With one month to go before the 2027 college entrance exam, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has urged test-takers to watch out for excessive caffeine intake. Because the recommended daily limit for adolescents varies with body weight, students who drink both coffee and energy drinks need to add up their total intake, the ministry said.
The maximum recommended daily caffeine intake for children and adolescents is 2.5 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight, the ministry said on the 20th. That comes to 125 milligrams for a teenager weighing 50 kilograms, 150 milligrams at 60 kilograms and 175 milligrams at 70 kilograms. The recommended ceiling is 400 milligrams for adults and 300 milligrams for pregnant women.
According to reference figures provided by the ministry, a 355-milliliter americano from a coffee shop has the highest caffeine content per serving at 150 milligrams. A 250-milliliter coffee beverage contains 103 milligrams, a 20-gram energy jelly 100 milligrams and a 250-milliliter energy drink 80 milligrams. For a teenager weighing 60 kilograms, that means a single americano can reach the maximum recommended daily intake.
Caffeine is found not only in coffee and energy drinks but also in cola, green tea, coffee-flavored milk and chocolate, so consumers should check their total intake when combining several products. Foods high in caffeine must carry a "high caffeine content" label on the package along with the total caffeine amount.
Even within the recommended limit, anyone experiencing palpitations, headaches, anxiety or sleep problems should reduce or stop their intake. It is also advisable to avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening and to get enough sleep and rest.
The ministry bans sales of high-caffeine foods at 1,234 certified retailers of children's favorite foods located in and around schools nationwide. It also provides warnings about excessive caffeine intake at about 78,000 locations frequented by young people, including convenience stores, libraries, study cafes and private cram schools.
