Caffeine & Tea

In moderation caffeine can be a benefit - stimulating the metabolism, increasing brain function and alertness. However, the stress of modern life, and the prevalence of coffee and caffeinated colas, has lead people to caffeine overload. The typical cup of coffee has approximately 125-185 milligrams of caffeine. With In Pursuit of Tea full leaf products you can expect a range of about 45-60 milligrams of caffeine for black teas, 35-45 milligrams for Oolong teas, and 15-20 milligrams for green teas. Please remember that these are typical levels. Depending upon the type of tea and how it is prepared, caffeine levels can be significantly greater or lower than outlined here. For those of you needing a powerful lift in the morning, some of our black teas, brewed appropriately, can have as much caffeine as a cup of the strongest coffee! Because caffeine from tea does not take effect for 10-15 minutes, it provides more of a subtle lift - not the rapid jolt in a cup of coffee. As we like to say "Tea makes you happy; coffee makes you nervous".

The effect of caffeine is also complemented by another compound found only in tea, theophylline. While caffeine primarily is active in the brain and muscles, theophylline is active in stimulating the respiratory system, heart and kidneys. This corresponds to research that tea is helpful in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, removing caffeine from tea is simple

Our Simple Guidelines for How to Decaffeinate Tea
Reducing caffeine content should not be a hindrance to enjoying great tea, and decaffeinating our full leaf teas can be done easily with minimal effect on flavor and enjoyment. Simply steep the tea for 45 seconds in hot water and then pour off the liquid. Then, add hot water and steep in the manner you would normally use to brew a cup of that tea. As up to 80% of the caffeine will be released into the brief infusion of water, the subsequent infusions will have minimal amounts of caffeine. Comparatively little of the flavor or aroma will be sacrificed.

If you are drinking decaffeinated tea from another supplier, make sure that the tea is processed according to the natural method using water and CO2. This method of decaffeinating bulk tea retains 95% of the polyphenols in tea. Polyphenols are the compounds that have been linked with many of the health benefits associated with drinking tea. A common method of decaffeinating bulk tea uses Ethyl Acetate, which only retains 30% of the polyphenols.