Less caffeine than coffee and no jittery effect, tea is superior.
At Good Karma Tea Co. we've recently introduced a rating system for caffeine content of our teas. Here's a quick guide. The values below are measured in an 8 oz. cup of tea, except Matcha which measured as a 2 oz. cup.
Caffeine Content Scale
0 = 0 mg of caffeine, includes all herbal and red teas
1 = 10-20mg of caffeine, typically white teas fall in this range
2 = 20-35mg of caffeine, typically green teas fit this category
3 = 35-50mg of caffeine, typically matcha and oolong teas exhibit this rating
4 = 50-60mg of caffeine, typically black teas are this strong
5 = 60-70mg of caffeine, typically pu-erh teas deliver this strength
6 = 70-95mg of caffeine, typically a cup of brewed coffee
Loose leaf tea is lower in caffeine content than coffee.
Not only does a cup of coffee have more caffeine than a cup of tea, coffee also creates a bigger peak and trough of stimulus. You may experience a caffeine buzz or jitters from a strong cup of coffee, but a cup of tea will not produce the same result because of counter-effects of L-theanine, which is an amino acid which modulates brain function.
Even with the calming effect of L-theanine, we recommend caffeine-free tea when you are nearing bedtime. Herbal or red teas are both caffeine-free, not using camellia sinensis tea leaf in blends.
Workers pluck leaves from the camellia sinensis plant.
Brewing your tea for longer can increase the release of compounds, such as caffeine. Good Karma Tea Co. tea prescribes the ideal temperature and time of steeping for each tea type right on the bag. This is to help you discover the best flavor and to receive the most health benefits from the compounds within the tea.
We hope you find the Caffeine Content Scale to be helpful as you select teas! Click on our "About" page to contact us if you have any questions or comments.
Be well!
-Pam and Jeff