Caffeine in Tea: How the Six Types of Chinese Tea Compare
Every true tea contains caffeine, usually about 3% of the dry leaf by weight. White and green teas tend to sit at the top of the range and black and dark teas a little lower, but how you brew matters even more than tea type. If caffeine makes your heart race, short gongfu infusions and a mellow tea like ripe pu-erh are a gentle place to start.
Here is how caffeine content compares across the six types of Chinese tea, and how to enjoy tea if you are sensitive to it.
How much caffeine is in each type of tea?
This chart shows typical caffeine content as a percentage of dry leaf weight:
- White tea: 3.86%
- Fresh tea leaves: 3.44%
- Green tea: 3.38%
- Yellow tea: 3.09%
- Oolong tea: 3.09%
- Dark tea (including pu-erh): 3.01%
- Black tea: 2.99%
The differences are smaller than many people expect. A common rule of thumb among Chinese tea drinkers is that the more a tea is processed and fermented, the gentler it feels. That is why young white and green teas feel the most lively, while black tea and dark tea feel the mildest. Not sure about the six types? See our guide to the six basic types of Chinese tea.
Why does tea sometimes make your heart race?
A racing heart after tea is mainly caused by caffeine. Buds and young leaves carry more caffeine than mature leaves, and hot water, more leaf and long steeps all pull out more of it. A big mug of strong green tea steeped for five minutes can feel very different from a few small cups of the same tea.
Within dark tea, ripe pu-erh (熟普洱, shú pǔ’ěr, fermented pu-erh) is widely seen as one of the gentlest teas. Raw pu-erh (生普洱, shēng pǔ’ěr), which is not fermented, is the opposite: lively and strong, especially when young.
How can you drink tea with less caffeine?
- Brew gongfu style. With the Chinese gongfu method, the leaves are not left soaking in water. Each short infusion releases caffeine gradually and mildly.
- Choose ripe pu-erh or black tea. These are the teas we recommend most often to friends who are sensitive to caffeine.
- Use a little less leaf and avoid very long steeps.
- Drink earlier in the day. See which teas suit each time of day.
Our Xiao Qing Gan (小青柑, “little green mandarin”) is a good choice: aged ripe pu-erh from Yiwu packed inside a Xinhui mandarin peel, with an earthy, orange aroma and a sweet, refreshing taste.
These are traditional views, not medical claims. Tea is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease.
How do you brew Xiao Qing Gan?
Brew Xiao Qing Gan with water at 100°C (212°F). Use 1 piece (one whole mandarin with the tea inside) per brew. For the Chinese gongfu method, the first infusion is 5 seconds, add 5 seconds for each infusion after that, and enjoy up to 15 infusions. For the western cup method, the first infusion is 120 seconds, each infusion after that is 30 seconds longer, for 5 infusions in total. These are the same steps as the Brewing Method tab on the product page.
For more gongfu tips, read five tips for brewing gongfu tea.
FAQ
Does tea have more caffeine than coffee?
By dry weight, tea leaves can contain more caffeine than coffee beans. But a typical cup of coffee usually has more caffeine than a cup of tea, because you use less tea leaf per cup.
Which tea has the least caffeine?
Black tea and dark tea are usually at the low end, and ripe pu-erh is a popular choice for sensitive drinkers. No true tea is caffeine-free.
Does rinsing tea remove caffeine?
A quick rinse removes only a small amount. Brewing method and steep time matter much more.