The stimulant in tea is the same molecule as caffeine, but in tea it is called theine. The difference is in how our body absorbs it. In tea, it passes into the bloodstream more slowly than in coffee, so its effect is different. It is believed that the polyphenols in tea inhibit the absorption of the stimulant in the circulatory system. That is why tea allows us to concentrate, keeps us alert, but does not alter us. For this reason, eastern cultures drink it to meditate.

For years we have believed that tea has less stimulant than coffee and this is what we advertised as a trader. Studies show that this is true, however there are other misconceptions that have been around for a long time regarding the stimulant content of tea, such as the following:

1. Theine in tea is almost completely eliminated with a quick rinse of the leaves.

In countless books and articles it is mentioned that theine in tea can be almost eliminated (80%) if we “rinse” the leaves in hot water for 30 seconds and throw away the infusion, then add hot water to the leaves again and now wait the indicated time for that type of tea (3 to 7 minutes depending on the tea). Well, it turns out that this is FALSE according to recent studies that have been carried out and published in prestigious universities around the world, such as the study Caffeine content of brewed teas, Janna M Chin, Michele L Merves, Bruce A. Goldberger, Journal of analytical Toxicology, Vol 32, Oct. 2008. In this and other studies it has been observed that the dilution time of caffeine is prolonged, and that in fact it dissolves more the longer the leaf is in contact with water, reaching the total release of caffeine around 15 minutes of contact with hot water.

So we do not remove the caffeine with a quick rinse of the leaves and the longer we leave the leaves in contact with the water, the more stimulating our cup will be.

 2. The darker the tea, the more theine it contains.

This belief is still very deep-rooted in the industry and even prestigious brands continue to claim this. It turns out that laboratory studies have shown for some years now that the theine content in the different categories of tea has nothing or almost nothing to do with its color. In fact, it is not true that green tea always has less theine than black tea, or white tea less than all. What these studies revealed is that most teas have between 15 and 70 mg of this stimulant in a 6 to 8 oz cup (what we normally drink) versus 80 to 135 mg in the same amount of an American coffee. In this we still agree, coffee generally has more stimulants than tea and acts differently on our body.

So, if it's not the color, what determines how much caffeine a tea has?

Studies have revealed that:

a) The part of the plant used to make tea (buds, young leaves, mature leaves, stems) largely determines the caffeine content of the final product. The caffeine is a natural insecticide that the plant produces to defend itself against certain insects, which it paralyzes and even kills when they bite its leaves. That is why the buds and young leaves of the plant contain the most caffeine (to protect the plant in its primary state).

So following this logic, Premium Teas with a high content of buds and tender leaves such as Yin Zhen (white), Bi lo chun, Long Jing (green) or Darjeeling SFTGFOP (black), will have more theine than other Teas produced with more mature leaves such as Assam OP, Lapsang Souchong (black), or Temple of Heaven (green), regardless of whether they are white, green or black.

b) The Camellia Sinensis variety used to produce the tea has a lot to do with its final caffeine content. It has been observed that some varieties have more caffeine than others and the teas produced from it (white, green or black) will have more caffeine in the end than other varieties.

c) The roasting process of some teas seems to reduce the caffeine content, as can be seen in Hojicha (roasted Japanese green tea) and in some highly oxidized ulong teas. However, this observation is not conclusive since some other ulong teas do contain a lot of caffeine.

d) The specific climatic conditions of the region, the year and the season of harvest influence the caffeine content of each tea, that is, a tea of ​​the same variety that grows in one region or another, or is harvested at a certain time, may have a different caffeine content than one harvested at another time or year.

So in conclusion, many tea merchants have made a mistake by "cataloging" each type of tea as containing more or less theine. Each tea has different theine contents and in general they are in the range of 15 to 70 mg per cup, so it is safe to consume 4 cups of any tea per day without exceeding the range considered as safe and moderate intake for an adult (200-300 mg per day).

It should be noted that each person reacts differently to psychoactive substances such as caffeine, so what may be healthy and safe for one person may not be for another.

 

Here are some examples of theine content in various Euro Teas (analysis carried out in 2014):

NAME (WHOLE LEAF TEAS)	THEINE CONTENT* (mg/8 oz infusion)
GYOKURO	61 mg
TAI PING HUO KUI	59 mg
DARJEELING SFTGFOP	58 mg
SENCHA PREMIUM	51 mg
MATCHA	51 mg
LONG JIN	48 mg
Father, you are my friend	39 mg
PU ERH	23 mg
TIE KUAN YIN	17 mg
YIN ZHEN	15 mg
JASMINE PEARLS	13 mg

 * Prepared with 2.5 g of Tea at the ideal temperature and time recommended.

So from now on, drink Tea observing the effect that specific variety has on you, and not necessarily because it is a green or black Tea, another Tea of ​​the same category but from another region or harvest may have a significantly different theine content and not cause the same effect on your body.

In general, as we have already pointed out, consuming 300 mg of theine per day is safe, but if you absolutely cannot tolerate any stimulant, it is better to drink herbal teas without stimulants (be careful, there are 60 plants that contain the caffeine molecule, not only coffee and tea), so read the manufacturer's instructions carefully before assuming that because it is another plant it does not have a stimulant.

Olivia Medina
Tea Master, EURO TEA