![]() If you’re interested in more, the team at Camellia Sinensis Tea House in Montreal keeps this running list of the teas tested using liquid chromatography, which shows a number of green teas ahead of blacks. This means that black tea doesn't have more caffeine than green tea, white tea, or any other type per se. In fact, when scientists at Teacraftperformed an analysis, they found that the length of oxidation actually decreased the amount of caffeine:įurther reinforcing this research, the longer the tea leaf oxidizes, the more large polyphenols are produced, which bind up caffeine and make it unavailable for human absorption. Unfortunately, oxidizing actually seems to lower caffeine content. If true, this would mean black tea-the most oxidized style-has the most caffeine, followed by oolongs, greens, then whites. Many people will tell you that the longer the tea leaf oxidizes, the more bioavailable the caffeine becomes. This is probably the most surprising (and dare I say controversial?) part of the equation. What Doesn’t Impact Tea Caffeine Content? (Myth Busted!) Perhaps that’s one of the reasons they’re so prized! Also, since many of the best whiteand green teas are made in the spring, we begin to see why making claims about what tea has the most caffeine is a complicated scenario. Taking these two factors into account, high-end spring teas like the sought after Darjeeling First Flush are likely to pack the most punch. As a result, spring teas will generally have more caffeine compared to summer or autumnal flushes. The tea plant also pumps out more caffeine during the windows when it is most susceptible to attack, namely right after its winter dormancy. This type of plucking standard, referred to as a “fine pluck,” ensures that the compounds that give tea its flavor-caffeine, polyphenols, and more-are tightly concentrated so there's no tasteless filler. As a result, tea crafted with just the top two leaves and a bud, the hallmark of all quality tea, will have more caffeine than the lower-grade teas made using parts further down the plant. For that reason, it's safe to say that without caffeine, the tea plant likely wouldn’t have achieved global domination! (Let’s not forget that tea is the world’s most consumed beverage after water.) Harvest Timing & Techniques Impact Tea Caffeine AmountsĪs a result of its botanical function, caffeine is most concentrated in the most vulnerable part of the plant-the top leaves and the terminal bud. While caffeine delivers a mind-numbing electric jolt to a bug, its effects on the human system are pleasantly stimulating. The tea plant’s chloroplasts produce caffeine to protect its new growth from potential insect attacks. Why does caffeine, officially known as a 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, exist at all? This marvelous little alkaloid, the world’s most popular psychoactive substance, is found in about 60 plants around the globe: most notably tea, coffee, cacao, and yerba mate. ![]() It’s also important to note that each person’s metabolism is unique, so the amount of caffeine that’s actually absorbed into your bloodstream might be different from your friend drinking the exact same tea. This means if a tea farmer were to take their harvest and make black tea with half and green tea with the other half, then prepare both teas following a uniform steeping process, the two cups would have nearly identical levels of caffeine. Interestingly, processing the leaf doesn’t have much of an impact. What time of year is the tea harvested?. ![]() ![]() The three things that most dramatically impact how much caffeine ends up in your cup are: 3 Biggest Factors Impacting Tea Caffeine Levels And if you’re curious, all our sources are listed at the end. This is our attempt to offer you the full picture, based on what we’ve gleaned from well-reviewed sources. While reality isn’t black and white (or green or oolong), it’s clear there are some common factors that affect how much caffeine is in your cup. Black tea doesn't necessarily have more caffeine than green tea or white tea, and the exact same black tea steeped by different people could have varying levels of caffeine molecules within. The internet is filled with unsatisfying and contradictory answers, so I dug deep into our library of trustworthy tea booksto piece it all together. As avid tea (and amateur coffee) drinkers ourselves, these are questions we’ve wondered about as well. tea caffeine compare?” are two questions we’ve been asked many times. “How much caffeine is in my tea?” and “How does coffee vs.
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