Chart: caffeine in coffee and tea

How much caffeine is in tea? Black tea, green tea and matcha

Updated

A 250 ml cup of black tea contains about 55 mg of caffeine, according to the European Food Information Council (EUFIC). Green tea usually contains less than black tea, and matcha more, because you drink the whole leaf. The amount in your cup depends on the leaves, how long you brew and the size of the cup.

In short
• Black tea: about 55 mg of caffeine per 250 ml.
• Coffee: about 90 mg per 200 ml, so tea usually has less.
• Longer brewing and more leaves mean more caffeine.
• Herbal teas such as rooibos, peppermint and chamomile contain no caffeine.

Contents

How much caffeine is in tea?

Drink Serving Caffeine
Black tea 250 ml about 55 mg
Filter or instant coffee 200 ml about 90 mg
Espresso 60 ml about 80 mg
Cola 355 ml about 37 mg
Decaf coffee 200 ml about 4 mg

Work out your own total: caffeine calculator.

Source: EUFIC.

Black, green, white tea and matcha

  • Black tea: about 55 mg per 250 ml cup.
  • Green and white tea: come from the same plant and also contain caffeine, usually less than black tea per cup, but it varies a lot by leaf and brewing.
  • Matcha: powdered green tea, about 19–44 mg per gram of powder. More: Caffeine in matcha
  • Herbal teas (rooibos, peppermint, chamomile, fruit teas) are not made from the tea plant and contain no caffeine.

Why the amount varies

  • Brewing time: a longer brew extracts more caffeine.
  • Amount of leaves: more tea per cup means more caffeine.
  • Cup size: a large mug holds more than a 250 ml cup.
  • Leaves: different teas contain different amounts.

Tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid that coffee does not have. More: L-theanine: what it is

Tea vs coffee

Per cup, coffee usually has more caffeine than tea: about 90 mg per 200 ml vs about 55 mg per 250 ml. More: How much caffeine is in coffee?

EFSA considers up to 400 mg of caffeine a day from all sources safe for healthy adults, and up to 200 mg a day for pregnant and breastfeeding women (EFSA, 2015). More: How much caffeine a day?

Optimal Native caffeine pouches state the caffeine per pouch: Morning Energy 200 mg, Daily Flow 75 mg, Evening Relax 0 mg. More: Caffeine pouches explained

FAQ

How much caffeine is in a cup of tea?
About 55 mg in a 250 ml cup of black tea.

Does green tea have caffeine?
Yes, usually a little less than black tea per cup.

Is there caffeine in herbal tea?
No. Rooibos, peppermint, chamomile and fruit teas contain no caffeine.

How many cups of tea is 400 mg of caffeine?
At about 55 mg per 250 ml cup, roughly seven cups.

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