Here's Why You Should Add An Extra Espresso Shot To Your Coffee

Yes, really. There are countless types of coffee on the market, and maybe you already know them all by name. Naysayers might say you're "overdoing" it, or, "This is supposed to be brunch, maybe you should slow down!" But, if a dog is man's best friend, then coffee is the fuel that allows him to take that dog for a walk — just please don't drink your cuppa before eating breakfast.

It's an age-old debate whether espresso or coffee has more caffeine, but the fact is: it depends. Regular drip coffee packs 12 to 16 milligrams of caffeine per ounce, according to Consumer Reports. A single shot of espresso, by comparison, averages about 63 milligrams of caffeine per ounce. But, the standard size for an espresso shot also happens to be one ounce, and your morning cuppa is probably 8 ounces or more, putting it at roughly 120 mg, says Consumer Reports.

See where we're heading with this? If you're having a two-coffees kind of day (or, if that's just how you like to live, no judgment here), front-loading on sweet, sweet caffeine is a cost-effective way to put a little pep in your step. Here's why you should add an extra espresso shot to your coffee.

Rather than heading back to the cafe later in the afternoon for your pre-dinner pick-me-up, consider simply adding an extra shot to your morning joe in the first place. Those initial 120 mg in your mug plus the 63 mg in the added shot makes for a coffee with nearly 150% of the caffeine punch.

Kieran MacRae of Above Average Coffee seconds the idea. "If it prevents you from needing a second coffee later, you can save money overall," MacRae says, per HuffPost. For reference, at a Starbucks in Brooklyn, New York, you can get an extra espresso shot for just one dollar (per Restaurant Menu Price), versus $3.75 for a grande Americano, which is traditionally just hot water and a double shot. At this rate, two Americanos — four total shots of espresso, roughly 250 mg of caffeine — would cost $7.50. One Americano with an extra shot would only run for $4.75 with 183 mg. Make it $5.75 and two extra shots for a comparable 246 mg! That's a savings of $1.75 to $2.75 every day. You could end up with (almost) an extra $20 in your pocket by the end of the week just by switching up your order. 

Pro tip: in barista lingo, a black coffee with a shot of espresso is called a Red Eye, per Your Dream Coffee. Add two shots, and it's called a Black Eye. You can thank us later!