How Much Caffeine Is in Green Tea

We have all heard of caffeine in our drinks, it is a chemical naturally present in many plant products having stimulant properties. This compound, once consumed, is known to be capable of impacting our brains; it increases our alertness level keeping us active for an extended time. Coffee, tea and cocoa are some common examples of caffeine sources. 

The green tea we consume is also not free from caffeine, it naturally comes with smaller amounts of caffeine as compared to coffee and other types of tea.

The content however varies, depending on the varieties, the environment they grow in, and the way they are harvested and prepared. Overall, green tea has caffeine in a low amount and depending on several factors, from its growth to its arrival on your table, the exact caffeine content can differ.

The caffeine content of different types of green tea varies. Let's have a look at the content present in the major types:

• Matcha Green Tea: Contains 20 to 45 mg of caffeine per 100 grams of green tea.
• Gyokuro Green Tea: Contains around 160 mg of caffeine per 100 grams.
• Sencha: Contains around 20 mg of caffeine per 100 grams.
• Dragonwell: Contains around 22 mg of caffeine per 100 grams of green tea.
• Kukicha: Contains around 11 mg of caffeine per 100 grams of green tea.
• Houjicha: Contains around 20 mg of caffeine per 100 grams of green tea.

Recommended Amounts

As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends 400 milligrams of caffeine a day safe, you have to adjust the amount of different green teas you consume based on the value.

The caffeine content in green tea differs from that in other beverages we consume on a daily basis. Let's have a look.

• Green Tea: 30 to 50 milligrams per 8 oz.
• Black Tea:  25 to 60 milligrams per 8 oz.
• White Tea: 15 to 30 milligrams per 8 oz.
• Herbal Tea: Most of them are caffeine-free.
• Coffee: 95 to 200 milligrams per 8 oz.

Except for these natural products, the energy drinks and sodas we consume also have a significant amount of caffeine. In these products, synthetically manufactured caffeine is added.

Ranging from the environment the green tea plant grew on to the brewing process, there are several factors that influence the caffeine content of the green tea until it becomes fully prepared. Let's break down all the key factors that affect the final caffeine content:

Age of Tea Leaves

The age of green tea leaves influences their caffeine content. During the earlier stages of growth, starting when they are bud, the caffeine content is maximum and when they proceed to fully mature leaves, the caffeine content gradually decreases.

So, depending on which stage of the green tea leaves is harvested for manufacturing the tea, the final caffeine concentration would differ. So, if you are choosing first flush green tea, you will get the maximum caffeine but if you go for types like bancha, made using mature leaves, the tea would have lower caffeine.

Cultivars of the Tea Plant

There are many varieties of green tea used around the world, some common ones being Yabukita, Asatsuyu and Zheizang. The different varieties of the tea plant also determine how much caffeine it will contain.

As these varieties are specifically bred to get desired characteristics, hence, the choice of your green tea variety is important. It's ideal to look at the labels before you purchase as they can provide information about the type of leaves used as well as the caffeine content present.

Environmental Factors

The terror the green tea grows also impacts the caffeine content of green tea. The major ones that determine the caffeine amount in the tea are altitude, soil type and climate.

• The higher the altitude the green tea plants grow on, the more will be the caffeine content of the tea and vice versa.
• If green tea grows in soils that are rich and in a climate that has ample rainfall, tea leaves will be of the best quality with optimum caffeine content.
• The amount of sunlight the tea plant gets exposed to is also important. The leaves that grow in sunny areas have lesser caffeine content.

Processing Styles

Green tea is generally picked by hand, and once harvested, it is processed to get the final product. The two primary methods used to process are:

1. Steaming: Japanese green teas are generally steamed. The steaming process preserves the caffeine content, hence the teas processed using this technique have a bit more caffeine.
2. Pan-frying: Some Chinese green teas are processed by frying in pans. As this process implies high heat, the caffeine content tends to get reduced in green teas made this way.

Shading: In the case of some green teas, before harvesting, the leaves need to be grown under shaded conditions for several weeks to develop characteristic flavor. Some common varieties that are shaded before being harvested include Gyokuro, Kabusecha, and Matcha. The shade helps the tea to develop a stronger flavor due to a tremendous rise in the caffeine content.

Brewing Methods

Once you’ve selected your green tea, how you brew it will also increase caffeine levels in your cup. Let's look at how negligible factors can also impact the caffeine levels:

-Green tea becomes ready in about 1 to 2 minutes of steeping. This much time is enough to have a mild green tea. An increase in this time means you will get a stronger green tea.

-The temperature for brewing is not standard, however, 160°F to 180°F is considered proper to obtain a mild brew. Above this temperature, more caffeine will be extracted.

-The more the amount of green tea used, the higher will be the content of caffeine. 

Loose-Leaf vs. Tea Bags

Your choice of different forms of green tea, whether loose-leaf tea or tea bags can also affect caffeine levels. The difference however is subtle. The content of the loose-leaf green tea is larger, with whole leaves that take more time for extraction whereas that of tea bags is smaller, broken leaves or fannings, which can lead to a faster and more intense extraction of caffeine.

