Tea has proven to have countless of health benefits, but many still wonder about the amount of caffeine in tea that may have a negative impact on tea drinkers. Tea may give a clean burst of energy, leaving one feeling refreshed and rejuvenated for the day – similar to the effects of coffee, which leaves people pondering. The question remains: how much is too much caffeine in tea, and do they vary?
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What Affects Caffeine Content in Tea?
It’s one thing to note that not all tea types have the same caffeine content. Some have more than others and some might not have any at all. There are various reasons that affect the caffeine levels of certain teas — whether it is within our control or not.
1.Growing methods
Sometimes, the level of caffeine balls down to how the leaves are grown. Most of the time, this factor is the main one that influences the caffeine content. For example, the shift in chlorophyll and amino acids that take place in shade-grown teas like matcha have higher levels of caffeine because these plants are shaded from sunlight before being harvested.
2.Oxidation
Another factor that influences the tea’s caffeine levels is oxidation. This series of chemical reactions affects numerous aspects of the tea leaves, not just caffeine. Flavor and aroma are also altered.
The less the tea is oxidised, the lighter it is in caffeine. Black tea is the most oxidised as the tea leaves are rolled to produce cracks and oxygen is able to react with the plant’s enzymes, causing a darker shade of brown for the tea leaves — another indicator that it’s high in oxidation. In contrast, white tea has the least amount of caffeine due to its minimal oxidation.
3.Tea grade
There are different tea grades depending on the condition of leaves — whole leaf grades, broken leaf grades, fanning grades and dust grades. It is known that broken leaf grades are able to dispense more caffeine into your drink than whole leaf grades.
An example is the average tea bag, which often holds more broken grades and hence are able to provide a higher level of caffeine than loose tea leaves. It is good to note that tea bags prevent the tea from reaching their full potential in terms of flavor and aroma, which is why most opt for the flavorful loose leaves despite its caffeine content potential.
4.Steeping methods
On top of natural influences, there are also ones within our control and that is how we prepare the tea. If one uses more tea leaves using a higher temperature of water for a longer period of brewing time, steeping it this way will extract more caffeine in your tea regardless of the type.
If one brews green or white tea for longer and at a higher temperature, it may have more caffeine than an averagely brewed cup of oolong tea which is naturally more caffeinated.
Caffeine in Tea vs. Coffee
It’s no secret that coffee contains more caffeine than most cups of tea. The difference — other than the levels in them — is that caffeine is released differently in tea and coffee.
Coffee caffeine reacts almost instantly and more like a bang all at once, whereas the caffeine in tea reacts with the tannin contents and thus preventing the caffeine to be released immediately. Tea allows the body to gradually absorb the caffeine rather than a single go, giving a longer lasting energy boost than coffee.
Is Caffeine a Concern?
There’s a study that showed more than 80% of the world’s population enjoy a caffeinated product daily. Whether it is for an energy boost — which is why most of us do consume it — mood elevation, improving athletic performance, or if one just naturally likes the taste of caffeine, some of us can’t resist caffeinated drinks. Caffeine is, after all, a natural stimulant found in several plants, anyway.
Regardless, in large doses, caffeine can cause harm rather than good. An overdose in caffeine is never recommended, and that is why there’s a limit on the daily intake of caffeine for us humans.
Since the caffeine content in tea is significantly lesser than that of coffee, one should feel at ease knowing that they can drink more cups of tea without it reaching to the dangerous levels of caffeine in take.
Caffeine in Different Types of Tea
Depending on the natural state of the type of tea, some teas can have a higher level of caffeine compared to others. Black tea is generally known for the highest caffeine content, followed by oolong tea, green tea, and followed by white tea with the least levels of caffeine.
Herbal teas are known to be mostly caffeine-free, though specific herbal infusions have caffeine in it — be sure to check if you’re particular on caffeine in herbal teas.
1. Caffeine in Black Tea
The most heavily oxidized type of tea is the black tea. It comes from the camellia sinensis plant known to have high levels of caffeine naturally. The black tea can be identified by its dark color and full-bodied flavor. Generally, black tea contains about 40 to 70 milligrams of caffeine in an average cup.
