What tea has the most caffeine?
Brewed tea is a staple for many, offering an array of flavors along with the calming ritual of tea drinking. But when caffeine is the priority, which tea variety is most effective?
Black Tea
Black tea is one of the most popular varieties of tea consumed around the world and is high in caffeine content. A brewed cup of black tea can contain anywhere from 14-70 milligrams of caffeine. It’s robust flavor and high caffeine content makes it popular with coffee drinkers who are looking to replace coffee with a healthier alternative while still getting their caffeine fix.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea, which is made like a black tea, also comes in various ranges of caffeine. The range for oolong tea is between 12-55 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. In comparison to black tea, it has a much lighter flavor and is highly aromatic. This type of tea is beloved by those wishing for an energy boost without the risk of a caffeine crash.
Green Tea
Green tea is well known for its health benefits. Depending on the variety of green tea, it typically contains only between 24-40 milligrams of caffeine. The flavor of green tea is considered lighter when compared to black tea, but is still a bit more robust than oolong.
Other Ways to Increase Caffeine in Tea
If you’re looking to increase the amount of caffeine in your tea, some brewers employ a few different strategies:
- Shorten Brewing Times: Longer brewing times extract more tannins and caffeine. To increase the caffeine content, a shorter steeping time can help.
- Add Coffee: Simply adding ground coffee to your tea can significantly increase the caffeine content.
- Use More Tea Leaves: Brewing your tea with more tea leaves than suggested can increase its caffeine content
Regardless of the type of tea you choose, make sure to stick to recommended brewing times and portion sizes to avoid consuming too much caffeine.
