Food publication The Takeout estimates that the typical markup is around 1,000%.

Chocolate can be deadly in humans, but only after consuming extraordinary quantities

Based on tests with mice, the lethal dose of chocolate is estimated to be no more than 1,000 mg/kg. This means that the lethal dose of dark chocolate for the average US adult is about 6.5 kilograms (14.33 pounds), or about 8,300 Hershey's kisses, in one sitting.

Visualize how Coca-Cola's secret formula has changed over time

Coca-Cola contained small amounts of cocaine until the early 1900s—but that's not the only time Coca-Cola has altered its recipe over the years. For instance, Coca-Cola transitioned from cane sugar to high-fructose corn syrup in the 1980s.

See how much daily sugar substitute intake the FDA considers to be safe

The agency states in this PDF graphic that a person weighing about 132 pounds would have to consume roughly a couple dozen sweetener packets daily—or more—to reach unsafe levels of consumption. The accumulated consumption would be across all sources, including diet beverages, sugar-free candies, and actual packets added to coffee.

Determine the right amount of daily caffeine for you with this calculator.

Most coffee is grown within the coffee belt, a geographic region characterized by mild climates, regular rainfall, and higher altitudes.

Differences in the ratio of sugars help distinguish Mexican and American Coke

Mexican Coke is sweetened with cane sugar (sucrose), which dissolves into equal amounts of fructose and glucose, whereas American Coke, which uses high-fructose corn syrup, contains more fructose than glucose.

Why Coke tastes different at McDonald's

Fans of the sugary soda Coca-Cola have noticed significant differences between its canned variety versus what pours forth from the fountain at McDonald's. Is there anything to the claim? Weird History Food takes a dive into this essential fast-food...

Coca-Cola made up roughly 19.2% of US carbonated soft drink market share as of 2023

Separately, Diet Coke made up about 7.8% of US market share that year. Pepsi was responsible for 8.3% of market share, as was Dr. Pepper.

Ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and Italian ice are all popular cold desserts, though they have many important differences.

The Coca-Cola Company also owns Sprite, Smartwater, and many more brands

The parent company owns lots of beverage brands, from sodas to water, including Dasani, Minute Maid, Topo-Chico, and more. You can see all of the roughly 200 brands it owns on its website.

Bees are more likely to remember a flower if its nectar contains caffeine

Plants want pollinators to keep coming back, so the finding suggests that some plants, such as Citrus and Coffea species, have evolved to include caffeine in their nectar. Researchers suggest the findings could help develop methods to reinvigorate pollinator populations.

See how sugar stacks up against the sweetness of sugar alternatives, which can sometimes be hundreds of times sweeter than their sugar counterparts.

'Dirty soda' took off in Utah before exploding on TikTok

The concoction is a combination of Diet Coke, coffee creamer, and citrus. This Eater article delves into the history behind the sugary drink, pinpointing its start as a Mormon-friendly alternative to alcohol and caffeine. The explainer also explores why the drink became so popular on social media and offers helpful hints for crafting your own recipe.

Listen to a '1440 Explores' podcast episode on the surprising story of how a humble Ethiopian berry reshaped religion, commerce, social life, slavery, and more.

Coffee was put on trial in Mecca in 1511, and its eventual acceptance helped coffee spread beyond religious use and into the world's first public coffeehouses, which ultimately gave birth to the London Stock Exchange.

Before it was a drink, coffee was used for handwashing.

High-frequency sound waves have been used to brew espresso with room-temperature water and about one-fourth the energy of a traditional espresso machine, which relies on hot water and pressure.

Unlike its Mexican counterpart, American Coca-Cola contains high-fructose corn syrup rather than sugar

There are a few reasons why American Coke turned away from sugar in the 1980s, but none of them are related to consumer health. This Reader's Digest article breaks down the history behind Coke's recipe change, explaining why the company continues using high-fructose cough syrup.

A cup of coffee on Earth contains about 100 proton masses worth of dark matter

The estimate is based on Earth's location within the Milky Way and the dark matter cloud it resides in. Because scientists do not know the nature of dark matter, the mass may be accounted for with any number of dark matter particles of varying mass.

The WHO labeled aspartame as 'possibly carcinogenic' but US regulators consider it safe

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of the World Health Organization, labeled aspartame—the artificial sweetener in Diet Coke—as one of several hundred possible cancer-causing substances in 2023. The determination was based on animal and human studies and "limited" evidence linking it to liver cancer. The WHO and US Food and Drug Administration both say the substance is safe at moderate levels. The FDA says a person weighing about 132 pounds would need to have 75 packets daily to reach an unsafe level.

'Cat poo coffee,' the colloquial name for civet coffee, is one of the most expensive coffees in the world.

