Caffeine in Tea
Every tea type compared — from high-caffeine matcha to truly caffeine-free herbal options.
Caffeine by Tea Type
| Tea Type | Serving (8 oz) | Caffeine Range | Average | vs Coffee (95mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matcha (1 tsp powder) | 8 oz | 60–80 mg | 70 mg | 74% of coffee |
| Black Tea | 8 oz | 40–70 mg | 47 mg | 49% |
| Oolong Tea | 8 oz | 30–55 mg | 38 mg | 40% |
| Pu-erh Tea | 8 oz | 30–70 mg | 50 mg | 53% |
| Green Tea | 8 oz | 20–45 mg | 28 mg | 29% |
| White Tea | 8 oz | 15–30 mg | 20 mg | 21% |
| Yerba Maté | 8 oz | 50–90 mg | 65 mg | 68% |
| Chai Latte (Starbucks Grande) | 16 oz | 70–100 mg | 95 mg | ~1 coffee |
| Chamomile (herbal) | 8 oz | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0% |
| Peppermint (herbal) | 8 oz | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0% |
| Rooibos (red bush) | 8 oz | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0% |
| Ginger Tea (herbal) | 8 oz | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0% |
Factors That Change Tea Caffeine
Unlike coffee, tea caffeine is highly variable because of how it's prepared:
Steeping time
Most caffeine extracts within the first 2 minutes of steeping. A black tea steeped for 1 minute contains about 20–30mg; the same tea steeped for 5 minutes can reach 60–70mg. If you want lower caffeine from a flavored tea you enjoy, steep for 1–2 minutes and remove the bag promptly.
Water temperature
Hotter water extracts caffeine more efficiently. Green tea brewed at 70°C (158°F) will have less caffeine than the same tea brewed at 95°C (203°F). This is one reason traditionally brewed Japanese green tea is lower in caffeine than machine-brewed versions.
Tea bags vs loose leaf
Tea bags typically contain smaller, more finely cut tea particles (called "dust" and "fannings") that have more surface area and extract caffeine faster than whole loose-leaf tea. The same weight of tea in a bag produces more caffeine than in a loose-leaf infuser.