"No more than 200mg a day" is easy to remember and hard to picture. This guide turns the number into mugs, cans and bars you actually buy in the UK, adds up eight ordinary days, and shows what still fits once you have had your morning cup.
Last reviewed 7 October 2026 · Checked against NHS guidance · 9 min read
The short answer
The NHS says to have no more than 200mg of caffeine a day in pregnancy. That is about two mugs of instant coffee (100mg each), or one mug of filter coffee according to the Food Standards Agency. A mug of tea is about 75mg, a can of cola 40mg and a 250ml can of energy drink 80mg. So two mugs of tea and a can of cola (190mg) fits, but three mugs of tea (225mg) does not. Everything with caffeine counts towards the same total.
This is one of the support guides to our pregnancy food safety checklist, which covers every food group. Here we stay with one question and go into the detail: what the 200mg limit means across a real day.
200mg as a picture: how much of your day each drink uses
Think of 200mg as a daily budget, not a number of cups. Each bar shows how much of it one serving uses, using NHS and Food Standards Agency figures.
The type of coffee matters more than the number of cups: one filter coffee can use as much as two instant ones. And green tea is not caffeine-free; the NHS gives it the same 75mg as black tea.
Why the limit is 200mg
The NHS explains the limit simply: having too much caffeine has been linked to a higher chance of miscarriage and stillbirth. The Food Standards Agency recommends the same 200mg a day for pregnancy, compared with up to 400mg a day for other adults.
FSA guidance also notes that habitual caffeine intake up to 200mg a day in pregnancy does not give rise to safety concerns for the baby. That matters for anyone who feels guilty about their morning tea. The advice is not "cut out caffeine". It is "keep the daily total at or under 200mg".
If you had more than that before you knew you were pregnant, there is no need to panic. Bring your intake within the limit from today, and mention it to your midwife at your booking appointment if it is on your mind.
Eight real UK days, added up
Eight common patterns, totalled with NHS figures (filter coffee uses the FSA's "roughly 200mg"). Chocolate is counted at its upper figure.
- 2 mugs of tea (150mg)
- 1 can of cola (40mg)
Fits, with 10mg to spare. A third mug of tea would tip it over.
- 1 mug of instant coffee (100mg)
- 1 mug of tea (75mg)
Room left for a bar of dark chocolate (up to 25mg), but not another can of cola.
- 2 mugs of instant coffee (200mg)
Right on 200mg. Any tea, cola or chocolate after this goes over.
- 1 mug of filter coffee (roughly 200mg)
A single mug can use the whole day. Switch to decaf for anything after it.
- 3 mugs of tea (225mg)
Make the third one decaf or a herbal tea without liquorice root.
- 1 mug of instant coffee (100mg)
- 1 can of energy drink (80mg)
- 50g dark chocolate (up to 25mg)
Small items push it over. Dropping the energy drink leaves plenty of room.
- 1 mug of tea (75mg)
- 2 cans of cola (80mg)
- 50g dark chocolate (up to 25mg)
Fits, though the cola and chocolate add up to more than the tea.
- 1 mug of instant coffee (100mg)
- 2 cans of cola (80mg)
- 50g milk chocolate (up to 10mg)
Fits. Swap one cola for a mug of tea and you are at 225mg.
Days usually go over because of the third or fourth small drink in the afternoon, not one big one. That is the moment to add up.
Can I still have this? Check before your next drink
Tap what you have already had today. We will show which drinks still fit under 200mg. NHS figures; filter coffee uses the FSA's "roughly 200mg".
What I've had so far
Your next drink: what still fits
A quick check that resets when you leave the page. The Pregnancy Food Safety course has a caffeine counter that saves your days, so you can see your pattern across the week.
Where caffeine hides
The NHS lists caffeine in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks and tablets, chocolate, guarana, and some health or fitness supplements. The first few are obvious. The rest catch people out.
- Green tea. Often seen as a "healthy" swap, but the NHS counts it at 75mg per cup, like black tea.
- Chocolate. A 50g bar of plain dark chocolate has less than 25mg and milk chocolate less than 10mg. Small amounts, but they count if you have several bars or a chocolate pudding on top of your tea.
- Guarana. The NHS lists guarana as a caffeine source. If you see it in an ingredients list, count the product as caffeinated.
- Gym and focus supplements. The Food Standards Agency warns that many people have little or no idea that food supplements can contain caffeine, and that pure or highly concentrated caffeine products can be extremely potent. Higher-dose caffeine products must carry a warning that they are not recommended for children or pregnant women. If you see that, leave it.
- Caffeine tablets. Listed by the NHS as a caffeine source.
- Medicines. The NHS advises checking with your pharmacist, midwife or GP before taking any medicine in pregnancy, including painkillers. When you ask, check whether it contains caffeine too.
Supplements are a wider topic in pregnancy. Our guide to pregnancy vitamins in the UK covers what you do need to take.
Coffee-shop drinks: why there is no single number
The NHS's 100mg figure is for a cup of instant coffee. It notes that filter coffee and coffee bought from coffee shops can contain more. The FSA puts one mug of filter coffee at roughly the whole 200mg.
Coffee-shop drinks vary by cup size, number of espresso shots, beans and chain.
What works in practice:
- Ask at the counter or check the chain's website. Many publish caffeine per size. Ask how many shots go into your usual drink.
- Treat a shop coffee as most of your day until you know its figure. Plan the rest of the day around tea-free or decaf drinks.
