<<< Return to Spanish version T he coffee plant uses caffeine as a defense mechanism, being toxic to most insects. But not for the coffee berry borer whose extreme tolerance toward the alkaloid makes it the most devastating plague of coffee. Caffeine is the psychoactive substance most consumed in the world. The caffeine content of coffee varies depending on how you prepare it and mainly on the type of grain, even within the same plant can vary their concentration. In general, an espresso (30 ml) has about 40 mg of caffeine, while a Starbucks’ Venti (about 600 ml) has more than 400 mg. There are sources suggesting that larger amounts of caffeine are safe most healthy adults.