CAFFEINE IN TEA

Caffeine content in tea is widely debated. The broad agreement is that tea contains about half the amount of caffeine that a cup of coffee does. The caffeine in tea is known as theophylline and theobromine, which are gentler stimulants than the caffeine found in coffee and have fewer side effects. Caffeine in tea is slowly released, moderated by L-theanine, resulting in prolonged, calm alertness without crashes. A few factors that influence caffeine level in tea include part of the plants, processing method all the way to how tea is brewed.  

In plants, caffeine works as a natural insecticide, serving to protect the plant against being eaten by insects. Since the tips and tender young leaves are most vulnerable to insects, these parts of the plant are highest in caffeine. The older leaves are tougher and thus lower in caffeine. In addition, how the tea is prepared also plays an important role in how much caffeine makes it into a cup. Everything, from the amount of tea, water temperature, brewing time to particle sizes becomes a factor. In general, more tea leaves steeped in hot water for a longer time will release more of its caffeine than less amount of tea steeped in cooler water for a shorter period. Smaller or broken tea leaves may release more caffeine than larger leaves. A blending of tea with caffeine-free ingredients to produce flavored tea can result in lower total caffeine content so long as less total tea leaf is used in the blend.

The following chart is average caffeine content for an 8oz cup of tea made with loose leaf tea comparing to a cup of coffee: