Caffeine can make you more alert, but so can a good night’s sleep. Until now, if you wanted to plan out your caffeine consumption in detail, the tool to use was 2B-alert, which is fantastic but clunky and hard to read. But now, omnicalculator has made a simplified version they call the Coffee Kick Calculator.

The health benefits of coffee have been discussed time and again and, so long as you're not shelving your java, you should be OK. What hasn't been looked at in much detail is the difference between cold and hot brews, and while you might think there's little to see, it turns out there is — at least when it comes to antioxidants.

During my university years, I used to measure out small amounts of caffeine powder on a milligram scale, put it in a gel cap, pop, and repeat throughout the day. A two-inch tall mountain of the dusty substance sat Scarface-like on a piece of paper atop my then-boyfriend’s desk next to the scale and alongside a baggie of caps.

I was dosing on average 30 or so milligrams a piece, three to four times daily, whenever I began to feel sleepy. Periodically, the caps would open before I swallowed and my mouth would be filled with the harsh, bitter taste of powdered caffeine.

Most of us go through life with only a vague idea of how much caffeine is in what we eat and drink. That coffee should wake us up; this chocolate milk is probably caffeine-free. But if you want to use caffeine effectively, you really need to know the amount in your favourite sources. You can’t properly time your caffeine consumption to maximise alertness if you don’t know exactly how much you’re consuming.

Caffeine is the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world - for good reason. It wakes us up, helps us stay on task, and provides an extra energy boost. According to a range of scientific studies, drinking coffee in moderation can also improve your health and prolong your life.

How can some people drink five cups of coffee a day without ascending to another plane while others just need a whiff of espresso to send their bodies into a buzz? Genetics play a huge role, according to a new report by Dr. JW Langer, which breaks caffeine imbibers into three sensitivity groups.

Have you ever found yourself chugging coffee to stay up late studying, but then when it's time for the exam, your mind is foggy with fatigue? Researchers from the US Army have developed an algorithm that can predict the energy peaks and valleys that come from drinking caffeine, and in turn, created a web-based tool that helps you predict how alert you can expect to be based on your own sleep schedule and coffee habits.

As a former barista and insufferable coffee snob, I long believed coffee pod machines were beneath me. My kitchen cupboards are like a museum dedicated to the pursuit of extracting caffeine from a bean, from cold drip to Moka Pots, Aeropress to Vario. No method was too time consuming or pretentious for me to try.

Coffee. Good? Bad? The verdict is constantly flip-flopping. Hey, as long as you consume it in moderation and you know, don't subsist entirely on the caffeine-infused beverage, you should be OK. But what if all you did was drink coffee for a day? No food. No water. Just coffee.

A recent headline in the Australian newspaper claimed “A short black a day can keep heart attack at bay”. Is this more good news for coffee lovers, or a case of be careful what you read?

Cold brew coffee has been the frigid ice queen of the caffeinated world for some time now, but I think it's finally safe to admit that it just isn't for everyone. Not only does it usually have more caffeine than other coffee (which is bad for those of us with anxious little hamster hearts), but it has a very distinct flavour that is not appealing to all people, because not everyone likes the same things.

Two new studies found that coffee drinkers live longer. They are good studies, large and well done -- but that doesn't mean coffee is an elixir of longevity.

Pour over coffee is an intriguing alternative to the drip method or French press. As its name implies, it involves pouring small amounts of water through coffee grounds using a carafe and special kind of kettle. This infographic breaks down everything you need to know about brewing coffee the old way.

Every day it seems there's a new health study out. Something that used to be bad for you is good for you, or vice versa. It turns out most of these newsy findings are not really a big deal: Sometimes they only apply to mice, or they're a blip that doesn't change the overall scientific understanding of the topic. So let's take a look at some of this week's stories, and see what's big news and what isn't.

Putting cubes of frozen coffee in your iced coffee -- instead of boring water -- isn't exactly a new coffee "hack", but there are ways to make them a little more interesting.

If you're one of the millions of Australians that downs coffee or other caffeinated beverages to get through the work day, here's some good news. A new scientific review on the safety of caffeine says drinking up to four cups of coffee, or about 400mg of caffeine, is pretty safe.

A scientific study has found a link between caffeine consumption and a reduced risk of systemic inflammation - a process that can lead to a spate of chronic diseases including cancer, dementia, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and even depression. In short, coffee drinkers tend to live longer than abstainers. (Turns out your overpriced espresso machine was actually worth the money.)

Having coffee before you get started with your priority work might seem like a nice way to ease into the day, but it could also be slowing you down and making you a little jittery in the process.

Nespresso is launching a new range of "barista style" coffee machines with brushed stainless steel exteriors designed by Breville. But its biggest claim to fame is a cool-touch steam wand with adjustable, automatic milk texturing for flat white, cappuccino and late coffees. We look at the features, pricing and availability in Australia.