Tea bags are commercially designed in such a way that consumers can enjoy tea without longer brewing time. This could lead to an even more highly caffeinated cup if the brewing time is increased.

Though green tea naturally has caffeine, it's possible to reduce them in your daily cups by just adjusting some ways. Here are some important ones: 

Steeping Time

The amount of caffeine in your green tea relies on the steeping time. One to two minutes of brewing time is adequate to brew green tea for optimal caffeine concentration, however, increasing if the steeping time goes beyond this time, more caffeine gets extracted.

As the steeping time is extended, upon more caffeine getting infused in the tea, the flavor will turn out to be more bitter. So, to stick to a moderate caffeine level it is best to stick to the recommended one to two-minute steeping window.

Temperature

Just like time, temperature of the boiling water also has a major impact on how much caffeine content is in your green tea. The green tea prepared in temperature between 160°F to 175°F is the best range to get moderate caffeine extraction.

Now, moving on to what happens if we use water that's too hot for the preparation, well, the caffeine content becomes higher. Therefore, to get a balanced green tea that has less caffeine content with smooth, pleasant taste, it's better to brew green tea below 175°F.

No-caffeine Varieties

Thankfully, there are no-caffeine green tea varieties available in the market, a perfect choice for individuals looking to cut out caffeine totally in their drinks.

No-caffeine tea can be compared with decaf coffee, in the sense that both are made through a decaffeination process, in which the caffeine present in the green tea originally is removed. You can enjoy this version without any doubt, as except for the bitterness, other flavors tend to remain the same.

Tea to Water Ratio

As the green tea leaves used in the preparation are what determine the caffeine concentration in the tea, it's a valid idea to look after the tea-to-water ratio to maintain the caffeine level.

Green tea has 11 to 20 milligrams of caffeine in a gram and each cup (240 ml) is made using around two grams of the tea leaves. So, to reduce the caffeine content, simply reduce the amount of tea leaves being used or you can also increase the water level, use more than 240 ml, to prepare a milder brew.

Opt For Loose-Leaf Green Tea

The leaves used in loose-leaf and tea bags are different, whole leaves are used in the earlier one while broken ones are used in the latter. As the broken leaves need less time for extraction, it's best to use loos-leaf varieties for caffeine control. Also, using tea bags is a "must", try reducing brewing time to around one minute.

Ways To Get More Caffeine

Opposite to the ways above, caffeine concentration can be increased in your regular cup of green tea by following the steps below:

• It's best to opt for green tea types that are naturally higher in caffeine. Matcha, Gyokuro, and Sencha are some best ones that tend to have more caffeine compared to other varieties due to the quality and maturity of the leaves used.

• Try increasing the number of tea leaves per cup. The more leaves you use, the highly caffeine-concentrated tea you will get. Try using 2 teaspoons or more of loose-leaf tea instead of just 1 teaspoon.

• Varieties like matcha made from powdered tea leaves are best to use as you consume the entire leaf rather than just the infusion. This means you’ll be getting significantly higher caffeine dose-usually 60 to 100 milligrams per cup.

• Steep your green tea for a longer time in hot water, wait for around 3 to 5 minutes to have caffeine extracted to maximum.

• Re-steeping the green tea leaves is normal and doing so can increase your total caffeine intake.

• A tea infuser or strainer is best for the tea leaves. As tea leaves fully expand in these devices, there is a chance of better extraction of caffeine.

Green tea's benefits have been highlighted since traditional times, mainly due to the presence of beneficial compounds like antioxidants. The major benefits of the green tea are listed below:

Improves brain function

The compounds like caffeine present in green tea keep us alert. As a result of consuming green tea regularly, we remain focused, attentive and have improved memory.

Boosts metabolism and fat-burning

Green tea is known to be a great drink for people who are on a weight loss journey. This is because green tea helps to improve metabolism hence increasing the probability of fat loss.

Supports heart health

Green tea is good for the heart as it prevents the build-up of cholesterol, thus helping to maintain blood pressure levels and ensuring that the heart remains healthy.

Cancer risk reduction

There are a variety of antioxidants present in green tea. These beneficial compounds are known to protect our cells against cancer.

Promotes oral health

The compounds in green tea are also valuable in preventing plaque formation in our mouth, also, they keep teeth healthy by preventing the chances of tooth decay.

Improves skin health

The abundance of antioxidants helps protect our skin from various conditions like UV damage and makes our appearance youthful.

Enhances insulin sensitivity

As green tea can increase the sensitivity of insulin, there is a lesser chance of blood glucose level fluctuations. This in turn keeps us safe from conditions like type 2 diabetes.

Other benefits

The benefits of green tea are not limited here. There are other several advantages of green tea including a better functioning immune system, protection of the body against inflammation and prevention of chronic diseases like heart disease and arthritis that occur due to long-term inflammation in the body.