How much caffeine is in tea? Sencha, matcha, hojicha and black tea compared

The short answer: a cup of tea usually has anywhere from a dozen or so to about 60 mg of caffeine, which is less than a mug of brewed coffee (about 80–120 mg). The longer answer is more interesting, because the amount of caffeine in a cup depends more on how you brew it than on the colour of the tea.

What it depends on

• The amount of leaves. More leaves means more caffeine. Gyokuro is brewed at 5 g to 60 ml, so a small cup can contain quite a lot.
• Temperature and time. Hot water and long brewing extract more caffeine. Most of it goes into the first infusion, with less and less in each one after.
• The part of the plant. Young leaves and buds have more caffeine than mature leaves and stems.
• Shading. Teas shaded before the harvest, such as gyokuro and matcha, have more of it than those grown in the sun.
• Matcha is the whole leaf. You drink the ground leaf, not an infusion, so you get all the caffeine in the serving.

Approximate amounts per serving

These are approximations from studies and producers' data. A particular cup may have noticeably more or less.

• Matcha, 2 g: about 40–80 mg
• Gyokuro, first cup: about 30–60 mg
• Black tea, 250 ml: about 30–60 mg
• Oolong, 150–200 ml: about 25–50 mg
• Sencha, 200 ml: about 20–40 mg
• White tea, 250 ml: about 15–40 mg
• Hojicha and genmaicha, 200 ml: about 10–25 mg
• For comparison: espresso about 60–80 mg, a mug of brewed coffee about 80–120 mg

White tea doesn't always have the least

You'll often read that white tea has the least caffeine. That's not quite true: white teas with lots of buds can have as much as green teas, or more. What mainly gives you less caffeine is a shorter brew at a lower temperature.

What else is in the cup

Tea also contains L-theanine, an amino acid responsible for the sweetness and umami in its flavour. Shaded teas have the most: gyokuro and matcha.

How much caffeine a day

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) considers up to 400 mg of caffeine a day safe for healthy adults, and up to 200 mg for pregnant and breastfeeding women. That's several cups of tea, even strong tea. If you have problems with your heart, blood pressure or sleep, ask your doctor.

Tea for the evening

Choose hojicha or genmaicha and brew them briefly. The second infusion of any tea has less caffeine than the first.

In our shop: Hojicha, Genmaicha and Ceremonial Matcha.