![]() ![]() The amount of caffeine present in tea varies between and within the main tea types (white, green, black, pu’er and oolong). Many drinkers enjoy the sense of relaxed alertness thought to be a result of the interaction between caffeine and L-theanine. As well as the health benefits, there are wellbeing benefits linked to the caffeine in tea. In fact, studies suggest caffeine can help protect against coronary heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and some types of cancer 14. Rest assured this isn’t a risk for the average tea drinker – you’d have to consume well over 160 cups of tea in a day! At a dose of 10000mg, caffeine can actually prove lethal 13. Perhaps this is why tea drinking isn’t associated with ‘the jitters’.Ĭaffeine gets a bad rap, but is that fair? True, it is an addictive substance and too much caffeine can lead to issues such as those mentioned above. Studies suggest this mood-boosting chemical enhances caffeine’s positive effects, such as increased alertness and concentration, while reducing adverse ones, such as anxiety 12. This is due to other substances present in tea but absent from coffee, such as the amino acid L-theanine. The effects of caffeine in tea and coffee differ. Simply put: there can be pros and cons to caffeine consumption. There are also some widely known adverse effects of caffeine consumption, such as tremors, anxiety and elevated blood pressure 11. The result is more wakefulness, improved cognitive performance and relief from fatigue 10. It works its magic by blocking adenosine, a chemical in our nervous system that slows down brain activity and causes us to feel tired 9. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Let’s take a closer look at caffeine and its effects.Ĭaffeine is a natural stimulant of the central nervous system 8. And while a cup of instant coffee contains less caffeine than brewed coffee, it still has more caffeine than a cup of tea.Ī cup of coffee does generally contain more caffeine than a cup of tea. That’s quite a few more cups of tea than coffee before you’re nearing the recommended caffeine levels. Very generally speaking, a cup of tea contains around 10-60mg 7 caffeine. Factors from the tea plant varietal, through leaf processing to brewing all play a role. The recommended limit of caffeine intake for adults is 400-500mg 6, so that’s around 3 cups or 5 shots of coffee a day.Ĭaffeine content in tea is trickier to pin down. The average espresso shot contains 70-80 milligrams of caffeine 4, while a standard cup of brewed coffee packs 160-170mg 5. The result: a higher concentration of caffeine in the coffee cup than in the teacup. In addition, more caffeine is extracted from these grounds than from tea leaves, partly because of their greater surface area and partly because they’re (usually) brewed in hotter water. However! It takes fewer tea leaves to make a cup of tea than ground coffee beans to make a cup of brewed coffee – around 5g tea leaves vs 10g coffee grounds. Caffeinated Beverages: Tea vs CoffeeĪccording to researchers, coffee beans contain 1.1-2.2% caffeine, while Camellia sinensis plant (tea) leaves can contain three times these concentrations 3. Buds and new leaves are most vulnerable to hungry insects, which is thought to be why caffeine is found in highest concentrations in these. A number of plants, including Camellia sinensis (tea), produce this compound as a natural pesticide. It’s also the most widely used psychoactive substance globally 2! While lots of us are familiar with caffeine’s stimulative effects in humans, we don’t often think about its purpose in nature. But don’t despair! By understanding the variables involved, it is possible to make an educated guess as to which of two drinks has the higher caffeine content.ĭoes that include tea vs coffee? Let’s find out!Ĭaffeine is a bitter alkaloid that occurs naturally in plants. Spoiler alert: short of analysing each cupful in a lab, it’s impossible to say exactly how much caffeine either tea or coffee contains. Did you know, the average adult in the UK consumes 130mg of caffeine per day 1? Yet few really understand the factors that affect how much caffeine ends up in your hot drink. ![]()
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