The high caffeine level in black tea makes it an ideal breakfast tea — hence the most popular type of black tea is called the English Breakfast tea. Earl grey teas are a close second choice. Some earl grey teas have flavor infusions that gives it a perky flavor for that morning cup of tea.
2.Caffeine in White Tea
White tea has little to no oxidation, making it the least caffeinated tea out of all types of tea. An average serving of 8-ounce has only 15 to 30 milligrams of caffeine. Its low caffeine level adds on to the delicate and mild flavors — one of the famous aspects of white tea that is loved so dearly.
White tea is often used for an afternoon sip with sides of fruity flavors, like peach, pear, or honeydew melon, that complements the tea taste. It makes for a great relaxation drink as well, and some consider it as a perfect blend for romantic evenings or an after-dinner sip.
3.Caffeine in Green Tea
Green tea falls under the mid-range category with its 35 to 45 milligrams of caffeine content in an average serving. It’s definitely significantly lesser than that of black tea, but higher than other types of tea including white tea. Most opt for green tea as a substitute and alternative to more caffeinated drinks such as coffee, since it is more naturally stimulant.
Green tea leaves have little to no oxidation and preserve most of their natural grassy flavors. There are various types of green tea on the market, each with its own original flavors as well as range of caffeine levels — but not to worry, no type of green tea will pass.
The high levels of antioxidants in green tea, along with its moderate caffeine levels, also contributes to the reason why green tea is the most popular tea of them all. Cultures in Japan and Korea pick it up as a ritual before or after meals due to its extreme health benefits.
4.Caffeine in Oolong Tea
There’s another type of tea that falls in between black tea and green tea with about 35 to 55 milligrams of caffeine in an average cup. While not as well-known as the other main types of tea, oolong tea is often consumed due to its darker roasted flavors that the black teas have while still bursting with lush vegetal aroma of the green teas.
As it is a Chinese traditional tea, oolong tea is most popular in Southeast Asia — especially with its link to health benefits like lowering cholesterol levels, stabilizing blood sugar levels, weight loss, and preventing allergies.
Oolong tea also provides a more diverse flavor that blends seamlessly with sweets and fruits. A cup of oolong tea with some energy-filled snacks can last one a whole afternoon brimming with liveliness.
5.Caffeine in Pu’erh Tea
This type of tea originated from the Yunnan province in China, and is widely consumed in Asia for its health benefits like improve digestion, curing hangovers and reducing cholesterol. Its smooth taste is what captures the hearts of tea drinkers.
An average cup of black pu’erh tea can contain 60 to 70 milligrams of caffeine, while green pu’erh tea is slightly lower with 30 to 40 milligrams.
This naturally fermented tea goes through twice of the fermentation process — taking a duration from anything between 6 months to a year in total. The result of this meticulous and careful preparation leads to a healthy, mellow-tasting tea.
6.Caffeine in Herb Tea
Herbal infusions are generally known to be caffeine free as they don’t come from the same type of plant as other teas, hence they do not go through the oxidation. Most of the time, they are made of fruits, herbs or other non-stimulating plants like rooibos and honeybush.
Because of its wide variety in flavor as well as its zero content for caffeine, herb teas can be consumed any time of the day for various occasions — be it a casual tea time in the afternoon or a bedtime tea to soothe those nerves.
There are minor exceptions, however. Some types of herbal infusions, including yerba mate, may contain a few milligrams of caffeine.
7. Caffeine in Powdered Tea
There has been buzz about the levels of caffeine in powdered tea. It is said that, despite its tea type, they’re more known to have high levels of caffeine. This is because of the process of making powdered teas. Instead of the standard infusion of tea leaves, powdered teas are made from crushed leaves and hence allowing higher extractions of caffeine from it.
An example is the matcha powdered tea. Drinking powdered tea is like consuming the entirety of the tea leaves, drinking all of its contents including caffeine rather than just a fraction.
The concern for caffeine levels in tea is quite normal. One wouldn’t want to over-caffeinate themselves, especially if the reason to drinking tea is for its abundant health benefits. Tea drinkers should be aware of the contents of their tea, whether or not it suits them, their bodily needs and their preferred taste buds.
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