How Much Caffeine In Green Tea

For years, the Chinese have considered green tea the best cure for everything. Now, the rest of world is catching up. The only rub, though, seems to be its caffeine content. Many people who are sensitive to caffeine find this the main objection.

However, the question is how much caffeine in green tea is there?

The truth is, green tea does have caffeine and it can be as high as 30 to 50 milligrams in an 8 oz cup. Compare this with 35 milligrams of a cola soft drink, or 62 of instant coffee.

Do not however, let this put you off green tea. There are ways of minimizing how much caffeine in green tea you are consuming.

• Choose the right tea: Before you start, know what to pick. Choose tea that has naturally less caffeine. The most prized green tea comes from the terminal bud and the adjacent two leaves (also known as tea flush). These are also highest in caffeine. So avoid those. Caffeine levels can also vary according to the processing. For example, some oven-roasted or pan-fried teas have less caffeine.

Alternatively, you can buy decaffeinated tea. Decaffeination can be done naturally or chemically. The former uses water and carbon dioxide, while the latter uses the chemical solvent ethyl acetate. Obviously, go for the natural one. Also, make sure you buy organic green tea.

• Throw away first infusion: Caffeine dissolves faster than the other compounds. So, throw away your first infusion after a few minutes. Steep the tea again in the same pot. However, the trick is in finding the balance. The first infusion lessens the caffeine, but turns the second round blander.
• Avoid teabags: Teabags have higher caffeine content that loose leaf. In addition, the loose leaf tastes better and lasts longer. After you have thrown out the first infusion, you can use the same tealeaves twice.
• Take it hot: The benefits of green tea come from its components, one of which are the catechins. When hot, the catechins along with water can minimize the caffeine. Once cool, the catechins will break down, releasing the caffeine.