If you enjoyed all the myth-busting that happened in "PART 1: So you think you know coffee? 3 myths about coffee... debunked!", then here are three more myths and what the real deal behind them are!

#4: Does all coffee have the same amount of caffeine? Do espresso shots have more caffeine than a regular cup of joe?

Myth:

Some people think that all types of coffee are created equal. That is, they all have the same amount of caffeine.

Others think that an espresso shot is packed with caffeine, mainly due to its dark roast and bolder taste, which leads many to think these characteristics mean higher levels of caffeine.

This may be the most obvious myth of all, as different types of coffee have varying amounts of caffeine.

The real deal:

Not all coffee have the same caffeine levels. For example, Death Wish coffee has 651 mg per 12 fluid ounce while a McCafe has 145 mg per 14 fluid ounce. That’s a mammoth difference!

To find out about other brands, here’s how much caffeine is in your favorite brand of coffee.

Also, try comparing a shot of espresso to an average tall brewed coffee (around 8 oz). The latter actually packs in way more caffeine compared to the tiny shot of espresso. An average cup of black coffee would have 65-140 mg of caffeine while an ounce worth of an espresso shot would have 30-50 mg.

By volume, an average cup of joe has 8-15 mg of caffeine per ounce, and espresso still averages 40 mg per ounce. While this looks like espresso has more mg, ask yourself: can you actually drink 8 ounces of it in one sitting? Probably not (and we don’t recommend you do!)

#5: Is caffeine addicting?

Myth:

This scene from Saved by the Bell may have been one of the reasons why some think caffeine is addicting.

But does caffeine really make a junkie in us coffee lovers?

The real deal:

While caffeine is certainly a stimulant and may cause dependency, a regular caffeine fix will NOT cause a drug-seeking addiction that threatens your overall wellbeing (which is what happens to drug addicts).

But getting off it abruptly may cause caffeine withdrawal. Symptoms include:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depressed mood
• Difficulty concentrating

To learn more about caffeine withdrawal, read Caffeine withdrawal symptoms and how to reduce them.

Rather than an addiction, caffeine obsession may be more accurately described as “dependency.” When you go without it, you experience withdrawal, all thanks to dopamine or that chemical that influences our motivation and emotions. When dopamine levels go higher because of caffeine, you go through that perked up feeling.

But caffeine doesn’t get it to that “high” level of stimulation. It’s just enough to make you feel more awake. As compared to other drugs that throw off the balance in the reward circuits in your brain that wires other people up and cause drug-seeking addiction.

To learn more about this myth, check out “Is caffeine addicting?”

#6: Does caffeine cause weight loss?

Myth:

When you see supermodels caught by the paparazzi on their coffee run, it’s easy to think that caffeine is one of the reasons why they get to keep that Victoria’s Secret physique. So does caffeine really cause weight loss?

The real deal:

Caffeine can’t make you lose weight.

BUT… it can increase your metabolism! There are 3 ways it does this:

1. Caffeine has substances that boost metabolism.
2. It helps you burn fat.
3. It increases your metabolic rate.

If you want to dive deep into how caffeine does this, check out 3 ways caffeine boosts your metabolism.

While caffeine is shown to contribute to weight loss and increased metabolism, having more caffeine doesn’t necessarily translate to burning more calories. The metabolic effects are based on certain factors, observed in studies only in the short-term, and are shown to diminish over time. Plus, consuming more than you’re supposed to can lead to adverse effects.

It’s always a good measure to keep your coffee or caffeine consumption in check and avoid caffeine just for the sake of losing weight. If you watch your caffeine intake you can keep enjoying each cup (or mint!) and embrace the added health benefits.

Plus, you may be delighted to find out that you can still drink coffee and other caffeinated drinks while you’re intermittent fasting!

Coffee, tea and other forms of caffeine are allowed in intermittent fasting, except for when they contain sugar and exceed a certain amount of calories.

Our take? Keep it to a low-calorie count and you can enjoy the benefits of caffeine and a boosted metabolism altogether!