Nowadays, virtually all coffee beverages, including lattes, can be ordered decaffeinated. However, since decaffeinated coffee drinks still contain some amount of caffeine, there is a general curiosity about the precise quantity of caffeine found in a decaf latte.
Contrary to popular belief, a decaf latte is not totally caffeine free. If a decaf latte is made with 1 shot of decaf espresso it will have 3-15mg of caffeine in it, and if it's made with 2 shots of decaf espresso, which is much more common, it will have 6-30mg of caffeine in it.
In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know about decaf lattes so that you know exactly how much caffeine is in what you’re drinking.
What is a Latte?
A latte is a coffee drink made with ⅓ espresso and ⅔ steamed milk with a thin layer of milk foam on top.
Sometimes lattes are confused with cappuccinos, which are a drink also made with espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. The difference between a cappuccino and a latte is that a cappuccino is made with equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk, while a latte has much more steamed milk in it and only a thin layer of milk foam on top.
Let's go over each of the 3 ingredients that make up a latte so you can fully understand what's in the drink.
1/3 of a latte is made of espresso, a type of coffee that is served in small shots and is made by forcing pressurized hot water through very finely ground and tightly packed coffee beans. Although espresso is made from the same types of beans as coffee, its unique brewing process makes it much stronger, richer, and higher in caffeine than regular coffee.
The other 2/3 of a latte is steamed milk, which is created by slowly combining milk with hot steam to create a silky, textured, warm, and creamy milk with tiny bubbles in it
On top of a latte is a thin layer of foamed milk, which is like steamed milk, but has a lot more air in it, making it more light, foamy, and dry than steamed milk. Some baristas will pour the foamed milk into the latte to create designs such as leaves, flowers, animals, hearts and more.
What is A Decaf Latte?
A decaf latte is a latte made with decaffeinated espresso in order to have less caffeine than a regular latte.
Decaf espresso is just espresso made from decaffeinated coffee beans. Coffee beans are decaffeinated by washing them before they're roasted in carbon dioxide, water, or a solvent. In the end, about 97% of the caffeine from the beans is removed.
Decaf espresso allows anyone who is sensitive to the effects of caffeine to enjoy a latte without experiencing anxiety, jitteriness, sleeplessness, or other possible negative side effects of caffeine.
Decaf lattes are also great for those who want to enjoy the drink in the evening without being kept up at night from drinking the 2 full shots of caffeinated espresso in a regular latte, and for any pregnant women who are worried about caffeine affecting the health of their baby.
How Much Caffeine is in a Decaf Latte?
While many people assume that decaffeinated coffees have zero caffeine in them, the truth is that the washing of the coffee beans to remove the caffeine can't remove all of it, so almost all decaf coffee drinks actually still have a small amount of caffeine.
For example, a regular caffeinated coffee has about 95mg of caffeine in a cup, but the decaf version still has about 7mg.
A latte is made up of 1-2 shots of espresso, and a regular espresso shot is about 65mg caffeine, while a decaf espresso is 3-15mg of caffeine per shot.
So a decaf latte made with 1 shot of decaf espresso will have 3-15mg of caffeine in it, and a decaf latte made with 2 shots of decaf espresso will have 6-30mg of caffeine in it.
Best Decaf Espresso for Decaf Lattes
If you’re pregnant, someone who is sensitive to caffeine, or just want to enjoy a latte without the caffeine every once in a while, you can make your own decaf lattes at home using decaf coffee beans.
If you want to make your decaf latte with ground beans, you can find some really great Italian roast ground decaffeinated espresso beans on Amazon here.
Or, if you’d rather grind the beans yourself to make the espresso fresh you can get a 1lb bag of decaffeinated dark roast espresso beans on Amazon here.
Final Thoughts
Decaf lattes can be a great way to enjoy a tasty espresso drink without feeling the strong effects of caffeine. Just remember that although they’re called “decaffeinated,” lattes made with decaf espresso still have 3-15mg of caffeine per shot.
If you want to learn more about espresso, its benefits, and even how to make it yourself, be sure to check out the rest of my website! Have a great day!
