Heaven of Tea

Some people love caffeine and some people avoid it like the plague. I think most of us are in between: it’s needed in the morning and avoided after dinner. But good tea is different from drinking your favorite caffeinated beverage for a couple of reasons. And even after that, each tea has different levels of caffeine. 

So here’s a quick take on Caffeine and Tea.

Tea and Caffeine Overview

First, it’s important to note that there are teas and there are tisanes. Teas include the Camellia sinensis plant whereas tisanes do not (tisanes are often called ‘herbal teas’). All true teas contain some caffiene although at varying levels. Decaffeinated teas still have a small amount of caffeine content, but most of it has been removed (learn how to decaffeinate your own tea here).

The Reality of Tea and Caffeine

Each cup of tea will vary in its actual caffeine amounts. This is due to a number of factors from the size of the leaf to the location of tea bush to the length of time you steep the tea. In general, there are a few ‘truths’:

• The longer you steep the tea, the more caffeine it will have
• The smaller the leaf, the more caffeine it will have
• Tea caffeine is the same as any other caffeine (at one time it was thought to be different)

Having said that, these ‘truths’ don’t make a huge difference in terms of caffeination. The biggest factor in the amount of caffeine in your tea is the fermentation time. The longer the tea is fermented, the more caffeine it has and vice-versa. Thus, black teas have the most caffeine and white teas the least. Oolong teas have a bit more than green. Caffeine content will vary from tea to tea, but these are general guidelines:

• Black Teas: 20% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee
• Oolong Teas: 10-15% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee
• Green Teas: 5% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee
• White Teas: 1% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee
• Herbal Teas (tisanes): completely caffeine free with a few exceptions (see below)

A cup of coffee typically has around 15mg of caffeine per ounce. However, there is another difference between tea and coffee. Teas contain polyphenols and it is thought that these slow the absorption of caffeine into the body. Which means the caffeine in tea is absorbed more slowly, so it doesn’t hit you as fast or as hard and it lasts longer without the sudden drop in energy that you might get from coffee.

As you know, there are positive effects of caffeine: it can wake you up, increase alterness and concentration and enhance the senses. Caffeine also stimulates the digestive juices and metabolism. 

Mate Teas Will Wake You Up

Mate Teas are a South American herbal tisane. However, they are unlike other herbals since they do have a high caffeine content. Mate Teas come from the Yerba Mate plant and typically have the same amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee. They have a higher content of caffeine that even black teas, so if you want a morning kick in the pants, try a Mate tea. These are the lone exception to the rule that herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free. 

Hopefully that clears up most of your questions about Caffeine and Tea. At a minimum, you should now have a good understanding of which teas to choose in the morning versus the evening! If you have any other questions about teas and caffeine, please add them below.