Today, many products have some amount of caffeine in them, from coffee to chocolate. This creates many excellent options for individuals needing a pick-me-up in the morning or afternoon. However, many people want to know how much caffeine they’re getting. The answer might surprise you!
Here, we’ll look at the differences in caffeine in our coffee and tea. Many coffee shop frequenters might think coffee always has more caffeine than tea, however the amount in each type of beverage varies greatly across the many available varieties. Keep reading to learn just how much variety you can find in caffeine amounts in coffee and tea!
Decaffeinated Beverages
Contrary to popular belief, decaffeinated products still contain small amounts of caffeine. Generally speaking, at least 97 percent of the caffeine has been removed. There are three ways to decaffeinate both coffee and tea. Caffeine can be removed either through chemical solvents, osmosis, or carbon dioxide. Unroasted beans are either soaked or steamed regardless of the caffeine extracting agent.
Decaffeinated coffee typically still contains caffeine amounts between 0 and 7 mg. Decaf espresso has a range of 2 to 16 mg per shot. Decaffeinated tea typically ranges between 5 to 10 mg per eight-ounce cup, although this varies between variety and steep time.
Caffeine in Tea
Caffeine in tea can be more complicated. Some varieties, such as matcha, contain as much caffeine as instant coffee. At the same time, herbal teas have 0 mg of caffeine.
Outside of the variety, heat and the steep time are significant factors in caffeine content. Because of this, some people have started steeping their tea twice. You can remove up to 20 percent of the caffeine by steeping the tea for a minute, dumping it, and then steeping it a final time.
Highly Caffeinated Teas (mg/8oz)
- Mate 70-80 mg
- Matcha 60-80 mg
- Black 60-75 mg
- Oolong 30-45 mg
Minimally to Moderately Caffeinated Tea (mg/8oz)
- Green 15-30 mg
- White 10-15 mg
- Decaf 5-10 mg
- Herbal/Rooibos 0 mg
Coffee
There are mainly two things that affect the amount of caffeine in coffee. The higher the concentration of coffee or the higher the temperature of the water, the more caffeine will be present. Coffee beans brewed with lower temperature water leech less caffeine.
The idea of a lower brewing temperature may tempt you to think that cold-brew has less caffeine than average. Cold-brew actually can have a higher level of caffeine because of the process of soaking the beans. With cold-brew, you typically use more coffee beans and essentially steep them between 8 and 24 hours. So like with espresso, to a lesser degree, it’s a concentrated form.
Caffeine Amounts in Coffee
- Espresso 65 mg per oz
- Cold-brew 100-180 mg per 8 oz
- Regular 70-140 mg per 8 oz
- Instant 30-90 mg per 8 oz
- Decaf 0-7 mg per 8 oz
Picking Your Favorite
Now you know approximately how much caffeine comes in your favorite coffee or tea, the rest is up to you! Choosing your favorite beverage is as easy as deciding what amount of caffeine is best for you, and then finding your favorite flavor. If you’re looking for the perfect beverage to start your morning, visit Mochas & Javas, a San Marcos coffee shop with locations across the city and in Frisco, TX.
