We all know that coffee has more caffeine than tea, right?
Well, that’s actually not quite true.
While brewed coffee does have more caffeine than steeped tea, it’s because coffee is a stronger drink than tea.
Confused? You will be.
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in certain plant foods, including tea, coffee, cola nuts, cacao and guarana and in some energy drinks and bars.
It works by speeding up messages through the central nervous system to the brain helping us to feel, temporarily, more alert and awake.
Caffeine affects everyone differently, with some being very sensitive and unable to consume caffeine at all and others who can drink several cups of tea or coffee with no apparent side effects.
The amount of caffeine in tea or coffee can vary significantly depending on the origin, type, and preparation of the drink.
Caffeine in tea vs coffee
Tea leaves contain around 3.5% caffeine, while coffee beans can have anything between 1-2.5%
However, the coffee brewing process uses hotter water, which extracts more of the caffeine from the beans.
But to make matters even more confusing, you typically use more coffee beans than you’d use tea leaves for a drink.
So here’s a simple way to remember – a cup of coffee generally has twice as much caffeine than matcha tea – which is the most caffeinated type of tea.
However, the amount of caffeine within a cup of tea that ends up in your body is influenced by a number of factors, such as:
The type of tea leaf used
There are a few factors that affect the levels of caffeine in your cup of tea. Generally, broken tea leaves, as found in tea bags, will impart more caffeine when brewed compared to whole leaves.
The amount of tea used
The more tea leaves added to a cup, the more caffeine will be released. Tea bags naturally provide a standard amount of tea leaf, but if using loose leaf tea you could add more to the pot to increase caffeine levels.
The time taken to brew the tea
The longer the tea leaves sit in hot water, the more caffeine is released.
The temperature of the water used to brew tea
Higher temperatures will also increase the caffeine content as the hot water will act faster to release the caffeine from the leaves.
Decaf loose leaf teas to try
Caffeine consumption has never been lower among tea drinkers as more and more of us want to optimise our day without enhancements that can affect our health goals.
And whether you are intolerant to caffeine or just believe a brew is better for you without it, finding the best decaf tea can be something of a challenge.
So here are just a few caffeine free teas that lack nothing in terms of flavour while still giving you the kick you’ve come to expect from your cuppa.
Vanilla rooibos
The earthy goodness of red rooibos, full of antioxidants and completely caffeine free, is infused with the sweet warmth of vanilla.
Gently hydrating and low in tannin, it has long been valued for its natural goodness and is pretty much perfect for a refreshing brew to chase away those winter blues.
With a sweet, yet malty, flavour Rooibos works with or without milk and can be made into a delicious tea latte and because it’s caffeine free, it can be enjoyed any time of the day or night.
Decaf breakfast
A flavoursome and strong decaffeinated alternative Ceylon Breakfast tea, this is a popular choice when it comes to giving you a morning kick but without the caffeine.
Even though it’s a decaf, the tea retains all of its original taste because the leaves were decaffeinated naturally at origin whilst in the green leaf state.
Fabulous with or without milk, we recommend you use one teaspoon per cup, add freshly boiled water and brew for three minutes before serving immediately or remove leaves.
Turkish apple
Packed full of dried apple pieces fortified with vitamin C, this fruit infusion is just as perfect in the Turkish heat as it is as a winter warmer.
The delicious pieces of sweet apple are air-dried to offer an infusion that is wonderfully tangy and crisp, yet delicately sweet and mellow – and what’s more, it’s totally free of caffeine.
This really is a healthy and traditional, loose leaf tea, that makes a soothing and warm winter infusion, and is equally delicious taken as a cold brew in the summer.
Try a cup of caffeine-free tea
If you’re looking to make the switch to caffeine-free loose leaf teas, we have a fantastic range for you to discover.
We’re confident that you’ll find something to suit your taste as well as a product which can aid body, mind and soul.
Take a look at our extensive selection of Herbal Teas by visiting the LEAF Tea Shop website.
