Caffeine and Tea
Caffeine occurs naturally in the leaves of tea, and varies according to the oxidation process and brewing methods and time. Tea and coffee belong to a very small, elite group of botanicals which have the unique ability to produce caffeine during the photosynthetic process. In tea, the production of caffeine is the exclusive domain of leaves, not the roots or stems. Sugar, which is the normal by by-product of all plant photosynthesis, becomes caffeine in the tea plant. Tea contains more caffeine by weight than coffee, but far less tea is used to brew one serving of tea. The effect of caffeine from drinking tea comes on far more slowly than the effect of caffeine from drinking coffee. So when you hear "relax with a cup of tea," it's because drinking tea seems smoother and mellower than drinking coffee.
Caffeine Content in an 8oz cup
- Coffee: 110 mg
- Cola: 46 mg
- Black Tea: 40 mg
- Oolong Tea: 30 mg
- Green Tea: 20 mg
- White Tea: 15 mg
- Herbal Tea: 0 mg
The large discrepancy comes from several factors, namely leaf size, brewing time and water temperature. The larger the leaf, the longer the brewing time and the hotter the water temperature, the more caffeine releases into the brew.
You can reduce the amount of caffeine in your cup of tea with a simple decaffeination method. Simply brew your cup of tea for one minute, discard the liquid (with most of the released caffeine) and continue to brew the tea for the rest of the suggested brewing time. On a commercial level, the removal of caffeine from tea is generally done by one of three available methods: solvent, CO2 based extraction and steam. In solvent based extraction, ethyl acetate is used to "capture" the caffeine from the leaf. The solvents are then removed by filtration carrying with them the caffeine. In CO2 extraction, the tea leaves are wetted first to break up intercellular plant tissue. Then the tea is put into a kind of pressure chamber in which pressurized CO2 streams through the tea, taking with it the caffeine, but leaving behind other flavor components. The extracted caffeine is then filtered out of the CO2 and is reused in other applications.
On the other hand, herbal teas are not tea in the true sense at all. Instead they are leaves, stems, roots, flowers and peels of any of a variety of plants or fruits which are chosen for flavor, medicinal qualities and for appearance. They contain no tea leaves (camellia sinensis), and usually contain no caffeine. The one notable exception to this is the herb mate which actually contains twice the caffeine of a cup of tea when brewed as an herbal tea. The term tisane is actually a more accurate term for any herbal infusions. However they are defined, herbal teas have become an important category of beverage particularly in the U.S. But the herbal concoctions have a history certainly as old or older than that of tea itself.
Although many herbal teas still have medicinal healing properties, much herbal tea is sold simply for its refreshment value. Pungent and flavorful herbs like chamomile, rose hips, carob, and peppermint can act alone as robust tisanes, or be blended with tea itself to augment the tea's character. Herbal teas have become firmly entrenched as an important option available to the modern tea drinker. The fact that herbal teas can generally be brewed longer without becoming bitter, have no caffeine and retain a light "tea-like" character, further enhances their appeal. Not unlike the choices the contemporary coffee drinker must confront in lattes, espressos, cappuccinos and decafs, the tea drinker can choose from green, oolong and black, flavored, decaffeinated and herbal teas.
Davidson's product line consists of nearly half herbal teas. Rooibos and Honeybush from South Africa, Tulsi from India, Chamomile and Hibiscus from Egypt, and Carob and Chicory from Eastern Europe form the bases of many of our herbal blends. These herbs, along with many others, are all certified organic, grown by primarily small farmers all over the world. Back to Top