There are many warm and wonderful caffeine-free choices available these days. It is important to also realize that decaffeinated teas and coffee, are not “caffeine-free.” Decaffeinated tea has about 2-4 mg of caffeine per cup and in general, decaffeinated coffee may contain anywhere from 2-12 mg.
I receive many questions from my nutrition clients about the differences in caffeine content between teas, and thought this would be a great time to share them.
Tea color often is a great first step in determining caffeine content: white, black, or green vary tremendously. Also, the length of time the tea leaves “steep” or sit in the water will affect how much caffeine gets into the cup of tea you drink. Similarly, the amount of tea actually used to make the cup affects the caffeine quotient. Caffeine content depends on how the tea is brewed, but tends to be within the range of 7.5 mg and 75 mg of caffeine per cup of tea. This is a large range.
Caffeine content also depends on the part of the plant used in creating the tea. Leaf buds and younger leaves are higher in caffeine than older leaves because the caffeine is more concentrated in the plant when it is younger. Generally, a bigger scoop of tea, hotter water and longer steeping time all contribute to more caffeine.
Here is a general guide by tea type.
Beverage Caffeine Per 8 oz. Cup
White tea 30-55 mg
Green tea 35-70 mg
Oolong tea 50-75 mg
Black tea 60 -90 mg
Coffee 150-200 mg (as a comparison)
Other drinks for evening that are warm and enormously satisfying that do not have appreciable amounts of caffeine include…
Hot cocoa
Warm milk with flavored syrups (hazelnut, almond, vanilla)
Herbal teas
Hot soup or broth
Hot apple cider
Enjoy them all and please feel free to send me your questions!
