Caffeine in Tea
T Tegan Woo

Caffeine in Tea

Jun 9, 2015 · tea101

It’s a question that comes up all the time so we’re going to try and make this as straightforward as possible. Caffeine content in the teas you choose is always important!

Now the majority of teas come from the same plant, which has naturally occurring caffeine. Other types of teas, like rooibos and herbals, don’t come from the same plant. They are made from different plants and herbs that don’t contain caffeine. The amount of caffeine in tea tends to be in the range of 15-60mg per cup (the same size cup of coffee tends to be about 95 – 175mg). From highest to lowest level of caffeine of each varietal goes from black, oolong, green to white.

There are important other factors to take into account when thinking about caffeine levels in tea.

  • The more tea you use, the higher the caffeine.
  • The hotter the water, the higher the caffeine.
  • The longer you steep, the higher the caffeine.

That being said, if you want less caffeine in your cup of tea, use less tea, in cooler water and for a shorter period of time.

So let's talk about what's really interesting about caffeine in tea.

Every tea contains something called L-theanine, which interacts with caffeine to allow for a smaller dose of caffeine to have a stronger effect. The result? A big boost in concentration and alertness for a sustained period of time. Studies have also shown that the interaction between caffeine and L-theanine promotes a more relaxed alertness. So no jitters or caffeine crash....not so bad!

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