- Order the smallest size or ask for a single shot. A latte or flat white with less coffee in it still feels like a treat.
- Go half-caff or decaf for the second visit of the day.
Cutting down and switching to decaf
If your usual day is over 200mg, small swaps are easier to stick with than going cold turkey.
- Keep the first cup, change the later ones. Most people value the morning drink most. Swap the afternoon cup to decaf tea or decaf coffee.
- Move from filter to instant at home. On the figures above, this alone can halve the caffeine in a mug.
- Herbal tea counts as a swap, with limits. The NHS says to have no more than 4 cups of herbal tea a day and to avoid teas containing liquorice root.
- Drop energy drinks first. At 80mg a can they use a lot of the day for little benefit.
- Avoid tea, coffee and cola in the evening. The NHS points out that caffeine can make it harder to get to sleep.
Decaffeinated tea and coffee are the easiest way to keep the habit without the caffeine. Neither NHS page gives a figure for decaf, so if you drink a lot of it, check the label or ask your midwife.
Tired in the first trimester without the extra cup
The urge to reach for more caffeine is strongest in early pregnancy. The NHS explains that hormonal changes in the first weeks can make you feel tired, sick and emotional. Its advice for coping does not involve caffeine or supplements:
- Make time to sit with your feet up during the day, and accept offers of help from colleagues and family.
- Eat a healthy diet (our pregnancy meal plan for a balanced day shows what that looks like) and get plenty of rest and sleep.
- Do some activity, such as a walk at lunchtime or a swim. The NHS says exercise can help you feel less tired.
- Keep tea, coffee and cola for earlier in the day so they do not spoil your sleep.
If sickness makes eating hard, try our food ideas for morning sickness, and our First Trimester Nutrition course focuses on foods that sit well and keep your energy steadier.
Speak to your midwife or GP
Talk to your midwife or GP if you feel you cannot manage without high amounts of caffeine, if tiredness comes with low mood, or before taking any medicine or supplement. The NHS says that if poor sleep comes with signs of depression, there is treatment that can help.
After the birth: breastfeeding and why the numbers differ
The NHS recommends the same limit while breastfeeding: no more than 200mg of caffeine a day. Caffeine can reach your baby through breast milk, and a lot of it may make your baby restless and keep them awake.
You may notice that the NHS breastfeeding page uses different figures from the pregnancy page:
- Instant coffee: 100mg a cup
- Black or green tea: 75mg a cup
- Cola: 40mg a can
- Energy drink: 80mg per 250ml
- Coffee: 90mg
- Tea: 55mg
- Green tea: 38mg
- Cola: 37mg
Caffeine varies with brand, strength and mug size, so any single figure is an average. In pregnancy, use the pregnancy page's higher numbers and you have a margin built in.
Track it properly, alongside everything else
Want to plan a whole week of drinks and meals without adding up in your head? These courses go further.
Pregnancy Food Safety
Runny eggs, soft cheese, fish, caffeine and takeaways in depth, with a cheese checker and a caffeine counter that saves your days.
First Trimester Nutrition
Eating well in the first 12 weeks, when tiredness and sickness make the usual advice hard to follow.
Complete Pregnancy Nutrition
Every trimester covered: three meal planners, a fridge-door safe and avoid list, shopping lists and a supplement tracker.
See all pregnancy courses.
Related guides
- Before you try for a baby: the NHS preconception checklist.
- Fish in pregnancy (UK): tuna, oily fish, sushi and smoked salmon.
- Cheese in pregnancy: which cheeses are safe, cooked or off the menu.
Questions people ask
How many cups of coffee can I have when pregnant in the UK?
Up to two mugs of instant coffee a day, at about 100mg each, if you have no other caffeine. The Food Standards Agency says one mug of filter coffee is roughly the full 200mg. Tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolate all count towards the same limit.
How much caffeine is in a cup of tea?
The NHS pregnancy page gives about 75mg for a cup of black or green tea. Two mugs of tea come to about 150mg, leaving room for a can of cola, but three mugs (225mg) is over the limit.
Is green tea caffeine-free?
No. The NHS counts a cup of green tea at the same 75mg as black tea in pregnancy, so it uses the same share of your 200mg.
What happens if I have more than 200mg of caffeine one day?
The NHS links too much caffeine to a higher chance of miscarriage and stillbirth, which is why the daily limit exists. One day over is not a reason to panic. Get back under 200mg and mention it to your midwife if you are worried.
Can I drink energy drinks when pregnant?
A 250ml can has about 80mg of caffeine, so it counts towards your 200mg. Two cans plus a mug of tea already comes to 235mg, over the limit, so they are the easiest drink to drop.
Is decaf coffee OK in pregnancy?
Switching to decaf is the simplest way to cut caffeine and keep the habit. The NHS pages do not give a figure for decaf, so if you drink a lot of it, check the label or ask your midwife.
How much caffeine can I have while breastfeeding?
The NHS recommends no more than 200mg a day while breastfeeding too, because caffeine can pass into breast milk and may make your baby restless. You can browse every course and guide on the My Nutri Care home page.
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy (page last reviewed 15 June 2026)
- Food Standards Agency: FSA and FSS issue guidance on caffeine in food supplements (25 September 2024)
- NHS: Tiredness and sleep problems in pregnancy
- NHS: Medicines in pregnancy
- NHS: Breastfeeding and diet (page last reviewed 15 May 2026)
This article is general information based on UK public health guidance. It is not medical advice. If you have a health condition or questions about your own pregnancy, speak to your midwife, GP or pharmacist.
