Due to the various misinformation circulating on social media, effective removal is sometimes necessary. From so-called hormone balancing and cortisol facials to TikTok’s viral sugar pregnancy tests, we love seeing health myths debunked. But when it comes to espresso martinis, we have to draw a line.
Recently, the internet’s favorite it-girl drink has been called into question for its nutritional concerns. A 2022 article in the New York Post went so far as to say the drink “can ruin your sleep and heart health” in a counter-ode to the espresso martini. As hurtful as it sounds, is there any truth to these claims?
There are many things to an espresso martini. High in caffeine and a chore to make. . . But is it bad for your health? In our experience, this drink can wake you up while making you tipsy at the same time—kind of like a grown-up vodka Red Bull (if they tasted like dessert). What do we think? The espresso martini doesn’t claim to be a superfood. They are known to contain alcohol, caffeine, and sugar—all of which can ultimately take a toll on your body. But are espresso martinis really bad for you in the short term? Let’s investigate.
Experts featured in this article:
Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and the founder of Nutrition With Maddie.
Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and founder and director of Real Nutrition.
Paula Doebrich, RDN, MPH, is a registered dietitian, public health nutritionist, and founder of Happea Nutrition.
Katie Tomaschko, MS, RDN, CDN, is a mindful eating registered dietitian at Hint of Tabasco, LLC.
Holly Klamer, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a master’s degree in nutrition and exercise science.
Eric Ridenour is a former bartender and men’s health expert.
What does an Espresso Martini contain?
According to Liquor.com, a traditional espresso martini contains the following ingredients:
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 ounce coffee liqueur (usually Kahlúa)
- 1 ounce freshly brewed espresso (or cold brew espresso)
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
How much caffeine does an espresso martini contain?
According to the USDA, a traditional espresso martini recipe uses just one small cup (equivalent to one fluid ounce) of espresso, which contains about 63 milligrams of caffeine. (Kahlua contains only a few milligrams of caffeine per serving, so this is fairly inconsequential.) By comparison, an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains about 90 milligrams of caffeine, according to the USDA, which is more than your typical cup of caffeine. You get even more caffeine in espresso.
What’s the alcohol content in an espresso martini?
As for alcohol, an espresso martini usually contains about two ounces of vodka (40% alcohol by volume) and half an ounce of Kahlua (20% alcohol by volume). That’s a little more than what the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism considers a single drink (1.5 ounces of 40 percent alcohol by volume liquor). In reality, however, its alcohol content is comparable to a large amount of wine (8 to 9 ounces) and lower than most other martinis, which tend to only contain at least 2.5 ounces of primary alcohol.
Are espresso martinis bad for you?
The answer is multifaceted. Here are some of the biggest takeaways, experts say.
Drinking quantity
“Of course, drinking alcohol, even in moderation, is not the most health-promoting thing to do,” explains Maddie Pasquariello, M.S., RD. Even in moderation, she says, drinking alcohol can be very damaging to your health, linked to cardiovascular and digestive health problems, an increased risk of certain cancers, and dehydration (to name a few). Despite our collective insistence on the occasional evidence supporting the benefits of moderate drinking, the reality is that it’s not good for us in any way (duh). “Drinking any amount of alcohol carries health risks,” confirms Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN. In fact, a 2022 study found any amount Drinking alcohol increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
caffeine
In terms of long-term health effects, caffeine is not a concern. In fact, “a few cups of black coffee a day can actually be good for your health,” Pasquarillo says, noting that it can fight inflammation, boost metabolism, speed reaction times, and even improve short-term memory. While some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others (and if your doctor recommends avoiding caffeine entirely, you should definitely listen), most people can consume up to 400 milligrams per day (about four cups of brewed coffee) without any negative impact, said Paula Doebrich, RN, MPH. That said, if you take more than 400 milligrams, you may experience symptoms such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, heartburn and palpitations, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
sleep disorders
If you drink an espresso martini (or any caffeinated beverage) later in the day, it also has the potential to disrupt your sleep. According to the Cleveland Clinic, for most people, blood levels of caffeine peak about an hour after ingesting caffeine and remain at that level for several hours. That said, many people have no problem consuming caffeine in the afternoon or evening. “How coffee affects you depends on your individual tolerance, which is often hereditary. Some people metabolize coffee faster than others,” Dobrich says.
An estimated 10% of people are genetically insensitive to caffeine, meaning they can consume it in large amounts or late in the day without keeping them awake. Additionally, research shows that when you consume caffeine regularly, its effectiveness as a stimulant diminishes. So for someone who drinks a few cups of coffee every morning, the espresso in a martini may not do much because you’ve already built up a tolerance.
The bad news is that even if you can tolerate caffeine, alcohol can negatively affect sleep. “Although alcohol is a sedative and makes you drowsy, it can disrupt sleep throughout the night,” says Katie Tomaschko, MS, RDN, CDN. Still, the alcohol in a espresso martini is no more harmful than the alcohol in other cocktails, beer, or wine you might drink.
Perceptual poisoning
The magic mix of caffeine and alcohol may pose risks to your perceived level of intoxication. “One of the biggest problems when mixing alcohol with caffeine is that it can make you feel like you’re drinking less than you actually are, so you may end up overindulging,” Dobrich says. “This is deceptive because caffeine only counteracts the drowsy effects of alcohol.” In other words, while you may feel less intoxicated, you’re still just as drunk as you would be without the added caffeine. . Of course, espresso martinis aren’t the only cocktail with this risk. “The combination of caffeine and alcohol is nothing new, it’s just something to be aware of,” Smith said.
add sugar
If you’re wondering how much sugar is in your drink (and it’s okay if you don’t know), you should know that an espresso martini contains about 11 grams of sugar per cup, and that number can add up quickly, says Holly Klamer, MS, RDN. Don’t worry if you only have one espresso martini, Tomasko says, but drinking lots of sugary drinks can eventually affect your blood sugar and increase your risk of heart disease.
dehydration
One final note: When drinking an espresso martini, it’s more important than ever to drink water. “Caffeine is a diuretic, alcohol is a diuretic, so you run the risk of dehydration, which is inherently unhealthy and can lead to a hangover,” Shapiro said.
bottom line
That sounds like a lot of bad news, but we promise we’re not saying espresso martinis are the worst. Instead, consider these delicious cocktails the perfect indulgence. As long as you’re not drinking it every night, you’ll probably be fine. “Isn’t it healthy? Of course it’s not,” said Eric Ridenour, a former bartender himself. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t order it if you want it. “I see no reason to blame the decline of society on the espresso martini,” Ridnour summed up beautifully. “Like most other things, overuse is the main problem.”
Condensed martinis pose similar risks in the long term as any other alcoholic beverage. In the short term, it may disrupt your sleep (that is, if you plan to go to bed) or prevent you from realizing exactly how drunk or drunk you are. With that in mind, for most people, an occasional espresso martini in moderation—just like you should already consume both caffeine and alcohol—certainly won’t “[ruin] “If consumed occasionally, these cocktails can become part of a balanced lifestyle,” says Dobrich.
— Additional reporting by Chandler Plante
Lauren Mazzo is PS’s senior fitness editor. She is a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition expert by the American Council on Exercise. Prior to joining PS, she spent six years as a writer and editor at Shape magazine, covering health, fitness, nutrition, mental health, sex and relationships, beauty and astrology.
Chandler Plante is an assistant editor at PS Health and Fitness. She has more than four years of professional journalism experience, previously serving as an editorial assistant at People magazine and writing for Ladygunn, Millie and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she enjoys finding new ways to rock her 18 (!) different eye patches and making videos about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.
