How Much Caffeine is in a Cup of Tea?

Many people like starting their day with a cup of strong tea. But does tea contain caffeine? Are you curious about what kind of tea has the most caffeine and what kind doesn’t contain caffeine at all? Find the answers in our article.

How Much Caffeine Does Tea Have?

You have definitely heard of caffeine, a natural stimulant that helps you to stay awake and even be more energetic and can keep you awake. We all know that coffee has a high amount. But many people are wondering: is there a lot of caffeine in tea?

The average level of caffeine in tea is considered to be half of that in coffee. However, it is not always easy to determine.

Caffeine levels in tea depend on several factors:

• tea type;
• brewing method and time;
• tea grade;
• the composition of a blend.

For example, if the tea leaves are brewed for a long time, the amount of caffeine will increase. This is why it is difficult to say how much caffeine a cup of tea actually contains. However, in general, black tea caffeine level is considered the highest among other types.

Caffeine Content in Tea Types

When we are talking about tea, we usually refer to the leaves of Camellia Sinensis. The harvested leaves undergo special preparation and processing that transforms them into the familiar black or green tea. Let’s compare the amount of caffeine in different teas and find out which types have the highest, and which the lowest percentages.

Black Tea Caffeine Amount

This type of tea has the highest percentage of caffeine in its leaves. Usually, there is 40 to 79 mg of caffeine in a cup of black tea, but in some cases, the level can reach 90 or even 120 mg. You may be surprised to discover that a cup of coffee usually contains the same amount.

How Much Caffeine Does Green Tea Have?

If you are looking for a tea which has the least caffeine, we recommend trying green tea. Most sorts of green tea contain 12-30 mg of caffeine, which is a quarter of the amount found in a cup of coffee. However, the caffeine level can be as much as 70 mg per cup for some types of organic green tea.

Does White Tea Have Caffeine?

There is a common myth that white tea has less caffeine than black or green. However, this is true only for leaves from certain regions, such as Fujian, China. These leaves will release as little as 6 mg of caffeine into the average cup. Notice that in some sorts of organic white tea the caffeine content can rise up to 75 mg.

Does Herbal Tea Have Caffeine?

If you are curious about which teas do not have caffeine, herbal preparations are usually the first that come to mind. Herbal tea contains leaves, roots or flowers of plants other than Camellia sinensis, which makes them organic caffeine-free tea. This is the best choice for people looking for decaffeinated drinks.

Caffeine Comparison Chart

To sum it all up, here is a chart that shows the average percentage of caffeine in a cup of tea (8 oz. / 240 ml).

The listed caffeine levels were measured for teas brewed for 3 minutes. If you leave the tea leaves brewing longer, the amount of caffeine will increase.

Conclusion

The average caffeine content in tea depends on many factors, including tea type and brewing time. Generally, organic black tea is rich in caffeine while the herbal type is natural decaf tea. No matter your opinion on caffeine, our store has numerous types of organic tea for you to choose from.