John Pemberton only sold roughly 25 gallons of Coca-Cola syrup in its first year

That equates to roughly 9 drinks per day. But once he brought it to pharmacies that hooked the syrup up to their soda fountains, sales increased significantly, with roughly 2,000 gallons being sold two years later. This video about Coca-Cola's early history is narrated by actress Jenny Slate for a Comedy Central series called "Drunk History," so not all of it is intended to be entirely factually accurate.

Your DNA may determine whether you like coffee or tea

Whether people prefer coffee or tea may boil down to a matter of taste genetics. People with a version of a gene that increases sensitivity to the bitter flavor of caffeine tend to be coffee drinkers, according to a report. Read on for more.

As coffee became popular in Europe, colonial powers began to spread the drink around the globe.

Distinct plant species evolved to produce caffeine as a pesticide

Although it provides a defense against insects trying to eat caffeine-bearing plants, the molecule is an example of exaptation, where its original function was repurposed over time. Studies show that some plants now produce caffeine-laced nectar to help pollinators move more quickly and pollinate more efficiently.

Coffee production took off in the 1800s

Coffee production in South America took off in the 1800s, with Brazil establishing itself as the largest global producer in the 1840s. Today, the country grows over one-third of the world's beans and consistently leads in global coffee production, with other Latin American countries like Colombia and Guatemala.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi have a fierce rivalry

And it's been that way for a long time—both of the sodas were created in the late 1800s in the South. Pepsi was created by Caleb Bradham, and was originally called "Brad's Drink."

Coca-Cola began developing Diet Coke to compete with a diet cola called Tab

Launched in 1963, Tab was successful in part because of its diet-conscious branding, with the name "tab" referring to the idea of "keeping a tab on your weight." Diet Coke made its debut in 1982.

Coffee prices have reached record highs in 2026, with experts citing rising costs driven by war and tariffs.

The history of coffee

From its likely origins in what is now Ethiopia to today's worldwide consumption, this video uses a map to show how coffee conquered the world. Follow along and see how pilgrimages and centuries of trade influenced the spread of the beverage we all know so well.

Distinguishing club soda, seltzer, and sparkling water

The three forms of drinking water are similar, but their differences lie mostly in the presence and proportion of minerals and carbonation. Read this quick explainer on the major differences.

Fentanyl can be up to 100 times more potent than morphine

A synthetic opioid, fentanyl is highly addictive and incredibly fast-acting—a fatal dose is equal to a few grains of table salt. Once it enters the body, fentanyl floods naturally occurring opioid receptors, which can cause the body to shut down its breathing reflex, leading to a fatal overdose.

After the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to coffee, which became the main morning drink for revolutionaries.

After the Boston Tea Party (1773), colonists boycotted tea and turned to coffee, with coffeehouses becoming hubs for revolutionary discussions. The stimulating import from the Caribbean helped shape the nascent American taste.

Why the James Beard Awards finally recognized a coffee professional

Jack Benchakul is the sole coffee maker at Los Angeles' Endorffeine and the first in the coffee world to be recognized by the prestigious food and drink awards. His attention to detail mirrors the level of craft cocktail makers whom the awards have historically praised.

Cultivate your coffee taste with this interactive flavor wheel.

Beanless 'coffee' is an eco-friendly alternative

As we consider the role of agriculture in climate change, many people are seeking alternatives to the most resource-hungry crops—coffee included. Are new synthetic alternatives the answer? Startups are exploring beanless “coffee” made in a variety of ways.

Coca-Cola claims that only two people in the world know the full Coca-Cola formula

They are supposedly two Coca-Cola executives. Over the years, a number of handwritten formulas have surfaced to the public, but Coca-Cola has ruled all of them as inauthentic.

Sweetening agent Luguduname is the sweetest artificial substance in the world—300K times sweeter than sugar—and it's not approved by the US FDA for human consumption.

Watch Danish coffee expert Asser Christensen explain the best way to grind coffee.

Compared with plant-based milks, cow milk produces greater carbon emissions, requires more land, and uses more water, but it naturally provides greater nutritional benefits.

The five most common chemicals found in modern food

Most modern processed foods rely on a number of preservatives to stay fresh from production to our plates. The most common include citric acid (preservative and flavor), sodium benzoate (preservative), xanthan gum (thickening and stabilizing), carrageenan (thickening), and red dyes 3 and 4 (for color).

Sugar alcohols, a type of carbohydrate used as a sweetener, may elevate risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Coffee brewing likely originated in Ethiopa and on the Arabian Peninsula.

What's inside an Oreo?

If you look at the ingredient list on your Oreo packaging, you may discover that you don't recognize—or can't even pronounce—some of the listed ingredients, let alone know what they're used for! For instance: Did you know that soy lecithin helps makes oil and water mix? Or that cocoa processed with alkali becomes darker and less acidic? A food scientist breaks down what's inside an Oreo in this seven-minute video.

The drink that became Coca-Cola was originally called 'Pemberton's French Wine Coca.'