What To Know About The Starbucks K-Cup Pods That Have Double The Caffeine

We've all done it, especially on days when we just can't force our eyes open or keep our heads from slumping on the desk. You get up from your chair around 10 a.m. and brew a second cup of coffee, or you roll through a drive-thru and beg for a Starbucks doubleshot on ice – anything to consume a little more caffeine that will help you get through the day. In case it's not already in your cabinet, Starbucks offers a version of K-Cups that promises double the amount of caffeine in a single cup, which might just be the solution to those slow mornings.

The Starbucks K-Cup 2X Caffeine pods really do contain two times the caffeine of a regular Starbucks K-Cup, jumping from an average of about 100 to 130 milligrams per 8-ounce cup to about 250 to 260 milligrams per 8-ounce cup. The pods were specifically designed to "give you an extra boost to take on the day," according to Starbucks' website, and are created by combining coffee extracts for even more caffeine per pod. The 2X Caffeine K-Cups are only available in two flavors, House Blend and Veranda Blend, in either medium, blonde, or dark roast. Though the K-Cups are sold on Starbucks' website, they're also available on Amazon and at Walmart.

We already analyzed the caffeine content of 23 popular Starbucks drinks, but the 2X Caffeine K-Cups have enough caffeine to rival many of the in-store brewed beverages. An 8-ounce cup of hot medium roast Pike Place coffee comes in at about 155 milligrams of caffeine, while an 8-ounce hot caffè latte only has 75 milligrams. The same size hot caramel macchiato has 75 milligrams of caffeine, while a flat white has 130 milligrams. While a cup of Pike Place or a flat white reaches caffeine levels in the hundreds, neither surpasses a single 8-ounce cup of 2X Caffeine K-Cups, making it even stronger than any hot 8-ounce coffee at a Starbucks store.

It's worth highlighting that this information is based on an 8-ounce serving size. A grande (16-ounce) size of blonde roast hot coffee contains over 300 milligrams of caffeine, making it the Starbucks drink with the most caffeine. According to the Food and Drug Administration, adults shouldn't consume more than about 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, which could be easy to surpass if someone ordered a Starbucks venti-size of the hot blonde roast coffee or any size above 12 ounces of the 2X Caffeine K-Cups. Too much caffeine intake could lead to negative health effects, so although a Starbucks pod with double the caffeine may sound amazing, it's important to remember your limits.