White tea caffeine content

If you are drinking tea because of its health benefits or because you are pregnant, you might want to consider White Tea.

White Tea undergoes very little processing and no fermentation but it also contains considerably less caffeine. The amount of caffeine depends on a number of factors, including the variety of tea leaf, where it is grown, particle size used, and the method and length of brewing or steeping. This is why the reported values in the literature are so variable.

Caffeine levels of White Tea are about 15 mg per serving, compared to 40 mg in Black Tea, and 20 mg in Green Tea.

Caffeine and pregnancy
Mostly it is advised that pregnant women should not drink more than 2 cups of white or green tea daily. Again, even this advice is a general one, since quantity of caffeine varies with type of tea and strength of the brew. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you might be interested on White tea and pregnancy article.

Did you know?

• Decaffeinated tea is not entirely caffeine free.
• The longer the tea leaves have fermented, the greater their caffeine content.
• The smaller the tea leaf, the stronger is the extraction of caffeine.
• Most of the caffeine is extracted in the first 30-40 seconds of steeping.
• You can make your own decaf tea.

Caffeine content comparisons
Coffee (5 oz. cup) … 80 mg
Cola (12 oz. can) … 45 mg
Black Tea (one tea bag) … 40 mg
Oolong Tea (one tea bag) … 30 mg
Green Tea (one tea bag) … 20 mg
White Tea (one tea bag) … 15 mg
Decaf Tea (one tea bag) … 2 mg
Herbal Tea (one tea bag) … 0 mg