Tea and caffeine: what the label cannot tell you

Caffeine: a reference range, not your cup

Method / sample	Conditions reported	Caffeine
20 commercial tea products; white, green and black	Infused servings of 6 or 8 oz (about 177 or 237 ml); steep times varied	14–61 mg per serving
Decaffeinated products in the same study	Product-specific leaf dose, temperature and exact times are not all supplied in the abstract.	Less than 12 mg per serving

Chin et al., 2008: a pooled range from tested products, not a prediction for our 31 profiles. More leaf, time and temperature can change extraction. Record all three before comparing cups.

Common claim	A better question
Roasted or fermented means low caffeine	Was this batch and recipe actually measured?
Black tea always exceeds green tea	What leaf dose, water and time were used?
Herbal means caffeine-free	Does the ingredient list include tea, mate or another caffeine source?

Contains caffeine is the starting label

Teas made from Camellia sinensis naturally contain caffeine. White tea is not automatically the lowest-caffeine choice, and darker roast is not a caffeine-free guarantee. Exact numbers for whole categories hide variation.

Compare measured conditions

A specific tea, amount of leaf, water and method matter to a useful comparison. If a seller gives a measured caffeine value, check serving size and preparation. A number without conditions may not describe your cup.

Caffeine-free and decaffeinated differ

Decaffeinated products can still contain caffeine. Herbal infusions are a different category; check every ingredient because blends may include tea or another caffeine-containing ingredient. We do not provide medical advice or a personal intake limit.

How Tea Finder handles it

Our catalog does not contain standardized caffeine measurements for every tea. If you require no caffeine or a verified lower-caffeine result, we explain the gap rather than invent three matches. Evening describes a routine, not a promise of better sleep.

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